Decision Makers
Board of Directors
Mr. Barba's affiliation with Investools began in 2000, when he was selected Chief Executive Officer of Telescan, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Investools. He later accepted the role of Chief Executive Officer and Director, where he continues to serve today. Previously, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Open Link Financial, a risk management software company; President of Coral Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell Oil Company and the largest shareholder in Open Link Financial; and a senior executive at Banker's Trust, a global organization with more than 2,100 employees in Asia, Europe and North America. Mr. Barba also worked for well-known stock brokerages such as Paine Webber and Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb. He earned an M.B.A. from Columbia University and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer |
Current |
| Vsg Asset Management |
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer |
Current |
| Encubate Holdings, LLC |
Chief Accounting Officer |
Former |
| Telescan, Inc. |
CFO & Senior Vice President |
Former |
| KPMG International |
Audit Manager |
Former |
| Equitrac Corp. |
Corporate Controller |
Former |
| University of Miami |
M.B.A. |
Former |
Mr. Helbling was appointed Chief Administrative Officer of the Company in January 2005, as Senior Vice President in June 2003, and as Corporate Secretary in February 2002. Mr. Helbling served as the Company's Chief Financial Officer from December 2001 until his appointment as Chief Administrative Officer. Prior to joining Telescan in August 1999, he was Vice President of Finance at PCC Flow Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corporation and a $350 million manufacturer of pumps and valves in the U.S. and Europe. From 1991 to 1997 Mr. Helbling served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of HydroChem Industrial Services, a $150 million provider of industrial cleaning services to the petrochemical, refining and utility industries. Mr. Helbling became a Certified Public Accountant in 1978, with experience in public accounting and in the contract drilling and oil and gas exploration and production industries. Mr. Helbling holds a B.A. and a M.A. degree from Rice University.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
Chief Admin Officer, Senior Vice President & Secretary |
Current |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer |
Current |
Mr. Ainge was appointed as Senior Vice Present of the Company in April 2005. Prior to serving in his current position, Mr. Ainge served as the Company's Vice President of Finance and Accounting from January 2004 to December 2004. Before joining the Company, Mr. Ainge served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Interactive Learning Systems, Inc., a start-up technology company. From 2000 to 2001 he served as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of Infopia, Inc., an Internet service company. From 1999 to 2000 Mr. Ainge served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Internet services company North Sky, Inc., where he was instrumental in the company's explosive growth and ultimate sale to About.com. From 1995 to 1999 Mr. Ainge served in various capacities, including President and Chief Operating Officer, at CallWare Technologies, Inc, a software development company. From 1989 to 1995 he served as Director of accounting and financial reporting for Geneva Steel, a $500 million manufacturing company. Mr. Ainge began his career in 1986 at Arthur Andersen & Co. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in accounting and finance from Brigham Young University and is a certified public accountant.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
Senior Vice President |
Current |
| Vsg Asset Management |
Senior Vice President |
Current |
| Callware Technologies, Inc. |
President and Chief Operating Officer |
Former |
| North-Sky |
Chief Operating Officer |
Former |
| Infopia, Inc. |
Chief Financial Officer |
Former |
| Interactive Learning Systems |
Chief Financial Officer |
Former |
| Callware Technologies, Inc. |
Chief Operating Officer |
Former |
| Interactive Learning Systems |
Executive Vice President |
Former |
| Infopia, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Former |
| Brigham Young University |
M.A. degrees in accounting |
Former |
| Brigham Young University |
M.A. degrees in accounting |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
Vice President, Investor Relations |
Current |
Ms. Simmonds was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing / Product Development Officer of the Company in December 2005. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Simmonds was a Partner at Markitecture LLC, a marketing consulting firm located in Norwalk, Connecticut. From 2000 to 2002, Ms. Simmonds was Vice President of Marketing for Molson USA LLC, a joint venture between Molson Breweries and the Coors Brewing Company. From 1992 to 2000, she served in progressive marketing related positions, including Director of Marketing, for Campbell Soup Company’s North American operations. Ms. Simmonds received her B.A. degree in Business Administration with honors in 1992 from the University of Western Ontario and her M.B.A. in 1997 from Harvard University.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
|
Current |
| Campbell Soup Company |
|
Former |
| Molson Coors Brewing Company |
|
Former |
| Harvard University |
M.B.A. in 1997 |
Former |
| The University of Western Ontario |
B.A. degree in Business Administration |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
|
Current |
| New York University |
M.B.A |
Former |
| Trinity College |
B.A. |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
|
Current |
| Chase Manhattan |
|
Former |
| INSEAD |
M.B.A. |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
|
Current |
| American Business Media |
|
Former |
| Adweek |
|
Former |
| Yale University |
B.A. |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Smartdata Enterprises, Inc. |
Director, Chairman |
Current |
| Home Shopping Network |
|
Current |
| INVESTools Inc. |
|
Current |
| QUALCOMM Incorporated |
|
Current |
| Dhex |
|
Current |
| Smartdata Enterprises, Inc. |
Founder |
Former |
| Smartdata Enterprises, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Former |
| Stanford University |
Ms In Computer Science With Database Specialization. |
Former |
Mr. McFarlan was appointed to a Director of the Company in December 2004. Since 1973, he has been a professor at Harvard Business School. In this position, he has had a significant role in introducing materials on Management Information Systems to all major programs at the Harvard Business School since the first course on the subject was offered in 1962. He has also been a long-time teacher in the Advanced Management Program: International Senior Managers Program, Delivering Information Services Program, and several of the Social Sector programs. He currently teaches in the second-year course entitled "Managing in the Information Age." During his long tenure at Harvard Business School, Mr. McFarlan has served in many capacities, most recently as Senior Associate Dean and director of Harvard's Asia-Pacific Initiative from 2000 to 2004. From 1995 to 2000, he was Senior Associate Dean and Director of External Relations. From 1991 to 1995, he was Senior Associate Dean and Director of Research. From 1979 to 1980, he was Chairman of all executive education programs. From 1975 to 1978, he was Chairman of the Advanced Management Program. In 1973, shortly after his appointment to full professor, Mr. McFarlan, along with four other faculty members, was sent to Switzerland to set up Harvard Business School's International Senior Management Program. Mr. McFarlan earned his A.B. from Harvard University in 1969 and his M.B.A. and D.B.A. from the Harvard Business School in 1961 and 1965, respectively.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| INVESTools Inc. |
|
Current |
| Li & Fung Ltd. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Harvard Business School |
Executive Education Programs |
Former |
| Harvard University |
A.B. |
Former |
| Harvard Business School |
D.B.A. |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Vsg Asset Management |
Director and Audit Committee Chairman |
Current |
| INVESTools Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Niagara LaSalle Corporation |
Director |
Current |
| Niagara Corporation |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Kidder, Peabody & Co. |
Managing Director |
Former |
| Harvard University |
M.B.A. |
Former |
| Harvard Business School |
M.B.A. |
Former |
| Trinity College |
B.A. In Economics |
Former |
Mr. von Meiss was appointed a Director of the Company in December 2001. Since 1997, Mr. von Meiss has been involved in financial management and consulting and has pursued investments in Internet related businesses. He also serves on the Board of Directors as Chairman of an industrial concern, as a member of the Board of Director of a newly formed ecology company and his own company, G. von Meiss AG. From 1994 to 1997, Mr. von Meiss served as Chief Executive Officer of Swiss Textile Group. From 1991 to 1994, Mr. von Meiss was Chief Executive Officer of a publicly quoted Dutch company following its privatization from the Dutch government. From 1988 to 1991, Mr. von Meiss worked as an independent financial consultant. Mr. von Meiss served as Chief Executive Officer of Dr. Ing. Koenig AG, a leading Swiss service center for flat steel and industrial fasteners from 1984 to 1988. From 1977 to 1984, Mr. von Meiss served in various positions in investment banking with Bankers Trust International Ltd. and Chase Manhattan Ltd. in London. Mr. von Meiss received a Bachelors degree in Economics in 1973 from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. He received his M.B.A. from INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France in 1977.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Airnote |
President and CEO |
Current |
| Geospiza, Inc. |
Founder and Chairman of Wireless Services Corporation |
Current |
| Cdigix, Inc. |
Board Member |
Current |
| 3DMAXMEDIA, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Wireless Services Corporation |
CEO |
Former |
| INVESTools Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Wireless Services Corporation |
President |
Former |
| Starwave Corporation |
President |
Former |
| McCaw Cellular Communications |
Vice President of Information Broadcasting |
Former |
| Microsoft Corporation |
general manager |
Former |
| Wireless Services Corporation |
Co-founder |
Former |
| Microsoft Corporation |
employee #6 |
Former |
| Microsoft Corporation |
software engineer |
Former |
| Starwave Corporation |
Board Member |
Former |
| McCaw Cellular Communications, Inc. |
Board Member |
Former |
| Stanford University |
Master of Electrical Engineering Degree |
Former |
| Case Western Reserve University |
Bachelor of Science Degree In Computer Engineering |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Outstart |
Founder and Managing General Partner of Grandbanks Capital |
Current |
| Nantucket Conference |
Founder and Managing General Partner of Grandbanks Capital (Gbc) |
Current |
| Grandbanks Capital, Inc. |
Founder |
Current |
| Softbank Capital Partners |
General Partner |
Current |
| Grandbanks Capital, Inc. |
Managing General Partner |
Current |
| Ottawa Venture & Technology Summit |
Managing General Partner, Grandbanks Capital |
Current |
| Boston University School of Management |
Advisor |
Current |
| Bankeast Corporation |
Advisor |
Current |
| Incipient, Inc. |
Board Member |
Current |
| Coradiant, Inc. |
Board Member |
Current |
| Cxo Systems, Inc. |
Board Member |
Current |
| Ember Corporation |
Board Member |
Current |
| Colubris Networks |
Board Member |
Current |
| Outstart |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| ThirdAge, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Interliant |
Investor |
Current |
| Art Technology Group, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Multex Systems, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Talk City |
Investor |
Current |
| 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Launch Media, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| TheStreet.com, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| INVESTools Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Webhire, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| GSI Commerce, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Mainspring Communications Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Firefly Networks |
Investor |
Current |
| Vimac Ventures LLC |
Venture Partner |
Former |
| Softbank Corporation |
first investment manager |
Former |
| Ironside Ventures, LLC |
advisor |
Former |
| Vimac Ventures LLC |
advisor |
Former |
| Phoenix Technologies Ltd. |
BIOS developer |
Former |
| Boston University |
B.S. |
Former |
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