Tom Kalinske

Tom Kalinske
Place of birth: Iowa, United States
Date of birth: 1944-07-17 (age 77)
Company(ies): Sega of America
Role(s): Executive
Education: University of Wisconsin (Batchelor of Business Science), University of Arizona (Master of Business Administration), Harvard Business School (Strategic Management)

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Thomas "Tom" Kalinske is an American businessman who served as President and CEO of Sega of America from October 1990 to September 1996. The face of the company for much of its exponential growth, Kalinske oversaw the company’s battle with Nintendo’s monopoly on the home video game market. His aggressive marketing decisions, such as competitive price drops and the famous Sega Scream campaign, are regarded as key elements in the continuing success of the Sega Genesis.

History

Beginnings

Approached by Hayao Nakayama to serve as President of Sega of America, Kalinske succeeded Michael Katz in leading the company’s American branch.

Departing Sega of America

After losing confidence in Sega of Japan’s support during the 32-bit era, Kalinske departed Sega of America on September 30, 1996. The company went nearly two years without hiring a new President, with the role only being filled when Bernie Stolar was promoted in March 1998.

Production history

• Disney's Aladdin (Mega Drive;
  1993) — Special Thanks to
• NiGHTS into Dreams (Saturn;
  1996) — Executive Management
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) — Executive Supporter
• Sonic & Knuckles (1994) — Executive Management
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (1994) — Executive Management

Interviews

• Interview: Tom Kalinske (2006-07-11) by Sega-16

Magazine articles

Main article: Tom Kalinske/Magazine articles.

External links

• Tom Kalinske on LinkedIn