Flock Names Consumer Technology and Media Veteran as CEO
Former Yahoo!, AOL, NBC executive takes the reigns of social Web browser
Mountain View, CA – November 6, 2006 – Flock, the innovative social web browser based on Firefox, today announced the appointment of Shawn Hardin as President & Chief Executive Officer. Hardin is a consumer Internet technology and media veteran, with experience at Yahoo!, AOL Broadband and NBC. He will assume the role of CEO effective immediately, as Flock readies its release of its 1.0 browser.
Flock is fundamentally evolving the browser, and bringing a refreshing new approach to how people use and participate on the web. Flock simplifies social and web-based applications by bringing them one step closer to the user and integrating them into the browser. People can easily access and share videos, photos and comment across social communities, media providers, and popular websites.
"With the upcoming release of 1.0, we're undertaking an ambitious campaign to give the web a facelift that simplifies and enriches online social applications for millions of Internet users," said David Cowan, General Partner with Bessemer Venture Partners and a Flock Board member. "We set out to recruit an entrepreneurial CEO with a winning track record for building and delivering innovative Internet user experiences, and that's exactly what we have found in Shawn."
Flock was created for the hundreds of millions of people who want to do more than just look at the Web. Flock 1.0 will make it easy and fun to interact, discover, and share information, videos, and photos online. Pre-release versions of Flock have received an enthusiastic reception from customers who appreciate Flock's new approach to web browsing. To date, beta versions of Flock have been downloaded over a million times.
"Flock presents an exciting and rare opportunity to bring to market a truly innovative consumer product which is focused on enhancing the entire connected experience," said Shawn Hardin, President and CEO, Flock. "The browser market has been largely static for the past ten years, and Flock has pioneered a new approach to interacting with the web that gives people greater control over their online experience. I’m enthusiastic about the opportunity to introduce Flock's powerful new social browser to the world, and drive the company forward in the marketplace."
Hardin was most recently Yahoo!'s Head of Youth, Health & Games. In this role he oversaw the strategic direction, product & programming and business operations for these key businesses. His complete portfolio collectively attracted 30 million unique users and over 2.3 billion minutes of consumer engagement each month.
Hardin has front-line expertise in technology-driven entrepreneurial ventures in addition to a business background with NBC and AOL. His creative and business experience spans Entertainment, Film, Television, Information Technologies, Mobile and Internet markets. He has been working at the intersection of media, technology, and business for over twelve years, including as a founding executive of NBC Television Network's Interactive Division, EVP & Group General Manager for NBCi, SVP for AOL Broadband and Head of Youth, Health & Games for the Yahoo! Media Group.
Flock 1.0 will be launching soon. A beta version of the browser is currently available at http://www.flock.com.
About Flock
Flock, the innovative social web browser based on Firefox, was created for the hundreds of millions of people who want to do more than just look at the Web. Flock makes it easy and fun to interact, discover, and share information, videos, and photos online. Flock was founded in 2005, and is located in Mountain View, California.
David Cowan of Bessemer Venture Partners is joined on the Flock board by Tod Francis of Shasta Ventures and Jed Smith of Catamount Ventures.
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