Leadership
The principals of Dragonfruit Studios have worked together since 1997, beginning in the IntelliVentures group of BellSouth, a leading U.S. telecommunications company (now AT&T). While at BellSouth, they were instrumental in the development, launch, and early management of the company’s internet yellow pages business and four other lines of business related to interactive publishing and media.
In 1999, they launched Ant Farm Interactive as an early digital agency specializing in a wide range of digital media and marketing, including online advertising, mobile media, search engine marketing and search engine optimization, and electronic customer relationship management. In 2004, Ant Farm Interactive was acquired by Nurun, a publicly traded (TSX) global interactive agency. Following the acquisition, Koziol and Honabach were among the top 7 members of the management team. During the nearly four years that they were with the company, it grew from 430 employees to nearly 1,000 and achieved more than 80 million CAD in revenue through organic growth and acquisitions. In early 2008, Nurun was acquired by Quebecor Media.
With the belief that media convergence and other factors would irreversibly change the entertainment industry as interactive media and advertising did to the marketing industry, Koziol and Honabach formed Dragonfruit Studios.
Michael Koziol
Chief Executive Officer
Dragonfruit Studios
Michael Koziol is the co-founder of newly launched Dragonfruit Studios, an Atlanta-based multi-platform content studio.
From April 2004 until the end of 2007, Michael served as EVP, Strategy and Development for Nurun, Inc., a global interactive agency with offices in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia. While involved with Nurun and Ant Farm, Michael advised world-class brands and organizations, including AT&T Wireless (Cingular), Equifax, L’Oreal, Unilever, The Home Depot, Bombardier Recreational Products, Evian, and many others about interactive marketing, new consumer and audience expectations, changes in the media mix, and the potential for brands to become media properties. In his corporate development capacity, with Nurun he was involved with charting the company’s course away from the core of website and application design and development to a more strategy- and media-oriented agency.
Prior to launching Ant Farm Interactive in 1999, he was with BellSouth IntelliVentures and was responsible for identifying and analyzing new investments, business lines, and product opportunities.
He is currently a board member and member of the executive committee for both the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund and The Center for Puppetry Arts.
Melissa Honabach
Chief Operating Officer
Dragonfruit Studios
Melissa Honabach is the co-founder of newly launched Dragonfruit Studios, an Atlanta-based multi-platform content studio.
From April 2004 until the end of 2007, Melissa served as Nurun’s EVP, Global Interactive Marketing. Her responsibilities included directing and managing the company’s Atlanta-based global interactive marketing center and developing and implementing strategies and processes for interactive advertising, search engine marketing, and electronic customer relationship management for Nurun’s global operations for the benefit of its clients. She has advised many world-class brands and organizations such as AT&T Wireless (Cingular), Equifax, Disney, L’Oreal, The Home Depot, Frontier Airlines, Clarins, and others on many subjects related to interactive marketing and digital media practices. Melissa has also served in advisory roles with a number of leading interactive marketing technology firms.
Prior to launching Ant Farm Interactive in 1999, Melissa managed interactive advertising and branding for BellSouth’s online yellow pages and other interactive publishing and media lines of business. Melissa’s professional experience also includes marketing positions with Hughes Network Systems (DirecTV) plus two years living in Japan teaching English and managing a U.S.-Japan cultural exchange program.
Melissa serves on the board and executive committee of the Dad’s Garage Theatre Company – a nationally recognized independent theater and improv company.
