NetShelter Announces New Executive Appointments to Accelerate Adoption and Development of inPowered™ Platform

SAN FRANCISCO, June 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- NetShelter Technology Media, today announced four new executive appointments to support the company's growing focus on its inPowered™ platform, which enables advertisers to amplify expert word of mouth as paid advertising, in order to shape brand perception and purchase consideration.

Jeff Stephens joins NetShelter to head the company's finance department as senior vice president, overseeing the company's financial operations and long-term financial strategy. Michele Slack, who most recently served as vice president of publisher networks has been promoted to an expanded role as senior vice president of business operations, overseeing the company's publisher network, business development, and inPowered advertising solutions. Colleen Daly, formerly vice president of sales for NetShelter's eastern region has been promoted to head the company's sales organization as senior vice president of sales. Suzie Ewing has joined the company as vice president of people and culture, and will lead the human resources department to help empower and engage NetShelter team members.

"Jeff, Michele, Colleen and Suzie are exceptional, proven, and passionate leaders, and they will be at the heart of our transformative efforts with our inPowered platform," said Peyman Nilforoush, co-founder and CEO of NetShelter.  "Each of these remarkable executives has had careers of distinction, and I look forward to collaborating with them to accelerate the adoption of our expert, word of mouth advertising efforts for our customers, publishers, and employees."

Jeff Stephens is a senior finance executive with more than 15 years of experience in leading financial strategy for growing technology companies in social media, Internet, online marketing. Jeff was previously chief financial officer at Hi5 Networks, an international online social network and gaming platform that grew to more than 60 million users, where he led the company's finance, accounting, tax, risk management, human resources and facilities strategies.  Previously, Jeff served as senior vice president of finance and administration for QuinStreet, a leader in online marketing and media, responsible for the company's finance, accounting, administration, tax, insurance, human resource and facilities activities.  Prior to QuinStreet, Jeff was controller for Sonnet Financial, an online foreign exchange company that served large multinational clients including IBM, Toshiba and Continental Airlines overseeing the company's accounting, risk management, cash management, security and compliance.

In her new role as senior vice president of business operations, Michele Slack oversees the company's publisher network, business development, and inPowered solutions. Michele leads a team responsible for creating and optimizing compelling inPowered advertising programs for top technology brands. Prior to joining NetShelter, Michele served as vice president of digital media for SFGate.com, the Bay Area's number one news and information website. Prior to that, Michele was director of digital media for Hearst Newspapers, where she initiated key strategic partnerships for all the Hearst newspaper websites. From 2000 to 2005, Michele was with the digital division of The New York Times, initially as the director of strategic planning and business development, and later as the director of marketing and operations.

Colleen Daly is a seasoned media executive with more than twenty years of experience delivering revenue results for the leading digital media companies in tech. In her new role, Colleen leads NetShelter's national sales team and works closely with Fortune 500 marketers and their agencies, building trusted relationships and innovative brand solutions. Previously, she was vice president of sales for the eastern region of NetShelter, and helped spearhead the introduction and adoption of the company's inPowered™ platform with leading technology brands. Prior to joining NetShelter, Colleen was the publisher of Computer Shopper and responsible for developing the sales strategy for the company's publications and digital initiatives. Colleen began her career at Ziff Davis Publishing and has held sales and sales management positions at ZDNet Inc. and CNET Networks.

Suzie Ewing has nearly twenty years of global human resources and organizational development experience in multiple technology-related industries. Most recently, Suzie led worldwide organizational development and learning for Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. Prior to Hitatchi, she led all human resources efforts for Obagi Medical, Design Within Reach and Shopping.com. During her tenure at Obagi Medical she received the President's Award in recognition for her work in designing an infrastructure that supported a "people, performance focused" culture. At Shopping.com she successfully implemented and reengineered a next generation HR infrastructure in worldwide services. Her expertise is in working with fast growing entrepreneurial companies and helping them to create human resources infrastructures and manifest company cultures that support their business strategies and ambitions. 

NetShelter recently launched its inPowered Stories (Beta), which enable brands to promote and amplify an influential existing story or product review, as a new kind of sponsored ad unit, across NetShelter's vast network of other influential blogs. In recent months, the company has evolved its business model beyond being an exclusive vertical network that provides the ad revenue for its tech bloggers. The combination of its inPowered platform and its network of influencers provides a powerful end-to-end platform for brands. NetShelter's network is comprised of 4,500 professional tech bloggers, including prominent personalities such as Seth Weintraub of 9to5Mac.com, Kevin Michaluk of Crackberry.com, Arnold Kim of MacRumors.com, Rob Jackson of Phandroid.com, Jon Rettinger of TechnoBuffalo.com, Helena Stone of ChipChick.com, Julio Franco of Techspot.com, and thousands of others across leading tech blogs. More information is available at www.NetShelter.com. 

About NetShelter Technology Media
NetShelter's inPowered platform amplifies expert word of mouth, from influential tech bloggers, as paid advertising to drive brand influence in a measurable way. NetShelter's vast network of technology blogs includes more than 4,500 independent bloggers reaching 150 million global readers(1). NetShelter is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Chicago, and Toronto. NetShelter Technology Media is backed by venture funding from Rho Ventures, and the BlackBerry Fund. Additional information is available at www.NetShelter.com.

(1)Ranked by comScore WW figures as largest Technology Media Property with about 150 million based on October 2011 figures.

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