Larry Hryb

Larry Hryb
Larry Hryb during Xbox Media Briefing at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009.
Born	Lawrence Hryb Connecticut, United States
Nationality	American
Other names	Major Nelson
Alma mater	Syracuse University (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
Occupation	Director of Programming for Xbox Live
Known for	Host of "Major Nelson Radio"
Website	www.majornelson.com

Lawrence "Larry" Hryb (/ˈhɜːrb/), also known by his Xbox Live Gamertag "Major Nelson", is an Emmy Award–winning Director of Programming for the Microsoft gaming network Xbox Live. His blog "Xbox Live's Major Nelson" provides an inside look at operations at Microsoft's Xbox division. He picked the Gamertag "Major Nelson" after a character by the same name on the 1960s U.S. television comedy I Dream of Jeannie after it was recommended to him by his TiVo. Larry dedicated his Gamertag to Larry Hagman after his death in 2012. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2001, he was a former programmer and on air host with radio broadcaster Clear Channel Communications. Hryb graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Television, Radio and Film production from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Larry Hryb worked as the Director of Promotions for Clear Channel Communications in Hartford, Connecticut for WKSS from 1989 to late 2000. In early 2001, he began working with Microsoft; his first role at the company was as the editor in chief of MSN music. Hryb moved into Xbox division of Microsoft in 2003. Hryb was instrumental in the development of the Xbox One, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, Kinect and the 'New Xbox Experience'. He was also a member of the small team of people who devised the concept of 'Xbox Achievements,' a popular feature of Xbox One and Xbox 360 games; similar features were later adopted by Steam, PlayStation Network, and other gaming platforms. Outside of Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, Hryb is one of the most recognizable faces at Microsoft, and is one of the most public faces of Xbox.