The Search Agency Announces Strategic Investment From JMI Equity

    SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The Search Agency (TSA),
 a leading search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optimization
 (SEO) firm, announced today that it has received a strategic investment
 from JMI Equity. JMI, a private equity firm focused on investments in
 growing software and business services companies, will work closely with
 TSA management to support its strong growth in providing search marketing
 services to clients worldwide. Peter Arrowsmith, a General Partner at JMI,
 has joined TSA's Board of Directors. Terms of the transaction were not
 disclosed.
 
     TSA provides SEM and SEO to online advertisers through a suite of paid
 search and organic search tools, including its AdMax platform. The
 company's unique approach to online marketing is based on combining
 proprietary technology with a robust service offering, and has resulted in
 annual growth rates exceeding 100% and market leading client retention
 rates. TSA plans to use the investment from JMI to expand its sales and
 marketing efforts, and to support the continued research and development of
 the company's proprietary technology.
 
     "We welcome the opportunity to partner with JMI," said David Hughes,
 Chief Executive Officer of TSA. "In our focus to accelerate TSA's growth
 and gain market share, we were seeking an investment firm who is highly
 knowledgeable in the online marketing space. The fact that JMI has proven
 experience in our industry resonated with us. They clearly understand our
 strategic plan and we are excited about the significant value they can
 provide both strategically and financially to our organization."
 
     "The Search Agency's ability to offer first rate service supported and
 enhanced by technology is unique in the marketplace today," said Mr.
 Arrowsmith of JMI. "We look forward to working with David and his team to
 build on the company's success, help enhance its competitive position and
 continue to generate profitable growth over the long term."
 
     RBC Capital Markets was the exclusive placement agent to TSA and
 Stubbs, Alderton & Markiles, LLC provided legal counsel to TSA on the
 transaction. JMI was advised by Goodwin Procter, LLP.
 
     About the Search Agency
 
     The Search Agency is a profitable, privately held corporation that
 employs search industry experts to guide its clients through the
 complicated world of search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine
 optimization (SEO) and in turn convert quality traffic for those client's
 into revenue through conversion path optimization (CPO). This personal
 approach combined with the company's innovative and proprietary technology
 enables its clients to maximize ROI on search spend The Search Agency
 proudly maintains over an 85% retention rate among their clients. TSA has
 twenty-five engineers on staff and a total of 75 employees between two
 offices in Rhode Island and Santa Monica.
 
     For additional information please visit www.thesearchagency.com.
 
     About JMI Equity
 
     JMI Equity, based in Baltimore and San Diego, is a private equity firm
 exclusively focused on investments in growing software and business
 services companies at all stages of their lifecycles. Founded in 1992, JMI
 has invested in more than 90 companies throughout North America and has
 approximately $1.3 billion of committed capital under management. JMI
 provides the first institutional capital to self-funded companies, partners
 with management teams to acquire or recapitalize market leading companies
 and selectively makes investments in early-stage companies. Representative
 investments include Blackbaud, DoubleClick, Kronos, Undertone Networks and
 Unica. For more information on JMI, visit www.jmiequity.com.
 
 

      Media Inquiries:
      Stephanie Robey - 310.582.5748
      stephanie@thesearchagency.com
 
      Chuck Dohrenwend for JMI Equity
      The Abernathy MacGregor Group
      212.371.5999
 
      Business Development Inquiries:
      Steve Levitt - 310.582.5720
      Steve@thesearchagency.com
 
 

SOURCE The Search Agency