COO, Discovery Digital Media
GM, HowStuffWorks.com
Michael Cascone was named COO of Discovery Digital Media in 2009 after leading HowStuffWorks.com to record growth since its acquisition by Discovery Communications in 2007. In addition to serving in the role as COO, Michael continues to serve as General Manager of HowStuffWorks.com. In these roles, he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company and is involved in shaping the company strategy.
Prior to joining HowStuffWorks.com, Michael was an officer at Homestar Runner, an online publishing company and original animation series, where he ran operations, business development, and marketing. While at Homestar Runner, the site grew into a profitable franchise with over 12 million unique monthly visitors. Homestar Runner's success was recognized by The New York Times, WIRED, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR among other respected media organizations.
Prior to Homestar Runner, Michael founded MasterKey, an online technology company in the $100 billion relocation and containerized storage industry. He was successful in raising venture capital from Hummer Winblad Venture Partners and driving the development of the company's beta product. As President of the company, Michael was responsible for operations, corporate development, and strategic partnerships. He led the sale of the company's technology to Public Storage, Inc, a $17 billion public company and the largest player in the containerized storage industry at the time.
Prior to starting MasterKey, Michael worked in corporate finance in the Technology and Business Services group at Robinson-Humphrey, a full-service investment bank headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Michael received a BA in English from Georgetown University and an MBA in Strategy and Finance from Emory University. He currently serves as a Trustee of the George F. Baker Scholarship Program at Georgetown University.
