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 | Todd Anderson President & Co-Founder
“If I had known how
challenging it would be to create a good poker show, I would never have done
it” With
seemingly humble aspirations of televising a poker tournament for the “common”
player, Todd Anderson walked away from his career as a television executive in
2005 and partnered with buddy Greg Lang on a wild ride of ups and downs. With little to no production experience, the
pair created a brand that is now recognizable throughout the United States and
abroad. Anderson’s
typical workday takes place in a casino or airport, in drastic contrast to his
upbringing as a pastor’s son in rural Minnesota communities. After graduating
from a Lutheran private college, Anderson proved himself in the cut-throat
media industry. Landing his first
professional job in radio sales, he eventually made the switch to television
and climbed the ladder to general manager before establishing All In Productions
with Lang. Carving a
niche with the mission “Real People, Unreal Money”, The Heartland Poker Tour
continues to grow with sold out events crisscrossing the nation and
ink-still-wet sponsorship deals. During
the first season of the tour, Anderson relied on his own poker winnings to keep
the company afloat. Still playing on a
casual basis, his highest major tournament finish was fourth place at a World
Series of Poker Circuit Event in Las Vegas. Follow Todd on Twitter @HPTTodd
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 | Greg Lang Executive Producer & Co-Founder
“Anyone can achieve
the dream of winning big on TV” Executive
Producer Greg Lang is no stranger to dreaming big. With an entrepreneurial spirit since
childhood, Lang successfully launched a number of franchise businesses before
co-creating Heartland Poker Tour. When
he and poker buddy Todd Anderson struck on the long-shot idea of creating a
poker show for the common man, Lang tackled “all the moving parts,” as he is
known to say. With no
experience in the TV industry, Lang’s innovation and notorious
attention-to-detail evolved into a finished product worthy of widespread
distribution. Scouting and
orchestrating a first-class creative team, Lang currently coordinates all
aspects of production and the overall look of each episode. Investing
blood, sweat, tears, and cash, Lang built the HPT family as his own family grew
at home. Lang and his wife, Sara, have
two young daughters. On set every time HPT
awards life-changing money, the thrill of the job is not lost on his family at
home in Fargo, North Dakota. When his
preschool daughter took her turn answering the question, “What is your favorite
game,” Lang proudly recalls that she was the only three-year-old in the class
to answer, “Poker”. Follow Greg on Twitter @HPTGreg
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 | Jen Mastrud General Manager & Public Relations Director
“It’s more than a job,
it’s a lifestyle” With a
background in marketing and public relations, Jen joined the HPT family just in
time to kick start Season 5 in January 2009.
Highly caffeinated, Jen coordinates media interviews for on-air talent, writes
and distributes press releases, initiates PR campaigns, manages an extensive
database, and executes special events for HPT and our charity partner, Disabled
American Veterans. WSOP media giant
Nolan Dalla kindly said of Jen, “Outstanding work…I have some catching up to do
on creativity.” She puts her
bachelors’ degrees in both mass communication and merchandising to good use,
overseeing web, print, and TV ads as well as HPT-branded merchandise. “New media” is a growing focus in her role
with live tournament updates and social networking initiatives. Spending much of each year in casinos, Jen’s
game of choice is video keno, accumulating over sixteen dollars in career winnings
to date. Follow Jen on Twitter @HPTJen
Email: jen@heartlandpokertour.com Mobile:
(701)793-0380 |
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 | Dave “Q” Quenette Road Manager
“I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Nobody spends more time on the road for HPT than Road Manager Dave “Q” Quenette. Because Q hauls our gear to each casino on the tour, he is the first to arrive and the last to leave. Oddly, he isn’t much of a gambler, although there isn’t a Dean Martin slot machine in America he hasn’t put a quarter in. Q is an original crew member, joining the team when the company launched in 2005. With a college education in audio communications, Q has brought over twenty five years of television and radio experience to his role. He wears many invaluable hats at HPT including Road Warrior, Master of Spreadsheets, Travel Agent, Statistician, Head Cameraman, and Karaoke King.
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 | Tucker Lucas Post Production Director
Turning
several hours of poker into a compelling TV show is a daunting task, and Tucker
Lucas is the guy for the job. As
production manager at HPT, he oversees a team of editors and coordinates
distribution of each episode. Tucker
joined the technical team in 2008, having worked as a production manager for a
local TV station for three years. When
not in an edit bay at HPT headquarters, Tucker is likely found on stage at a
local theatre company either acting or directing. Also well-respected as an independent filmmaker,
Tucker successfully produced a short film each month in 2010 in addition to his
work with HPT. Occasionally casting some
of his colleagues in his movies, he often costumes the HPT guys in too-short
shorts or giant furry animal suits. |
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 | Michael Ressl Web & Merchandise Manager
Affectionately
dubbed “New Guy” by commentator Fred Bevill, Michael fits in like a seasoned
veteran at HPT. Joining the crew in
April of 2010, he handles web, print, and merchandise design. Previously working in web design, Michael has
a knack for all things technical.
Viewers may recognize Michael from HPT’s season six feature, “Back of
House”, appearing in several episodes as himself. Easy-going and well-rested, Michael takes
endless ribbing on the road about his boy-band good looks and love of naps. |
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 | Aaron Johnson Editor
Aaron left
the family farm in rural Minnesota to obtain a bachelor’s degree in film
studies. A fan of televised poker, he
landed his first professional job with HPT.
On set, Aaron runs one of thirteen cameras while taking direction from
the production truck. In the edit bay,
he meticulously pieces together footage and graphics for each one-hour episode
of HPT. Learning quickly and working at
the speed of an industry pro, Aaron can master two full episodes every five
weeks. Speaking highly of Aaron, HPT
President Todd Anderson advises, “If you have the chance to hire a farm kid
from Minnesota, do it.” |
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 | Jeff Kasper Editor
A poker and
tech junkie, Jeff Kasper stalked HPT management, begging for a shot at editing
the show. Working his way up from an
office internship, Jeff was finally given the chance after getting “HPT 72J”
vanity plates for his Jeep, a nod to the HPT theme song. Working around the clock in an editing bay
has yet to curb his enthusiasm. Jeff’s
dedication and passion for HPT is apparent in each one-hour episode he
masters. |
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 | Mark Schlader Director of TV Distribution Primary Phone Number: 515-209-9347 Email Address: mark@hptpoker.com
With a BA in broadcast business from the University of Northern Iowa, Mark has been involved in various aspects of HPT since he came on board in 2007. Currently, Mark works with hundreds of TV stations and program directors who broadcast our show worldwide. He tracks over a 1,000 airings in the US every 12 weeks. Nationally-syndicated, HPT is available in over 100 million US households, in addition to widespread distribution throughout Europe. Before you ask Mark where you can see the show in your area, please check our TV page. |