Joseph Olin

President Emeritus

Academy of Interactive Arts and Science

Joseph Olin brings more than 25 years of experience in video games and consumer products to his position as President Emeritus of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.  Since taking the helm of the non-profit organization in July 2004, Olin has championed the $21 billion video game industry by raising awareness of individuals, games, companies, organizations/associations and changing issues by promoting innovation and commitment.  In addition, Olin has grown the Academy membership more than six-fold from 3,000 to over 20,000 since June 2004 under his stewardship as President.

 

Olin served as President of the AIAS until October 2010 and now serves as the President Emeritus until the end of the D.I.C.E. Summit 2011.  Olin will be working with Rae and the Board to insure that the 10th iteration of the D.I.C.E. Summit and 14th Interactive Achievement Awards are successful.

 

As President, he was the voice of the Academy and oversaw the annual D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit, the Interactive Achievements Awards (IAA) and the Into the Pixel video game art exhibit.  Olin was successful in advancing the international presence of the Academy and Into the Pixel by bringing it to New Zealand, Germany, Mexico and speaking at international video game and related industry conferences, brought the International Game Developers Association members to the IAA voting process and was instrumental in partnering with the Independent Film Channel for a multi-year deal to televise the IAA. 

 

Olin is a highly sought out speaker and has participated at international and national industry gatherings.  His appearances include: AnimFX (New Zealand), FMX Conference (Germany), VIEW Conference (Italy), Games Business Law Summit (SMU University) Games Convention Developers Conference (Germany), Nordic Games Summit and Digital Hollywood (Los Angeles), World Summit on Internet & Multimedia (China) among others.

 

Prior to joining the AIAS, Olin spearheaded the introduction of gaming’s most famous heroine, Lara Croft, with the launch of the blockbuster Tomb Raider franchise as vice president of marketing and business development for U.S. GOLD, INC. / EIDOS Interactive. 

 

Olin also served as senior partner and group account director at Ogilvy & Mather where he launched Mattel’s Generation Girl Teen Dolls product and the first Barbie brand advertising campaign.  Earlier in his career, Olin held senior level positions in game publishing, advertising, sales, and marketing. At Elliot Portwood Studios, Olin co-created Leonardo’s Multimedia Toolbox, an educational product, developed with Gene Portwood and Lauren Elliott (creators of Carmen Sandiego).  His impressive background also includes tenure at NEC’s System Laboratory Group of Japan, Voiceweb Corporation, Kovel/Fuller, Inc., Della Femina McNamee, Panda Management Company and Microprose/Hasbro Interactive. 

 

Olin sits on the advisory boards of FMX, AnimFX NZ, International Federation of Multimedia Associations (FIAM), GC Asia Conference and the UCLA/CRESST Games Research Center.

 

Olin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.