Who We Are


 

Almer/Blank is an interactive media development agency specializing in high-end Flash and Flex applications. We provide enterprise-level code and media development, creating innovative rich media experiences for Fortune 500 clients including IKEA, Microsoft, Hilton, ClearChannel and Medtronic.

We are committed to outstanding quality in product and customer servieces, delivering on time, on spec and on budget. We practice a diligent process at the core our operations to ensure that we provide our clients with services of the highest caliber and accomplish client business objectives. We pursue partnerships more than projects, building collaborative relationships that foster insight, initiative and responsiveness.

 

The Principals

Markus Almer | President

Manages the external face of the company including business development, marketing and PR. Markus brings valuable entrepreneurial experience combined with proven leadership and international business skills.

Building an interactive media agency over the past 8 years, he gained extensive experience in Internet technologies. As an Inventor of a patented Graphic User Interface he knows the market opportunities of Rich Media Applications. Markus is a Mentor at the Digital Content Lab of the American Film Institute and speaks frequently at events and conferences including Digital Hollywood, FITC Hollywood and the American Marketing Association.

Markus is also co-founder of the Rich Media Institute in Los Angeles. He began his career in digital media in 1998 by introducing patented digital business card technology to the US market.

Markus earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Zurich. He grew up in Switzerland and currently resides in Southern California.

R Blank | CTO

Oversees all application and media development for the firm. For over 12 years he has been an interactive designer, developer, consultant, teacher and author. R specializes in planning, development and release of rich interfaces. Holding four Adobe® Flash Cerifications, R was one of the first 50 Adobe® Certified Flash developers in the world, and is a contributing author for the Adobe® Flash MX 2004 Designer Certification Exam.

R also founded and manages LA Flash, a community of over 1,200 Flash industry professionals, and home to three Adobe® Users Groups (AUGs) for Flash. R currently serves on the faculty of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Previously, R co-founded and served as Director of Product & Design at Wildform, the makers of the first video encoder for Flash. R has an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a BA from Columbia University.