About

Brad Fortner, Convergence Communications – Recently retiring (after 35 years) from his position as the Program Director, Operations and Technology, Rogers Communications Centre, Ryerson University, Brad continues to stay on the cutting edge of media production and computer technology advancements.   Since leaving Ryerson Brad is taking his new found time to continue his education completing Graphic Communications Fundamentals at Toronto’s Centennial College and now pursuing Digital Media Certification at Toronto’s  Ontario College of Art. Brad continues his community orientation currently sitting as Promotions Advisor to the Toronto Section of SMPTE, the Canadian Governor of the SMPTE and remains connected with Toronto Final Cut Pro Users Group. In the past Mr. Fortner has chaired Toronto’s New Media Trainers Alliance, has been a contributing editor to Broadcaster Magazine, and was heavily involved with Canadian Digital Television Inc. concentrating on ATSC data transmission and interactivity.

At Ryerson Brads efforts proved essential to the initial technology planning and the installation management stage of the Centre’s start-up. Over his tenure at Ryerson he provided leadership in establishing the Rogers Communications Centre’s pioneering efforts in Digital Cinema, Digital Signage, Presentation Media, HDTV production, Non Linear Editing, Visual Computing and Interactive Television. This included a design strategy for the University’s rollout of the Centre’s 10 gig Ethernet plant, Brad rolled out the Faculty of Communication and Design’s first SAN system along with a faculty wide fiber optic strategy. Brad’s recent projects include developing a knowledge base around ATSC M/H content production and the sports television installation for Maple Leaf Gardens, an “original six” hockey arena that Ryerson University is currently operating. In 2012 Brad demonstrated his prowess in Mobile Device app development by showing his Open Source work in Mobile (ATSC) TV development at the ATSC TechZone Pavilion and a paper presentation at NAB’s 66th Broadcast Engineering Conference.

Mr. Fortner supervised the installation of three television studios that included a five-camera HDTV studio, the first of its kind in Canada. In 2002 he negotiated the country’s largest acquisition of HDTV production equipment for use in education and research. He has been recognized by Ryerson University for his decades of service, receiving the prestigious “Ryersonian of the Year,” awarded in 1999. In 2004, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers honored him with the “Citation for Outstanding Service,” based on his work with the Toronto SMPTE Section. His commitment to education twice earned him a finalist position in the “Educator of the Year” category of the Canadian New Media Awards.