About Daniel Patton

A visionary business operations executive, Daniel has over a decade of leadership in digital media, operational consulting, and organizational design. As Vice President of Business Operations at iHeartMedia, Daniel architected and scaled a high-performing Sales Operations organization of 125+ team members, supporting over 150 markets and 1,000+ sellers nationwide. His expertise spans the full lifecycle of digital campaign execution—including programmatic audio, display, CTV, paid social, and email marketing—driving both revenue growth and operational efficiency.

Daniel's leadership has directly contributed to iHeartMedia’s explosive digital revenue growth—from $100M to over $900M—delivering a 31.6% CAGR. His ability to bridge the gap between sales, strategy, technology, and product teams has positioned him as a trusted operator capable of managing rapid growth while mitigating organizational risk in a way that transcends industries well beyond media.

With a strong foundation in marketing and an analytical mindset, Daniel has consistently delivered measurable impact by building scalable systems, streamlining workflows, and translating business goals into cross-functional execution. He partners closely with development teams to create custom tools and dashboards that enhance employee productivity and inform executive decision-making.

Known for building strong teams and instilling a performance culture, Daniel continues to lead with a focus on efficiency, transparency, and results. Whether assuming an executive operational strategy role for a company in growth mode, or consulting on organizational efficiencies, Daniel is a compassionate leader who posses unique ability to cultivate meaningful relationships and navigate complex business environments.

Recommendations

  • "I’ve had the pleasure of working with Daniel for nearly nine years, and in that time, he has proven to be an exceptional leader in digital advertising and operations. His expertise extends far beyond just sales and media strategy—he has a deep understanding of how to navigate complex sales environments, collaborating seamlessly with multiple teams to drive success. He was instrumental in helping us launch our centralized planning team and platform in 2020. Daniel is not only highly respected for his industry knowledge, but also for his ability to find innovative solutions that generate revenue while optimizing operational efficiency. He has a unique ability to balance strategy and execution, ensuring that challenges are met with thoughtful, effective solutions that move the business forward. Beyond his professional acumen, Daniel is a fantastic colleague—thoughtful, collaborative, and always willing to lend support. Daniel is one of those leaders you always want to have on speed dial."

    Jonathan Faulkner, EVP of Markets, Digital and Independent Agency Development at iHeartMedia

  • "Simply put Daniel is someone you want to work for and with. He is an exceptional leader of people, a champion of client and campaign success, and a most adept expert at operations. Integral in the development, centralization, and scalability of a 150+ person org, Daniel’s business impact is immense and limitless. He foresees problems before they are problems and, in turn, proposes creative, tangible, and efficient solutions while often working with limited resources. He is data-driven and logical, and he creates calm and control within chaos, always operating professionally and respectfully and with fairness. Working with and learning from Daniel was a highlight of my own career, and I cannot recommend him enough for any business that values excellence. "

    Brittney Block, VP at HigherVisibility

  • "iHeartMedia doesn’t evolve into the digital ad sales organization we have without Daniel. Daniel played a leading role in taking about 50 siloed digital sales ops folks scattered across the country and turning that into iHeart Digital Solutions, a high-functioning organization that plans and executes thousands of digital media plans, no two of which are exactly alike. From there Daniel was instrumental in scaling iHeart Digital Solutions to more than 100 members and managers making it possible to earn the digital ad revenue that we have today. Daniel is solutions oriented, able to navigate the personality and professional expertise differences between engineers and sales people. No easy task. I don’t hesitate to recommend Daniel for any leadership role in the digital ops space, but I also suspect Daniel would thrive as a leader in any industry given his work ethic, operational expertise and, above all, his ability to listen to and understand challenges so that he can identify and action on solutions. Whatever organization makes the excellent decision to add Daniel is getting a very talented operator and leader. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next!"

    Matt Tilden, SVP of Performance Marketing at iHeartMedia

  • "I have worked with Daniel in a variety of capacities. Peers prior to centralized teams, reporting to him as a direct manager, and now as a peer tackling the multi-faceted business operations tasks daily. Possessing a remarkable ability to analyze data to support decisions, a great capacity for managing development of systems and processes, detailed approach to problem solving, amazing executive presence... the list goes on. Beyond Daniel's professional talents, he is a natural leader and supportive colleague. Fostering positive collaborative environments while pushing his teams to reach their full potential. Enthusiasm and integrity make him a joy to work with and someone I hold in the highest regard."

    Shanna Griffin, VP Client Success at iHeartMedia

  • "I've had the pleasure of working with Daniel as the VP of Business Operations at iHeartMedia. Daniel is a rockstar when it comes to leading teams and getting things done. He has a knack for spotting inefficiencies and coming up with smart solutions that save time and money. What really stands out about Daniel is his ability to keep the team focused and engaged. He's not just a boss, but a mentor and a friend who genuinely cares about everyone's growth and success. If you're looking for someone who can drive results and create a positive work environment, Daniel is your man. I can't recommend him enough!"

    Peter Scheren, VP Digital & Automotive Partnerships at iHeartMedia

  • "Daniel is an extraordinary teammate & epitomizes professionalism. He is a charismatic leader, master problem solver, and highly efficient analyst. In case you can't tell yet - he's the total package! His creativity in mapping sales operations through data will benefit any organization lucky enough to engage with Daniel."

    Casey Young, SVP Sales Success at iHeartMedia

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