Dave Kerpen

Dave Kerpen is an entrepreneur, author and former reality television personality. Kerpen first received media attention in the Boston sports market in the late 1990s and early 2000s for his unique vending sales strategies at professional sporting events. He went on to appear as a contestant on Fox's 2003 reality television series, Paradise Hotel, and earned additional media attention for his "sponsored wedding" in 2006. He is currently the CEO of Likeable Media, a social media marketing firm and author of a 2011 book, Likeable Social Media.

Career

Boston sports media celebrity

For a period in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Kerpen was well-known in the Boston professional sports vending industry, often referred to as "the Crunch 'n Munch guy." Kerpen gained prominence due to his unique vending pitches, featuring dancing and singing, at Fleet Center, Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium. Former Boston Celtics coach Rick Pitino once had Kerpen ejected from Fleet Center, claiming that he was too distracting to his players.

Reality television

In 2003, Kerpen appeared as a contestant on the Fox reality show Paradise Hotel, which featured competitors vying to stay in the hotel as long as possible. Each week couples paired off by electing to share a room, and the odd person out had to leave the hotel, ultimately concluding with one male and one female winner. Kerpen was a runner-up on the program and the only finalist not to receive prize money. In the finale, female winner Charla Pihlstrom had the option of splitting her $250,000 prize money with Kerpen, however she elected to keep it all for herself.

Business and political career

Kerpen is the co-founder (with his wife Caroline Kerpen) and CEO of Likeable Media, a social media marketing firm founded in 2006 and based in New York City. He is also the author of the book, Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be GeneRally Amazing on Facebook (& Other Social Networks), featured on the New York Times Bestseller List in June of 2011. Kerpen's writings on the industry have been featured on Mashable, The Huffington Post, and other outlets, and he is a featured speaker on social media for publisher McGraw-Hill.

In March 2009, Kerpen formed an exploratory committee to determine whether to run for the position of borough president of Queens. Following a few weeks of campaigning, he left the race, due to the entrenched strength of incumbent Helen Marshall. He was previously expected to run for New York City Council in 2009, but he abandoned that bid when he decided to seek the borough presidency.

Personal

Kerpen was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Hunter College High School and Boston University. He resides in Port Washington, New York with his wife, Carrie, and two daughters. Their marriage was held at KeySpan Park following a Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball game on July 8, 2006, with numerous companies sponsoring the event, including 1-800-Flowers and Entenmann's.

External links

• Likeable Media—official website
• Likeable Social Media—book website