ITC Business Council Highlights: Zenophon Abraham

Zenophon Abraham – Chairperson of the Business Council for Digital Commerce.

Zenophon A. Abraham, known as Zennie, is the CEO of Zennie62Media, Inc., a trailblazer in the field of digital commerce. As a Chairperson within the International Trade Council, he heads the Digital Commerce Business Council. Zennie’s career is marked by his unyielding commitment to delivering news through a smartphone-enabled website network, crafting content for clients, and managing their online reputation.

His journey in the digital commerce industry began in 2003 when he established “Oakland Focus,” the first blog in Oakland. From there, he delved into vlogging and attended Vloggercon in 2006, the West Coast’s inaugural vlogger convention. Zennie62, Oakland’s first YouTube Partner Channel, was born soon after. He made history as one of the first 128 bloggers to cover a Democratic National Convention and subsequently created his first WordPress site, Zennie62blog.com, in 2010.

Zennie’s educational background includes a degree from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1985 and another from the University of California at Berkeley in 1987, both instrumental in shaping his career.

Among his key achievements, Zennie takes pride in founding Sports Business Simulations in 2002 and establishing himself as “Zennie62,” launching his first WordPress site in 2010. His professional journey also includes being credentialed for the NFL Draft in 2005, covering prominent events like San Diego Comic Con and CES Las Vegas in 2010, and establishing Zennie62Media as a Delaware C-Corporation in late 2019. Moreover, in 2000, he came remarkably close to bringing the 2005 Super Bowl to Oakland, missing out by just 8 NFL Owner votes to Jacksonville.

Throughout his career, Zennie has witnessed a monumental transformation in the digital commerce industry. What began with just a handful of online content creators has evolved into a vast digital landscape with countless individuals and organizations actively participating.

Today, the industry faces its most pressing challenge in the form of cybersecurity. Zennie envisions a future where content creation via artificial intelligence (AI) becomes the norm, but he also anticipates the rise of fake news and fraud, which could pose significant risks.

Zennie is particularly excited about the role of robots and AI in shaping the future of digital commerce. For those embarking on a career in the industry, Zennie’s advice is simple yet crucial: have your own website—a platform you can control and call your own.

In the face of setbacks and challenges, Zennie’s approach is unwavering—find a solution. When immediate answers are elusive, he regroups, refocuses, and perseveres, never giving up until every possible avenue has been explored.

Zennie draws inspiration from his friend Marc Canter, known for his knack for simplifying complex problems. He also looks up to his mother, Patricia Yerger, his friend Beth Schnitzer, and former President Barack Obama.

Beyond his professional life, Zennie’s work is also his passion and interest, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to the digital commerce landscape. His leadership continues to inspire and shape the future of this dynamic industry.