Person to Watch
Michael Morhaime
Blizzard Entertainment Inc. Chief Executive Morhaime led the Irvine-based video game maker into new segments and partnerships this year, proving our pick of him as one to watch over the course of this year hit the mark.
The free-to-play online brawler “Heroes of the Storm” had already amassed millions of players before its official June release as the centerpiece of Blizzard’s first major gaming competition targeting college students. The Heroes of the Dorm finals was broadcast in April on ESPN2, and the winners received free tuition for the remainder of their education.
The free-to-play collectible card game “Hearthstone” also is a hit, topping more than 30 million users since its March 2014 release. The game is estimated to bring in more than $40 million per quarter, helping Blizzard offset millions of “World of Warcraft” subscribers lost over the past few years.
Morhaime will oversee the spring launch of the first-person shooter “Overwatch,” which will be distributed on PCs, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox One—a first for Blizzard.
Other projects in the works: a classic games division and a big push into Hollywood.
Company to Watch
Telogis Inc.
Telogis’ hot streak rolled through 2015 with a new partnership with Apple Inc. and AT&T Inc. and more venture capital funding to help scale the Aliso Viejo-based logistics software maker.
The company aims to enhance vehicle- and work-force-related apps for the consumer electronics giant’s line of iPhones and iPads.
The Apple deal in November was the latest of several key deals Telogis has made in the past few years in its ascent in the automotive and fleet management sectors that include partnerships with Ford, General Motors, Isuzu and Manitowoc Cranes.
A month earlier, the company announced a deal with AT&T to provide its big-name customers with improved vehicle and work force connectivity and security around the world.
It also provided some flexibility in pricing as Telogis rolls out mobile services, like its new vehicle-as-a-hub offering that creates mobile hot spots in customers’ fleets.
Telogis is one of the fastest-growing private companies in Orange County, with $100 million in annual revenue and 685 employees, including 125 in Aliso Viejo.
The company in May raised another $25 million in venture capital, bringing its total to about $120 million.
