CJ Cornell, Entrepreneur in Residence, Professor of Practice

CJ Cornell joined the Cronkite faculty in summer 2008 after over 20 years as a media executive, entrepreneur, venture advisor and investor with a long history of creating and marketing products in cable television, broadband, and other consumer media platforms. In addition to bringing his industry and academic experience to the classroom, he brings his extensive experience in new ventures as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship.

CJ graduated from State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1983 with a degree in Engineering Science. In 1985 CJ Cornell became the first person in the United States to earn a Masters degree in Energy Management & Policy from the New York Institute of Technology.

After spending a few years at a Management Consulting firm consulting on strategy, artificial intelligence and computer science to the Air Force Strategic Command and Intelligence, CJ teamed up with colleagues to establish ProtoCorp International, at the time the first and largest PC software company in the human resource industry. As head of spin-off company ProtoCorp TeleSystems, he created some of the world’s first intelligent phones and online services; the company was later acquired by BellSouth Corporation, and later was CEO of Wisdom TV - one of the first Interactive TV services in the US.

During a hiatus in 1995 CJ Cornell created the popular website Cerebral Graffiti, which featured a daily chronicle and commentary on the emerging interactive and digital cable industries, and hosting online conferences for AOL and Cowles-Simba - become one of the earliest bloggers and interactive industry thought leaders.

In the 90’s CJ spent his time in Television technology, content and distribution, first helping to launch Americast – a pioneering digital cable television network - with The Walt Disney Corp, BellSouth, SBC, Ameritech, SNET and GTE, then with Sun Microsystems establishing and evangelizing Java (originally designed as an interactive TV language) into digital cable industry and later with Canal+/Universal Television as head of business development. During this period CJ earned his Ph.D. in Marketing & Strategy, focusing on chaos and game theory.

In 2001, CJ joined Chaos Media Networks as President and CEO, leading them to become the first Video on Demand Cable Television network in the country. And in 2005 CJ Cornell served as Senior Vice President of Programming and Product Management at Ruckus Networks, a successful start-up venture that has become the largest digital music and media networks for college campuses.

Prior to joining the faculty at ASU CJ Cornell has consulted and advised some of the largest media companies in the country on the strategy, development and launch of new media technologies and businesses. His current work and research interests are in behavioral programming, social networking/communities, advanced media technologies and management issues in entrepreneurship and venture capital. He is the author of articles and papers in interactive video technology, television programming, entrepreneurship, strategy and venture capital.

CJ is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, an advisor to Silicom Ventures, LLC., one of the largest Angel/Venture funds in the United States, and sits on the board of 4 high-tech companies. In 2004 CJ was elected an honorary member of Delta Sigma Pi – America’s foremost professional fraternity for those pursuing careers in business, and has been an active mentor, lecturer and teacher to business and entrepreneurial students in the Silicon Valley region. Outside of business, CJ has practiced Martial Arts for 21 years and has been an instructor for 8 years. He holds advanced Black Belts in Karate, Jujitsu, Aikido and other arts. The Smithsonian recognized CJ as one of the influential teachers and mentors of 1999.