Verve Wireless Taps Tom MacIsaac as New CEO

ENCINITAS, Calif., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Verve Wireless, the leading mobile advertising platform for local media, announced today that Tom MacIsaac has been appointed Chief Executive Officer.  At Verve, Tom will focus on expanding Verve's local mobile monetization platform and growing Verve's premium local mobile display ad network.  Tom will be based in the company's new Washington, DC area office.

Tom has more than a decade of experience growing digital media and advertising companies into industry leaders.  Most recently, Tom was CEO of ExtendMedia, which he grew into the leading IP video platform serving major operators, including AT&T, Verizon and Bell Canada, and leading movie studios, including Disney and Paramount.  Extend was acquired by Cisco Systems in September 2010.

Previously, Tom served as CEO of Lightningcast, a pioneer in online video advertising where he led the development of the first advertising technology platform specifically designed for monetizing broadband video and launched the first online video ad network.  After AOL acquired Lightningcast in 2006, Tom served as SVP Strategy overseeing strategy, strategic planning and corporate and business development for AOL's market-leading advertising business, Advertising.com.  Prior to Lightningcast, Tom was founder and CEO of Backwire, an online and mobile messaging company that was acquired by Leap Wireless in 2001.  Prior to his career in digital media, Tom was a corporate lawyer with the global law firm Dechert.

"It's the perfect time for Tom to join our team. The convergence of local media and mobile advertising is happening now," said Art Howe, co-founder and previous CEO of Verve Wireless who will continue with Verve as Chairman of the board of directors.  "We've spent the past three years laying the ground work for growth – offering publishers differentiated tools to build and monetize their mobile businesses and weaving that together into the largest local mobile display advertising network. With Tom on board we can take advantage of the energy in the market and our leadership position."

"I'm thrilled to be joining Verve and by the opportunity in front of us," said Tom.  High-quality local and hyper-local media is trusted and cherished by both consumers and advertisers.  As the digital evolution continues, we intend to be the preferred mobile monetization engine for these publishers and the first choice for brand advertisers looking to buy this media on an aggregated basis."

Last fall, Verve announced a $7 million Series B financing led by BlueRun Ventures.

About Verve Wireless

Verve monetizes local mobile media.  Our solutions help local media companies monetize their mobile inventory and enable advertisers to reach a valuable, premium audience where they live, work and play.  Over 1000 local publishers use the Verve platform to manage their mobile advertising businesses and help make their sales teams more effective.  In addition, we bring incremental revenue to our publishers through our relationships with national advertisers, who value the Verve network's high quality local media companies, including the mobile outlets of recognized local media brands as well as newer digital-only local and hyper-local publishers.  It is a brand-safe, editorially-driven, high-quality and transparent environment with market-leading targeting, creative and reporting capabilities.  Only Verve has assembled such an extensive national footprint of high quality local media.  For more information, visit www.vervewireless.com.

SOURCE Verve Wireless