OptionsHouse and tradeMONSTER Announce Chairman of the Board and CEO for Combined Company Following Completion of Transactions

CHICAGO, June 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- OptionsHouse LLC, L.P. and tradeMONSTER Group, Inc. today together announced the appointment of Gerald Putnam as Chairman of the Board and Michael J. Curcio as Chief Executive Officer, upon completion of the previously announced transactions that will combine OptionsHouse and tradeMONSTER.

The remainder of the combined company's executive leadership also was announced today with representation from both companies as well as new appointments on the leadership team. The Board structure of the new company has also been finalized and the majority of seats have been filled. Upon completion of the transactions, global growth investor General Atlantic will be the majority shareholder.

"Jerry and Michael are two of the industry's most respected leaders, and they have the vision, knowledge and experience to integrate and drive growth at the new company," said Rene Kern, managing director of General Atlantic. "Jerry is a visionary in the convergence of technology and financial services with extensive experience integrating companies. Michael is a proven leader with an unparalleled 25-year track record growing electronic trading businesses through product innovation, customer satisfaction and enhanced service models. The two of them round out a leadership team that has extraordinary experience in the technology and financial services industries.  We look forward to working with them to fulfill the combined company's goal of becoming the 'go-to' online brokerage firm for active traders and investors."

Commenting on his appointment as CEO, Mr. Curcio said, "I am excited to be appointed CEO of the combined OptionsHouse and tradeMONSTER. I look forward to joining the team and working in close partnership with the combined company's board, leadership team, employees and customers to bring together the best of both companies to create a leading innovator in the online brokerage space. The opportunity ahead for our dynamic company is vast and all centered around providing our customers with the tools and analytics they need to gain a competitive edge."

Mr. Putnam said, "I am thrilled to again partner with General Atlantic to combine OptionsHouse and tradeMONSTER - two leaders in the online brokerage space - to create an even stronger company. The fragmented online trading industry is at another critical juncture as retail investors increasingly seek professional-grade trading tools and analytics across devices so they can trade anywhere, anytime. This creates a new opportunity for a market leader to innovate, invent new solutions and expand its offering. I feel privileged to be able to guide the new company as it realizes its full growth potential."

Jerry Putnam co-founded and was the Chairman and CEO of Archipelago Holdings from 1997 until its merger with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 2006. He was Co-President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of the NYSE until 2007. He served on the Board of Directors of Greenplum from 2008 until its acquisition by EMC in 2010 and is currently on the Board of Cortland Capital. In 2000, Jerry was selected as one of the innovators of 21st century by Time magazine.

Michael Curcio has more than twenty-five years of experience in technology trading. He was President of E*Trade Securities from 2006 to 2013, where he was responsible for building a best-in-class options platform and significantly growing their options business.  He joined E*Trade in 2002, having previously spent fifteen years at TD Ameritrade. He served on the Board of Governors for NASDAQ from 2000 to 2008 and has served on a range of Boards including the E*TRADE Mutual Funds Board, Access Worldwide, Operation Hope and the Jazz Foundation of America.

About OptionsHouse

OptionsHouse (www.optionshouse.com) was founded in 2005 by PEAK6 Investments, L.P.  PEAK6 is distinguished as a pioneer of trading technology, having been one of the first firms to apply proprietary tools to more efficiently manage risk in the options market.  PEAK6 created OptionsHouse with the simple mission of providing retail traders with their proprietary risk management technology, low commissions, and reliable execution.  Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, in the historic Board of Trade Building, OptionsHouse provides active traders with an award-winning platform to trade stock, options and other financial products. Within the online brokerage industry, OptionsHouse has grown rapidly through a focus on low prices, speed of platform and execution, and trading technology that provides greater control over the market.   OptionsHouse consistently earns high rankings from Barron's, a leading industry reviewer, in their prestigious annual review of online brokers. 

About tradeMONSTER

tradeMONSTER (www.tradeMONSTER.com), rated by Barron's as "Best for Options Traders" and #1 for Mobile, Research Amenities, Customer Service & Education, and Usability, is making professional-grade tools accessible to all online traders, regardless of experience level. tradeMONSTER was the first online broker to deploy a streaming desktop-like trading experience in a web browser, with a dynamic and customizable interface integrating advanced analytic tools, investor education, transparent commissions and an extremely knowledgeable and dedicated customer service team. Additionally, tradeMONSTER offers the most robust mobile experience available on all major mobile platforms and devices through tradeMONSTER Mobile. With its innovation focus on combining state-of-the-art analysis with an intuitive user experience, tradeMONSTER's technology team has been granted several patents with numerous patents pending for its technology and unique investment tools embedded on the tradeMONSTER platform. All securities and investments are offered through tradeMONSTER. Member FINRA/SIPC/NFA.

About General Atlantic

General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm providing capital and strategic support for growth companies. GA combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great management and build exceptional businesses worldwide. Established in 1980, GA has more than 200 employees based in New York, Greenwich, Palo Alto, São Paulo, London, Munich, Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Singapore. For further information and a listing of GA's public and private portfolio companies see www.generalatlantic.com.

Media Contacts:
Kekst and Company
212-521-4800

For OptionsHouse and tradeMONSTER
Andrea Calise
Kekst and Company
Phone: 212-521-4845
Email: [email protected]

For General Atlantic
Adam Weiner/Peter Hill
Kekst and Company
Phone: 212-521-4823/4859
Email: [email protected] and [email protected] 

SOURCE OptionsHouse, tradeMONSTER, General Atlantic