Executive Team

Prior to being appointed as CEO and Director of the Company, Mr. Hug was Director of Operations from July 2018, where he was instrumental in architecting and executing the Company’s pivot from a traditional agency to an Enterprise Software Technology company, focused on commercializing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in the Digital Marketing and Advertising space.

Hug was previously Chief Executive Officer and Director of SITO Mobile from November 10, 2014 through February 2017, where he architected and executed the successful transformation of the company from a SMS aggregator to an industry leader in Location-Based Mobile Advertising while overseeing a successful NASDAQ National Market Listing. Mr. Hug also served as Director of Corporate Development, Executive Vice President of SITO Mobile Interim CEO, before his promotion to CEO in November 2014. Between 2007 and 2010, Mr. Hug was the co-founder and President of Waveyard Development LLC, a water-sports resort destination development company. From 2003 to June 2006, Mr. Hug served as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Wireless Retail Inc., a $400 million wireless services company that was among the first U.S. businesses to use the store-in-store business model to sell mobile phones for wireless carriers through large nationwide retailers. Mr. Hug was interim CFO for Wireless Retail Inc. leading up to its sale to Radio Shack Corporation. From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Hug was Managing Partner of Redwood Partners, an early-stage merchant bank and advisory firm that focused on providing early-stage capital and executive management to technology, media and telecommunications businesses. Mr. Hug attended The Pennsylvania State University where he studied finance on a full athletic scholarship, and was a member of the 1986 National Championship football team under legendary coach Joe Paterno.

John Small brings over 30 years of financial experience to his role as Chief Financial Officer, where he oversees all of AiAdvertising’s finances, including cash-flow tracking and financial planning. As an industry veteran, John has spent his career building and developing his expertise in Wall Street market exchanges, strategy and operations, mergers and acquisitions, business development, raising capital, and executive leadership.

Prior to his appointment at AiAdvertising, Small held CFO and COO roles at Invest.Inc and Big Watt Digital respectively, and across a variety of industries, including media, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, software, commodity investments, and fintech. Notably, he served as CFO of Roman DBDR Tech Acquisition Corp., where he oversaw a successful merger transaction that was closed in December 2021, bringing CompoSecure Inc. (NASDAQ: CMPO) public with a $1.2 billion enterprise value. In addition to his operational roles, John has worked with GLG Partners, Ulysses Management, Odyssey Partners, Dillon Read, Morgan Stanley, Alliance, Inc., PayEase Ltd., INFINIA Corporation, ViSole Energy, Inc., New Millennium Solar Equipment Co, ShortList Media Ltd, DraftDay Inc., and Spinvox Ltd., in capacities ranging from portfolio management and investment research to telecommunications and media analysis.

John is a graduate of Cornell University with a BA in Economics, and a concentration in International Relations.

Backed by nearly 20 years of digital marketing, campaign management, and product development experience, Thane Tennison leads our in-house marketing efforts as Vice President of Media. He is responsible for strategic media planning, buying, testing, and optimization in service to AiAdvertising clients at every scale.

Thane has an extensive background in the homebuilding industry, managing advertising solutions for Builders Digital Experience (BDX), the largest network of new home websites working with clients like Pulte Homes, Lennar, and KB Home. Other notable clients include Spurs Sports & Entertainment, Dell Computers, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, and, most recently, Under Armour, where he managed the trafficking, delivery, and optimizations for MyFitnessPal, the #1 health and fitness app.