Tom Kalinske
From Sega Retro
|
| Tom Kalinske |
|---|
| Place of birth: Iowa, United States |
| Date of birth: 1944-07-17 (age 80) |
| 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) |
This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.
Thomas "Tom" Kalinske is an American businessman who served as President and CEO of Sega of America from October 1990[1] to September 1996.[2] 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.
Contents
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.
Strategic marketing
Taking on Nintendo
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.[2] 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
Games
- Disney's Aladdin (Mega Drive; 1993) — Special Thanks to[3]
- Midnight Raiders (Mega-CD; 1994) — Special Thanks To[4]
- Sonic & Knuckles (Mega Drive; 1994) — Executive Management[5]
- NiGHTS into Dreams (Saturn; 1996) — Executive Management[6]
Videos
- This Is Sega Test (VHS; 1996) — The president
- Sonic 30th Anniversary Symphony () — Special Thanks
Music
- Ecco: Songs of Time (CD; 1996) — Deep thanks to[7]
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) — Executive Supporter
- Sonic & Knuckles (1994) — Executive Management
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (1994) — Executive Management
Interviews
Magazine articles
- Main article: Tom Kalinske/Magazine articles.
Images
A young Kalinske, before he joined Sega of America.
Kalinske visits with Al Nilsen and Shinobu Toyoda.
Kalinske poses outside of Sega of America's Redwood City offices.
Kalinske, Paul Rioux, and Shinobu Toyoda dressed as prisoners for 1994's Rock the Rock.
External links
References
- ↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "January 1993" (US; 1992-12-10), page 55
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Interview: Tom Kalinske (2006-07-11) by Sega-16
- ↑ File:Aladdin MD credits.pdf
- ↑ File:Midnightraiders mcd us manual.pdf, page 16
- ↑ File:Sonic & Knuckles MD credits.pdf
- ↑ File:NiGHTS into Dreams Saturn credits.pdf
- ↑ File:ESoT CD US Booklet.pdf, page 5
| Presidents of Sega Enterprises USA |
|---|
| Gene Lipkin (1985-1986) | Ned DeWitt | Tom Petit (1988-1994) | Alan Stone (1994-1996) | Howell Ivy (1996-2004) |
Co-president: David Rosen (1985-1996) |
| Presidents of Sega of America |
| Bruce Lowry (1986-1989) | | Michael Katz (1989-1990) | Tom Kalinske (1990-1996) | Bernie Stolar (1998-1999) | Peter Moore (1999-2003) | Hideaki Irie (2003-2005) | Simon Jeffery (2005-2009) | Mike Hayes (2009-2012) | John Cheng (2012-2018) | Ian Curran (2018)
Co-president: David Rosen (1986-1996) |