Conference Keynote:  1 pm to 2 pm - Tuesday, February 16, 2010

[MP3 Recording]

Lane Merrifield
Executive Vice President, Disney Online Studios
Co-Founder and General Manager, Club Penguin

Lane Merrifield is Executive Vice President of Disney Online Studios and co-founder of Club Penguin, one of the largest and fastest-growing virtual worlds for children. Since Club Penguin's inception, Lane has led the management, operations and business strategy for Club Penguin out of the studio’s headquarters in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. In addition to Club Penguin, Lane also oversees the development for all of The Walt Disney Company’s virtual worlds including Disney's Toontown Online, Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow, Pirates of the Caribbean Online and the upcoming Disney/Pixar The World of Cars Online.

Lane helped develop and launch Club Penguin in 2005 and played an integral role in its phenomenal growth and success. The company's commitment to creating a safe and ad-free online playground helped propel Club Penguin to international acclaim and a partnership with The Walt Disney Company, which acquired Club Penguin in August 2007.

Prior to his work with Club Penguin and Disney Online Studios, Lane held various technical and marketing roles with a range of companies in Canada and the United States, but his most memorable employment experience will always be his first job at Disneyland.

Lane has always nurtured a passion for using technology to connect people in new ways. He loves the fact that Disney’s virtual worlds have the potential to bring kids from around the world together in a fun, creative and safety-focused environment.