William Furlong: CEO
Bill founded SearchChannel in 2005, seeing the need for b2b and other specialty publishers to leverage the power of search. As the business has grown, he has maintained active leadership in strategy and execution, helping publishers to launch and monetize successful vertical search engines. A leading figure in b2b media, Bill founded and led B2BWorks, the first major b2b online advertising network, and served as publisher of Business Marketing magazine and as a sales executive of Advertising Age.
Bill served on the board of directors for the IAB for two terms (2001, 2002) and is also an active member of the Business Marketing Association, Chicago Interactive Marketing Association, Chicago’s Orbis, the Executives’ Club of Chicago, as well as several publishing and marketing corporate boards. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign - Urbana’s, Bill remains active in a variety of UIUC alumni association activities including the James Webb Young trustee board.
A frequent speaker at BMA, DMA, ABM and advertising organizations throughout the United States, he was named to B@B’s 2003 Who’s Who and Crain’s Chicago Top Internet 100 List.
Jason Abbate: Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations
Jason oversees strategy and implementation for SearchChannel’s vertical search engine properties and consulting projects. Additionally, he directs our search engine marketing practice and leads SearchChannel’s fast-growing media business.
An advertising industry veteran, Jason has more than 15 years of experience developing and implementing integrated marketing strategies for a wide range of clients. Prior to joining SearchChannel, Jason served as Senior Vice President of Interactive Services at Stein Rogan + Partners, a leading B2B advertising agency, where he managed search engine marketing services and led interactive strategy projects for publishers and B2B marketers such as Better Homes & Gardens, Parents.com, Lucent Technologies and SchoolNet.
He also served as Director of Project Management and Search Engine Marketing for Insight Interactive, managing Web site development and integrated search campaigns for clients such as Ortho-Biotech, Centocor, McNeil Pharmaceutical, Dupont, and Pfizer.
Frank Filippi: Web Design and SEO
Frank Filippi is the founder of Psycray Corporation located in both the Chicago area and Champaign, Illinois. He specializes in Web Design and Search Engine Optimization bringing experience working with facilitating data requirements and analysis, code development and optimization, system and data management, along with automated and manual testing of mid to large sites.
As founder of Psycray, Mr. Filippi has worked with clients in all stages of their web development cycle. He has created companies’ first sites, provided search engine optimization, integrated the sites with back end systems, and implemented support systems to handle the website growth.
Mr. Filippi has worked for over twenty years in the computer field. He has experience as project manager for two Web development firms prior to the establishment of Psycray Corp. He also brings experience in the business segment having worked as an operations manager, comptroller and an industrial consultant.
Nicole Zillmer: Writer, researcher, and project manager
Nicole Zillmer is a writer, researcher, and project manager with five years’ professional experience, beginning with contributions to the nonprofit academic arena and culminating in her current work for SearchChannel LLC. Nicole’s career began with positions at the University of Wisconsin Department of Medicine and the University of California-Berkeley, where she performed clinical trials and historical research, respectively. After completing a graduate degree from Claremont Graduate University in Los Angeles, California, she resumed her work as a researcher and writer, developing online, interactive instructional materials for Chicago-based e-media company CognitiveArts Corporation. In her current position with SearchChannel, Nicole collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to develop vertical search engines and create online and print-based marketing materials, ensuring the company’s solutions and services consistently exceed client expectations.
Barbara Weaver: Senior Director of Marketing Communications
Barbara Weaver, founder of Weaver Consulting Group, provides strategic marketing & sales consulting services for major advertisers and non-profit organizations. She specializes in applying direct marketing principles and best practices to develop marketing programs that deliver quantifiable results. Her experience spans a range of industries including financial services, telecommunications, retail and e-retail, software, and high tech services.
Prior to establishing Weaver Consulting Group, Ms. Weaver has worked for 25 years in marketing. Her career in Chicago has included working in both the creative and strategic planning realms for major advertising, direct marketing, and promotions agencies including Kobs & Brady (now Draft Worldwide), Foote Cone & Belding, and Frankel.
She has developed award-winning marketing programs for SBC Ameritech, Barclays Global Investors, Cricket Wireless, Visa USA, Target, McDonalds, and the United States Postal Service. She has consulted with companies in the high tech area including BabyCenter.com, Geneer Software, Private Trade, Schoolpop.com, and Andersen Consulting (now Accenture).
Planet Discover - Technology Partner
Planet Discover, an industry leader in vertical search, provides hosted Internet applications which allow media organizations to create and operate vertical search engines and keyword-based advertising systems. These services help generate revenue and increase traffic for Search Channel customers by strengthening their position as the best source for vertical information.