Leadership

ERNIE (EZ) FRAUSTO
President
NestLearning
NestEntertainment

ERNEST Z. FRAUSTO As President and Partner of NestLearning and NestEntertainment, Ernie Frausto continues to build on his track record of helping companies build enterprise value through increased revenues and more efficient operations. For over twenty-years he has served as CEO, COO or CFO of Academy, Emmy, Clio, and NEMN Gold Apple award winning companies that create and distribute educational and entertaining consumer products, films, books, audios, and other media.

NEST is a leading producer and distributor of educational and inspirational consumer products, interactive media, digital content, and other resources for schools, libraries, churches, home educators, and families. With Ernie's leadership the Company is accelerating its focus on using the Internet and digital delivery as a key component of its multi-channel international distribution strategy.

Mr. Frausto began his career in the Los Angeles office of Arthur Andersen serving clients in a wide variety of industries, ranging in size from Fortune 100 international public companies to privately funded entrepreneurial start-ups. His assignments included business planning, public and private financings, valuations, mergers & acquisitions, systems design and installation, and attest engagements. While a Senior Manager in Andersen's Dallas/Fort Worth Business Consulting Group, he was recruited to join a client, start-up FilmDallas Pictures, as a founding partner and CFO. FilmDallas' motion pictures garnered six Academy Awards nominations, winning two.

When FilmDallas and John Dykstra's Apogee Productions formed a joint venture, Frausto was enlisted to serve as COO and partner of the combined organization. The company created award-winning high tech special visual effects for the Universal Studios Florida and Disneyland Paris theme parks, Showscan ride simulators, traditional and IMAX motion pictures, television programs and commercials. Ernie and his partners successfully refocused the company's marketing and sales efforts to more creative, technology driven high margin projects while improving operational processes and efficiencies. After overseeing the turnaround and sale of Apogee to Sony Pictures Imageworks, Ernie was recruited to serve as Corporate COO & CFO of the Lyrick Organization, a group that owned and operated divisions involved in consumer products, commercial printing, education publishing, and television and video production.

He was soon promoted to President of Lyrick Studio's educational and entertainment consumer products division (Barney the Dinosaur & Wishbone). Prior to its eventual sale to HIT PLC, he led the division to increased sales and profitability by developing and executing a strategic marketing and sales plan, reinvigorating its consumer products and intellectual property licensing program, broadening its product offerings, expanding internationally, and adding several new recurring and scalable revenue opportunities. Also prior to joining NEST, Frausto served as CEO for a group of service industry companies owned by a previous client, successfully turning them around and positioning them for eventual sale.

Mr. Frausto received his BA in Economics from UCLA and his MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA. He has been active in Vistage International board advisory group and CEO Netweavers, the Advisory Board of KD Studio Actors Conservatory, and participates in the Business Mentoring, Career Development and Personal Financial Counseling ministries of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas. While no longer in public practice, he maintains his (inactive) CPA license in both California and Texas.

Advisory Board
An independent Advisory Board of respected theologians reviews all key elements of the NestFamily Bible story films, from the original script through the finished product. The Board ensures that the stories provide the highest quality education, animation, entertainment, and are worthy of your trust. The individuals are from various denominations and have extensive Bible, seminary, education, history and arts training.