CALVERTON, N.Y., May 2, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- AdZone Research, Inc. (OTCBB:ADZR) today reported that its Board of Directors has appointed Jeffrey M. Hale as President and Chief Executive Officer. Charles A. Cardona continues as Chairman, and John A. Cardona has been named Vice Chairman.
"We are thrilled to have recruited Jeff Hale, who has more than 25 years of broad-based executive experience in the business information industry, including more than 15 years in CEO-level positions," said Chairman Charles A. Cardona. "He has specialized in developing and implementing marketplace-based strategies that bring organizations to higher levels of success in difficult business environments.
"Moreover," Cardona said, "Jeff is a recognized and highly regarded company builder, and has well documented experience in aggressively growing businesses both organically and through selected mergers, acquisitions and partnerships on a worldwide basis. For AdZone to move to the next level, it was critically important that we expand our depth of executive management and have someone of Jeff's caliber to lead our team."
"I have had the opportunity to work with AdZone Research for the past several years and believe it has created real value in its technology and its applications to generate important information and insight," said Hale. "I think all of the company's services have great potential, but I am particularly excited about OPPS, the Online Predator Profiling System. It fills a critical need in all of our communities, and makes me feel good just to be a part of it. I look forward to working with the AdZone team to leverage all of this potential, and grow AdZone to a higher level of success."
Hale started his career at EDS, joining the information services company in 1981, and holding several financial management positions including Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for EDS's Washington D.C.-based businesses. In 1985, he began managing information businesses for EDS in the Government Services and Business-to-Business sectors. In each role at EDS, Hale focused on improving business performance, turning around failed businesses, and integrating acquired businesses.
In 1989, Hale joined VNU where he held Group President and CEO level positions. From 1989 to 1993 he was CEO of Occupational Health Services. In 1993 he integrated 11 separate companies to form Competitive Media Reporting (CMR). As President, he grew CMR to be the industry leader in media monitoring. From 1995-2001, he was also Group President of VNU's Media Information Group of companies, where he developed acquisition strategies that grew these businesses into what is now the largest and most successful provider of media information in the world. Hale, as a member of VNU USA's Executive Committee, from 1989 to 2001, contributed to growing VNU's United States managed businesses from approximately $1 billion to more than $3 billion in annual revenues.
He then left VNU and formed New York City-based Baltic Ventures, LLC to acquire and grow a group of business information companies that could achieve similar sustained levels of revenue and earnings growth. Baltic Ventures is actively involved in developing acquisition strategies with financial backers, providing leadership to start up companies, and advising companies on growth strategies.
This press release is available on the company's official online Investor Relations HUB at http://www.agoracom.com/IR/AdZone for investor questions, answers and monitored commentary. Alternatively, investors are able to e-mail all questions and correspondence to ADZR@agoracom.com where they can also request addition to the investor e-mail list to receive all future press releases and updates in real time.
For additional information on AdZone Research, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.adzoneresearch.com.
Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking" statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Because such statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.