Specialty Match Network expands executive staff with business development veteran

Specialty Match Network specializes in online dating and social networking. We are in the process of expanding our executive team

Laguna Beach, CA (PRWEB) March 17, 2004 - Specialty Match Network, a startup based in Orange County California, announced today that Jim Smith has become a partner of the company as its Executive Vice President, Business Development. Mr. Smith has over 20 years experience in the software industry and will oversee all Business Development, Affiliate partner programs, Corporate Sponsorships and Professional Services transactions. Mr. Smith was formerly EVP of the Customer Group at Starbase Corporation, which is where he was introduced to the current executive management team of Specialty Match Network. Smith worked closely with Jim Harrer and Scott Hunter overseeing worldwide sales, marketing, and professional services to ensure that all groups achieved Starbases corporate objectives. Smith was instrumental in facilitating the relationship with Borland Corporation (NASDAQ:BORL) which ultimately acquired Starbase. Prior to Starbase, he was COO/EVP Sales and Marketing at ObjectShare Inc, a developer of objected-oriented tools and services. Prior to ObjectShare, Mr. Smith served as COO for Select Software Tools, a provider of object-oriented application development tools and services.

According to Jim Harrer, Specialty Match Network co-founder and CEO, We are pleased to have Jim Smith join the executive leadership team at SMN. Smith adds a much needed dimension to the team. His business knowledge, accompanied by his ability to create and articulate our value proposition, will be instrumental in building and executing our business development sales and marketing strategy. Smiths experiences in formulating go to" market strategies and win/win relationships for enterprise partnerships will significantly accelerate our business development initiatives we have underway."

Specialty Match Network was founded in June of 2003 by Harrer & Hunter with a vision to build online dating and social networks to cater to specific niche markets. Each of these unique niche sites will enable people to meet and network with other people who share the same interest. The first niche property, www.MyCountryMatch.com was launched in December of 2003 and caters to single adults who share a passion for country music and traditional values.

Smith stated Ive watched as Harrer and Hunter have executed their business plan and got excited about the social networking business the more I learned. Im happy to join the company as an equity partner and look forward to building Specialty Match Network into a viable competitor and in helping execute the vision."

About Specialty Match Network

Specialty Match Network is a leading provider and developer of special interest properties. These properties deliver countless benefits to both individuals and all types and levels of organizations, on a local, national and international scale. Our core competence is in facilitating easier, better, and more meaningful communications among people of common interests, utilizing our innovative methods and proprietary technologies.

For individuals, Specialty Match Network's properties provide opportunities to personally and securely socialize with other individuals sharing common interests. Specialty Match Network's network of niche lifestyle-based properties will enhance the users' lives by personalizing the currently faceless process of establishing quality individual and corporate relationships online.

For corporations, corporate sponsors, organizations, advertisers, affiliates and others, unique opportunities exist and are inherent within the Specialty Match Network - both online and off.

For established brands involved in vertical markets, as well as brands with multiple-market product and service lines, opportunities include creating and nurturing brand-loyal communities, increasing brand loyalty and brand awareness, expansion of the brand, and increased interest by consumers in the brand and new products and services of the brand. Jim Harrer commented "For brands with diverse product or service offerings - a manufacturer of both cameras and PCs for example - additional cross-promotional branding opportunities inherently exist as a result. It seems highly likely that consumers, brought together in these brand-loyal communities, will, by nature, promote other products and services of the brand to those within these brand-loyal communities, as well as to others outside these communities."

Specialty Match Network works closely with Brand Managers, Communications Directors, Marketing Directors, Advertising agencies, Public Relations advisors, and others involved in branding and promotion, to help them identify and assess the ways these communities can be developed and leveraged. The goal is two-fold: to expand reach, improve brand image, and increase the bottom line for the brand owner; while enhancing the experience and value of the common interest community for the brand-loyal consumer.

Driven by the founder's experience in establishing over 53,000 online communities hosting in excess of 4 million members, the Specialty Match Network was created to explore and enable the next level of human relationship pairing technology.

The Specialty Match Network today consists of www.mycountrymatch.com and www.eonlinedatingsites.com. Additional sites will be coming online soon.

About The Founders

Jim Harrer
Known among the Wall Street community as a "bruiser" when it comes to meeting short and long-term goals, Mr. Harrer believes the way to win in business is by building a loyal workforce and, with a great product, by nurturing true brand passion. This results in a brand-loyal customer base where customer satisfaction and trust in the brand results in customers promoting the brand by word of mouth. A self-taught businessman, Mr. Harrer started Mustang Software in 1986, taking it public in 1995, reinvented it in 1997, and sold it to Quintus Corporation in May 2000. Quintus later became part of Avaya. Since 2000, Mr. Harrer has assisted in two turnarounds. In 2001 as CEO of Web Associates, an Internet professional services company, Mr. Harrer led the reorganization, which resulted in a return to profitability. In 2002 Mr. Harrer became President & CEO of Starbase Corporation, an enterprise software company specializing in software configuration and requirements management, resulting in a sale to Borland Software Corporation in January 2003.

Scott Hunter
With over 14 years in the software industry, Mr. Hunter has extensive experience in managing software development projects - beginning with product concept to pre-customer focus groups - engineering design, milestone planning - quality control - concluding with a successful commercial release.

Mr. Hunter also has a strong business background, including experience as a technical competitive analyst, and in institutional leadership and project management. In his career, he was personally responsible for over 20 product introductions - from concept to commercial delivery - as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Mustang Software and Executive Vice President of Engineering and Chief Information Officer for Starbase Corporation. Mr. Hunter is a graduate of California State University, Bakersfield with a degree in Computer Science and a minor in Economics.

To learn more about Specialty Match Network, visit us online at http://www.specialtymatch.com or e-mail info@specialtymatch.com for more information.

Specialty Match Network... We Bring People Together