Rudd Davis Joins USA TODAY as Vice President, Business Development

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- USA TODAY has announced Rudd Davis, formerly CEO of BNQT Media Group, has joined the company as vice president of business development. Davis will lead a new department responsible for business innovation, developing and securing new business opportunities and strategic partnerships including brand licensing, content syndication, acquisitions and joint ventures. Davis will also assume oversight of USA TODAY's retail, hotel and education-based partnerships. He will be based in Los Angeles.

"Rudd is a highly creative entrepreneur whose innovative spirit is motivating to all those around him. We're confident he can lead USA TODAY's business development team as the company transitions into a multi-platform media company," said David L. Hunke, president and publisher of USA TODAY.

Davis founded his first digital media company, BNQT Media Group, at the age of 24, serving as president and then ultimately CEO.  He built BNQT Media Group into one the nation's largest digital media properties reaching the key male youth demographic.  As of July 2010, BNQT Media group was ranked as a Top 10 digital sports property overall by audience size*.  Davis oversaw the strategic innovation and development that allowed BNQT Media Group to rise to the top of an extremely fractured and competitive media landscape.  Davis led BNQT from its initial and only venture capital investment into significant profitability in 2010.  

Davis is a graduate of Bard College with a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and a bachelor of arts degree in film and electronic media.

USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY's mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Today, through its newspaper, website and mobile platforms, USA TODAY connects readers and engages the national conversation. USA TODAY, the nation's number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of more than 1.8 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website  launched in 1995, reach a combined 5.9 million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than five million downloads on mobile devices.  The USA TODAY brand also includes USA TODAY Education and USA TODAY Sports Weekly. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

*Comscore

SOURCE USA TODAY