Stefan Beeli
Stefan Beeli joined ESP Computer Services in 1984 as a part-time computer operator while attending College. After graduation, he spent the next few years developing online programs and focusing on the new technologies offered by the Internet. In 1997 he led ESP’s development efforts in providing online gate-keeping and fulfillment for one of the Internet’s first paid content web sites, Variety.com. Realizing that real-time interaction between web-sites and customer data would be a key technology for publishing companies, Stefan helped standardize that interaction by developing a suite of XML Web Services to help facilitate that interaction. Stefan continues to work with ESP’s clients to provide them with the tools they need to succeed.
Today, he serves as ESP’s Chief Technical Officer, overseeing web development, mainframe development, warehouse operations and Lettershop.
Stefan holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Science from Cal State Northridge. He’s a former WFMA Board member and has spoken at many a conference over his career, most notably, CircDayLA, Folio:, Circulation Management.
Joe Hamby
Joe Hamby started working for ESP in November of 1997 as a Warehouse and Distribution Clerk. Being curious as to how all things worked, Joe was able to move around the Operations Department over the following years. He served as Lettershop Operator, Production Operator, Operations Assistant Supervisor in spring of 2000 and finally as Operations Manager. As the Operations Manager he was in charge of the Warehouse, Distribution, Lettershop and Production. While in this role being in charge of Lettershop introduced him to some programming on Lettershop templates. Soon after, he changed how Lettershop does its merge/purge by creating a generic Lettershop program that streamlined a lot of the processes and saved the clients money in Lettershop fees. By the summer of ’06 he starting updating Lettershop email templates and small web page changes officially moving him into the Programming Department under the previous CTO, Stefan Beeli.
Over the next several years, Joe kept learning and applying his new skills to ESP systems. He has written several custom solutions to meet clients’ needs. He’s worked on everything from custom web pages and shopping carts to batch type programs and API integrations. Even before becoming the Director of Technology, he took several co-workers under his wing and helped them go from Entry and Jr. Developers to Mid and Senior Developers.
As the CTO, he’s assumed the responsibility of most technical aspects of the system on the PC side. Joe adds value to ESP by working hard to search and implement any new features that benefit the company, and at the same time he trains and inspires his development team to contribute in that same way.
Jack Miller
In 1971 Jack joined ESP Computer Services, Inc. to help design system applications to handle appointment setting, scheduling, and billing in various industries.
ESP became the fulfillment company for Variety Magazine in 1981 and then began to focus solely on magazine fulfillment. As such, ESP’s system was designed from the outset as a real-time, fulfillment system suited for daily publications. Jack and ESP spent the better part of the 80’s programming a platform with great flexibility. Jack loves to develop programmatic solutions to the most complex problems, and Variety provided that challenge.
ESP emerged from the 80’s capable of handling mixed-circulation publications, daily frequencies, hand delivery, and high-end customer service. In the next decade, Jack and ESP started to reap the benefits of their programming expertise, as word of mouth spread and prospective clients began to call on ESP. New clients led to new problems to solve. With Jack’s leadership and foresight, ESP integrated a product system linked to the subscription system and offering a single-customer view. They also began to manage online access with usernames and passwords.
Today, ESP is on the cutting edge of technology with its integrated database, XML web services and intuitive client interface which offers great access and visibility into subscriber information, reporting and system procedures. ESP has grown in size and stature, but its philosophy is the same as Jack set forth so many years ago: “to provide customized solutions designed to meet each client’s unique business requirements.” As a premiere, boutique, fulfillment company, ESP now has a staff of over 60 employees who handle over 250 publications.
UPPER MANAGEMENT
Al Bull
In 2004 Al left Kable to form PDMG with two partners. Al was responsible for researching, buying, installing and implementing all of the hardware and software PDMG used to run its business.
In 2015 the partners merged the business with ESP and Al assisted in the conversion of all of the PDMG titles to the ESP system.
Tammy Veenis
Tammy graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from UCLA in 1995 and started working at ESP in September of that year as their first Account Executive. In addition to providing friendly service to her clients, she had responsibilities in various departments including new client marketing, creating letter-shop templates for mailings and warehouse organization. In 2004 Tammy took on the role of Audit Manager acting as the liaison between clients and the audit bureaus for circulation audits. In 2011 she took on the additional role of Quality Assurance Manager developing internal training documentation for several different departments. In 2015 she took on the role of Human Resources Manager coordinating all HR aspects for ESP employees. With experience in every level of ESP Tammy was promoted to the position of Director of Client Services in 2020 which encompasses her various duties along with managing our Account Executive department.
MANAGEMENT
Christopher Barnes-Baxter
Christopher’s ESP career spans 10 years and multiple departments: Order Entry, Customer Service, Operations, and finally Client Service. Christopher has served as an Account Executive since 2011. Additionally, in 2014, he took on the role of the Conversion Manager, where he directs the conversion process and ensures complete integration of new clients into all of ESP’s systems.
Christopher currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Association for Audience Marketing Professionals (AAMP) as President and is serving as the 2019 co-chair of AAMP’s annual conference.