Power play: Chris Petrovic went from baseball to law to greeting cards; now he's in charge of bringing Playboy into the digital world.

AS a business development executive for Playboy's Digital Entertainment division, Chris Petrovic is on the lookout for new ways to make the Playboy name and content more widely accessible. He is responsible for initiatives of all divisions of the Entertainment Group, including Playboy Mobile, Playboy Online and Playboy TV. Petrovic started at the publisher late last year, and while new to the adult content world, came in with significant Internet and new media experience from card giant American Greetings, of all places. Despite the cachet of the Playboy brand and mainstream appeal of adult content of late, there are challenges that come with the territory. So a big part of Petrovic's job is overcoming hurdles of perception and a political climate that is not always welcoming of adult content. A native of Los Angeles, Petrovic attended Columbia University where he starred as a baseball player and, prior to getting a law degree, took a shot at a Major League Baseball career.

Question: As a vice president of business development for digital media, what specific areas do you focus on?

Answer: One of the company's main missions is to make our content available to anyone, anytime on any device, so at the end of the day, a lot of my efforts are focused on that goal. It's a lot of internal strategic planning with the company on where we want to take its current business. The other side of that is communicating that externally to partners, both potential and existing.

Q: What's the attraction of working for Playboy in this arena?

A: You do see companies like us leveraging content early. Playboy was one of the first if not the first national publication to have a Web site--ours was established in the mid-1990s. The company recognized the shifting consumption of users. Specifically at Playboy, the nature of the content is the biggest challenge. Our content is always in high demand but we face challenges in terms of distribution because some people may not be ready to offer our kind of programming.

Q: What are some of those challenges?

A: There's continual demand for our content across a ton of platforms and various devices, but because we don't play in those areas--we're not a wireless provider or an Internet portal--we rely on external distribution, and we have to forge partnerships with folks who have wide and diverse customer bases. Mobile carriers in Europe have our content up, and we're hoping to do the same in America. We want to make it available.

Q: Is that going to happen?

A: A lot of strides have been made socially but we ebb and flow based on the political culture, and that's been dynamic for us. We are subject to the predispositions that some companies have based on geographic location. Also, opinions change from one day to the next, interest groups and what they're targeting, so we have to sway with that. We have to be very nimble.

Q: Let's talk about a recent one: Playboy's acquisition of the hardcore Club Jenna Web site from adult star Jenna Jameson and her (now estranged) husband Jay Grdina.

A: I met them four or five months ago and had continuing interactions through work functions. We don't do acquisitions lightly, and I was increasingly impressed with her ability to build a business; I found she has amazing business acumen.

Q: Playboy resisted hardcore content for a long time, but now seems ready to embrace it fully. Can't this tarnish the image you are trying to sell?

A: Absolutely not. The image that Playboy has embraced from the beginning has been to provide lifestyle and entertainment content for adults. It goes without saying that the demand from our adult audience spans the entire content spectrum, and as such, the company has sought to respond to those demands.

Q: Is that why Playboy recently announced a big move into Vegas?

A: We have a partnership with the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. They've built a second tower and Playboy is a very prominent part of that, through a retail outlet and a club. We're bringing back the Playboy Club for first time in 20 years, and we're doing a lot of licensing and merchandising.

Q: How did you make the transition from greeting cards to Playboy?

A: I had the same title at the interactive division of American Greetings, which is a slightly different type of content. I was transitioning Out of my job there because the company was moving our department to Cleveland and I didn't want to go. I was reading the job listings in a trade publication, PaidContent.org, and I saw the Playboy listing.

Q: What closed the deal?

A: It was my interactive experience that was the sell for Playboy. I was positioned very similarly at American Greetings and had the experience for the position, I'm kind-of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none.

Q: Did you have any qualms about moving into adult content, especially given your professional background?

A: Not in the slightest. I consider Playboy to be an extremely reputable and progressive media company with a globally recognized brand that represents so much more in the marketplace than "adult content." Plus, the fact that Playboy is publicly traded adds to the integrity of the company.

Q: Have you met Hef?

A: I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting him--but hopefully soon! He is still very involved in the company and continues to be a steward for the brand.

Q: You were about to become a professional baseball player. What happened?

A: I went to private school here in Los Angeles, Loyola High, and I played baseball there. Clearly, the Ivy League is not known as an athletic powerhouse. I had a few choices. I could have stayed locally and played at USC and UCLA, or I could go to Columbia for the top-tier education and hope if I was good enough as a player I would still be recognized there. I played fast base and had a batting average that was close to .500 when I was a senior in college. From that, I went on to play in the minor leagues. I tried out for the New York Mets and played for their farm team down in Port St. Lucie, Fla., for a few months--it was my brief moment of glory. I suffered a little injury, and had basically had run my course with baseball. I don't miss it because I know I could never play at the same level that I did before.

Q: How did you end up in law school?

A: I actually went onto law school on the advice of a gentleman by the name of Fay Vincent, who was the Major League Baseball Commissioner at the time. I met with him at offices of Major League Baseball, where he walked me down the hall and two out of every three people were lawyers. He said if I wanted to pursue a career in sports in the front office, management or otherwise it would behoove me to go to law school.

Q: You ended up, though, at American Greetings.

A: I went to law school at Southwestern and I started my working career off being a lawyer. I worked for one firm, Selman Breitman LLP, here in L.A. in business litigation for a few years. A college friend called and asked me to come on board of an Internet startup called Banner Greetings, and I said, "Yes." It was supposed to be next generation of greeting cards and I eventually became CEO. I got bit by the Internet bug, got on the rollercoaster and never got off.

Q: How has your family background affected your approach to your career?

A: My parents both emigrated here from the former Yugoslavia, and it's the classic immigrant tale: They came here with no money, spoke no English and both became successful. They are fine examples for both myself and my sister through their work ethic and in how we want to lead our lives. My mom is self-employed; she has been a hairstylist for a number of years and has done very well. My dad has been in the restaurant industry a long time--he now manages the bar at the Los Angeles Country Club. He makes some mean cocktails according to people in the business industry.

Q: What do they think about you working for Playboy?

A: I know it may sound like a cliche, but at the end of the day, they just want what's best for me--so as long as I'm happy, they're happy. Plus, my uncles are now looking forward to their Playboy magazine subscriptions this Christmas!

Chris Petrovic

Company: Playboy Enterprises Inc.

Title: Vice President of Business Development, Playboy Entertainment Group

Age: 36

Education: B.A., Columbia University, 1991; J.D., Southwestern University School of Law, 1995

Personal: Lives in Hermosa Beach with wife, Jennifer

Biggest influence: His parents, whom he describes as the "ultimate American success story"

Hobbies: Traveling, yoga, photography, triathlons and golf