Founding Visionary Brings Leadership Experience from Fintech and VC Community, Silicon Valley Bank
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TiiCKER, the world's leading platform for connecting publicly traded companies with their retail investors, today announced the appointment of Walter Ward III as its new Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder. A longtime board member and advisor to TiiCKER and the former Chief of Staff as TiiCKER launched, Ward brings proven leadership experience in fintech, Wall Street, and corporate innovation-most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer for BlackRock's Atlanta Innovation Hub and Chief Operating Officer for ETF Platform Innovation and Change.
At BlackRock ($BLK), Ward played a pivotal role in managing the business operations and for one of the firms largest ETF platform transformations while also leading the Atlanta Innovation Hub as COO, where he spearheaded new initiatives in fintech and asset management. Prior to BlackRock, Ward served as Director and Chief of Staff for Liquidity Solutions at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), where he helped drive growth for one of the fastest-expanding divisions at the bank focused on serving the innovation economy.
"Walter has been instrumental in shaping TiiCKER from its inception, and this is a full-circle moment for our team and our investors to have him back at the helm,” said Jeff Lambert, Chairman and Founder of TiiCKER. "His experience in financial services, technology, and consumer engagement, coupled with his intimate knowledge of our tech stack, business model and retail investor audience, ensures TiiCKER and the companies and brands we serve will feel his impact on day one.”
Ward's appointment marks a pivotal moment for TiiCKER as it sharpens its focus on the most widely held retail stocks, scaling its community of everyday investors and the companies eager to engage them through exclusive perks and rewards.
"I couldn't be more excited to step into the CEO role at TiiCKER,” said Ward. "This isn't just another company to me-it's a movement. TiiCKER is pioneering the future of shareholder engagement, and we're only scratching the surface. From product innovation to business development, we're building something epic, and I want to bring the best minds along for the journey.”
Under Ward's leadership, TiiCKER is actively looking to connect with professionals and partners in key areas, including product development, business development, retail investor marketing, and corporate partnerships.
TiiCKER continues to redefine the relationship between public companies and their retail investors by offering a seamless platform where shareholders can verify their ownership, access exclusive perks, and engage with the companies they own. With Ward at the helm, the company is poised for its next phase of growth, expanding its reach among retail investors and publicly traded brands, supporting IPOs and registered offerings, and further solidifying its position as the premier platform for retail shareholder engagement.
For more information, visit www.TiiCKER.com.
About TiiCKER
Fintech TiiCKER invented verified stock perks and direct-to-shareholder marketing through its web-based and mobile app software platforms, providing consumers and investors with a revolutionary way to engage with the brands they own and love. For America's more than 100 million retail investors and fans of publicly traded brands, TiiCKER provides unique access to shareholder perks and discounts, custom articles and content, CEO and company-access events for retail investors, and TiiCKER Perks from marketing partners.
For its brands and public company partners, TiiCKER creates and markets measurable Shareholder Loyalty Programs that drive more spending, investing and voting among their consumers and verified owners, maximizing Shareholder Lifetime Value™. As a result of its innovation and leadership in direct-to-shareholder marketing, TiiCKER was named: Best Shareholder Engagement Platform (2024 Benzinga Global Fintech Awards); Most Innovative Tech Companies of the Year at the 2024 American Business Awards®; Top MarTech Startup of 2023 by MarTech Outlook; and won the 2023 cohort for the AWS (Amazon Web Services) Fintech Accelerator program.
Media Contact:
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