Our Board of Directors consists of various experts from the Internet, Recruiting and Business communities.
Phillip Merrick, CoFounder and Chairman
Phillip is the founder and managing partner of Bibury Partners, an early-stage technology investment and advisory firm. Previously, Phillip was Chairman and CEO of webMethods, Inc., a leader of business integration software, which he co-founded in 1996 with his wife, Caren DeWitt Merrick. Under his leadership, the company pioneered web services and XML-based software integration technologies, demonstrated the strongest revenue growth of any U.S. software company in the period 1998 through 2002, and achieved the most successful software IPO to date in February of 2000.
Phillip is Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Wharton School Executive MBA program, is chairman of EnterpriseDB, and serves on the boards of RollStream, the 118 Foundation and Five Talents International, a microfinance and microenterprise development non-profit.
Jack Lewis, Director
Jack, partner with Morrison & Foerster, was named one of America's leading business lawyers in Corporate/M&A. Jack brings more than 30 years' experience helping businesses and entrepreneurs develop effective business strategies, from start-up stage to operation as successful public companies.
Heidi Heiden, Director
A true "inventor of the Internet", Heidi has over 40 years experience in designing, building and selling information systems; including building the largest Internet system; leading Wall Street's move to Internet-based systems; and designing, building and managing the first Internet, the DDN.
Gene Riechers, Director
Gene is recognized as one of the top value-added investors and board members in the Mid-Atlantic region and is currently a general partner of Valhalla Partners. He has over twenty-five years of experience in senior leadership roles at venture capital firms and technology companies. Prior to co-founding Valhalla Partners, Gene was the founder and managing director of FBR Technology Venture Partners ("FBRTVP"). The FBRTVP Funds produced seven IPO's including webMethods, the most successful software IPO in history.
Kevin Kelly, Observer
Kevin Kelly was named CEO of Heidrick & Struggles in September 2006. One of a new generation of global CEOs, Kelly regularly contributes to the public debate on the nature of leadership today, with particular insights into cross cultural subtleties, leveraging technology and social networks. With a decade’s experience in Tokyo, Kelly spent the last 3 years in London running Heidrick & Struggles’ EMEA operations before returning to his native America.
Named “Headhunter of the Year” in 2000 by Finance Intelligence Asia magazine and “One of Asia’s Top Recruiters” four years running by AsiaMoney magazine Kelly has extensive first hand experience in building senior leadership teams for the world’s most successful companies across Asia Pacific and Europe. Kevin’s first book, “CEO: The Low Down on the Top Job”, was published in December 2007.
Phillip is the founder and managing partner of Bibury Partners, an early-stage technology investment and advisory firm. Previously, Phillip was Chairman and CEO of webMethods, Inc., a leader of business integration software, which he co-founded in 1996 with his wife, Caren DeWitt Merrick. Under his leadership, the company pioneered web services and XML-based software integration technologies, demonstrated the strongest revenue growth of any U.S. software company in the period 1998 through 2002, and achieved the most successful software IPO to date in February of 2000.
Gene is recognized as one of the top value-added investors and board members in the Mid-Atlantic region and is currently a general partner of Valhalla Partners. He has over twenty-five years of experience in senior leadership roles at venture capital firms and technology companies. Prior to co-founding Valhalla Partners, Gene was the founder and managing director of FBR Technology Venture Partners ("FBRTVP"). The FBRTVP Funds produced seven IPO's including webMethods, the most successful software IPO in history.
