Sergey Ivannikov is the Founder & CEO of Russian American Media, one of the largest media companies serving the Russian-Speaking community of Northern California, and one of the renowned business names among Slavic immigrants.
Sergey holds an engineering degree from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where he worked for the Uzbekistan Ministry of Foreign Trade as an international trade executive. When the fall of the Soviet Union resulted in widespread economic turmoil and insecurity, Sergey was blessed to find a new homeland in the United States. Inspired by the numerous opportunities offered by this great country, Sergey was eager to apply his energy, learning and skills to the challenge of rebuilding his life from ground zero. In so doing, he spent his first few years in a college classroom in the morning and at the desk of his small business in the afternoon.
In two short years Sergey mastered a new language, received his second degree in computer engineering, and established the first and only digital print shop that caters to the needs of local Slavic businesses. In a few more years, Sergey succeeded in publishing the first Slavic business directory and in launching a newspaper in the Russian language. The two products quickly became vital communication tools that enable Slavic people to reach out and remain in touch with the world, their culture, and each other.
Fifteen years later, the small digital print shop became one of the largest full-spectrum advertising and media sources in the Russian-speaking community of Northern California and an organizing center for major community events.
Far exceeding the traditional image of a media executive, Mr. Ivannikov is well known for his continuous input of ideas and energy devoted to improving the prosperity of the local ethnic communities. Utilizing his multiple media resources, Sergey connects local immigrants from the former Soviet Republics with each other and with their American neighbors. As a coordinator of various well-known and popular community events and affairs, Sergey remains dedicated to helping Slavic people share their cultural heritage with the larger community which, in turn, helps the Slavic commuity become more fully integrated into the American culture. Through his hard work and creative vision, both for his business ventures and for the Slavic community, SergeyВґs philosophy and goal is to preserve and celebrate the Slavic community's ethnic differences as vibrant enhancements of our society rather than allow them to be misunderstood as walls that divide us.
