Shawn Riegsecker
Founder & CEO at Basis Technologies
Founding and scaling Basis Technologies (formerly Centro) into a comprehensive independent DSP and media workflow automation platform, and advocating loudly for ethical advertising practices and supply chain transparency.
Last updated May 30, 2026 by the ATDb Editorial Team
Shawn Riegsecker is best known as the founder and CEO of Centro, rebranded as Basis Technologies, one of the most ambitious independent digital advertising software companies in the United States. Since founding Centro in 2001, he has built a platform that unifies programmatic buying, direct media, search, and social advertising into a single workflow automation environment — a vision that set Basis apart from point-solution competitors and positioned it as a full operating system for media teams at agencies and brands. Under Riegsecker's leadership, Centro grew from a local Chicago media services firm into a nationally recognized AdTech platform serving hundreds of agencies and advertisers. The company's DSP and ad management suite became notable for its emphasis on usability and operational efficiency, addressing the fragmentation that plagues media buying workflows. Riegsecker has consistently prioritized building a values-driven company culture, earning Centro repeated recognition on best workplace lists and reinforcing his belief that ethical business practices and commercial success are not mutually exclusive. Beyond building his own company, Riegsecker has been a prominent voice in industry conversations around media transparency, advertiser trust, and the responsibilities of AdTech platforms. He has spoken at major industry conferences and contributed to dialogue on programmatic supply chain integrity, making him a respected operator-thought-leader hybrid in the Chicago and broader U.S. AdTech ecosystem.
Founder & CEO
Centro (2001-2021)
- Bachelor's Degree, Indiana University
- Founded Centro in 2001 and scaled it into Basis Technologies, a nationally recognized independent DSP and workflow automation platform serving hundreds of U.S. agencies and brands
- Led the rebranding of Centro to Basis Technologies to reflect the platform's evolution into a comprehensive digital advertising operating system
- Built one of the most recognized values-driven AdTech company cultures in the industry, earning repeated placement on best workplace rankings
- Grew Centro/Basis without relying on a traditional venture capital exit path, maintaining independence and long-term vision
- Various op-eds and contributed articles on media transparency and AdTech ethics in trade publications including AdExchanger