IRVINE, Calif.--Aug. 7, 2006-- AOL and AltaVista Veteran Will Lead Business Intelligence Efforts to Support Expansion and Optimization of Company's Consumer and Business Products
Autobytel Inc. (Nasdaq:ABTL), a leading Internet automotive marketing services company, today announced that search industry veteran and Web analytics expert Arthur Brodeur has joined the company as vice president, business intelligence and corporate performance management. Brodeur's role will be to oversee operational metrics and reporting across the company's business lines, as well as implement corporate data management solutions and lead competitive intelligence research as the Company expands its consumer and business products.
"Art is a recognized industry expert with a proven track record in data mining and business intelligence, including pioneering Search business metrics," said Autobytel President and CEO Jim Riesenbach. "The online automotive industry has become more sophisticated in recent years, requiring an ever-increasing degree of analytic and data capabilities far beyond what have previously been available. These capabilities can create significant revenue optimization and performance improvements."
"As Autobytel continues its mission to be the industry's leading online automotive media company," continued Riesenbach, "Art's expertise will be critical to identifying emerging trends among our millions of online customers, analyzing that data to ensure continuous improvement in meeting the needs of both consumers and clients, and providing the reporting and planning processes that are the foundations of smart product development and growth."
Brodeur joins Autobytel from AOL, where he was vice president, business intelligence for AOL Search. He was previously director of business operations for AltaVista Company, where he built large-scale data management systems and was a leader in defining key performance indicators for the emerging Internet search industry.
"Autobytel is uniquely positioned to lead the industry in delivering both rich consumer experiences and new efficiencies to the automotive marketplace," said Brodeur. "Innovative data solutions and metrics analysis can help clarify consumer demand, providing sellers with actionable information and more qualified purchase requests from consumers."
Prior to joining AltaVista, Brodeur spent 15 years with Digital Equipment Corporation/Compaq Computer Corporation, where he held positions ranging from product management to supply chain optimization. There, he managed worldwide inventory for all networks products and helped produce Digital's HiNote Ultra, the industry's first 'thin & light' laptop computer.
About Autobytel
Autobytel Inc. (Nasdaq:ABTL) is one of the largest online automotive marketplaces, empowering consumers to make smart vehicle choices using objective automotive data and insightful interactive editorial content. The result is a convenient car-buying process backed by a nationwide network of dealers who are committed to providing a positive consumer experience. Every day consumers choose Autobytel-owned and operated websites -- Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, CarSmart.com, Car.com, AutoSite.com, Autoahorros.com, and CarTV.com -- to facilitate their car-shopping decisions. Autobytel's ability to attract millions of highly qualified, in-market car buyers and connect them with retailers has made it a leader in facilitating the entire customer car-buying lifecycle.
The Company's innovative marketing, advertising, data and CRM products, including its Web Control(R) customer management system, Retention Performance Marketing (RPM(R)) service reminder program, Special Finance Leads(SM), and AIC(R) data center, are designed to enable dealers to offer a premium consumer experience. Since pioneering pro-consumer online automotive content and purchasing in 1995, Autobytel has helped more than twenty-seven million car buyers, generating billions of dollars in car sales for dealers.
