WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FierceMarkets (www.fiercemarkets.com), a leading online B2B media company, today announced that Chief Operating Officer Sean Griffey will assume the role of President effective January 1, 2009.
"For an entrepreneur, there's nothing more gratifying than to build a successful company, sell it, and then see it continue to grow and thrive," said Jeff Giesea, President & Founder of FierceMarkets. "So as I move on, I am thrilled to leave FierceMarkets in the hands of a leader as talented as Sean. I am very confident in his leadership and in the future of FierceMarkets. The company's best days are still ahead."
Griffey joined FierceMarkets in March 2005 and was named COO in January 2006. During his tenure, he has led improvements to the company's financial management and operational infrastructure, spearheaded the development of proprietary technology, and launched multiple publications and events. Most recently, Griffey has also served as publisher for the Life Sciences vertical.
"It has been a privilege to work alongside Jeff as he has built this company from the ground up," said Griffey. "I'm particularly excited to take on this role at this time. With a seasoned leadership team and an innovative lead-generation platform, FierceMarkets is poised to build on its strong history of growth."
Griffey joined FierceMarkets after nearly ten years as a strategy consultant for A.T. Kearney and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In this role, he participated in a broad spectrum of strategy, operations, and M&A engagements for senior executive clients in the telecommunications, financial services, industrial, and media & entertainment sectors. He holds a B.S. in Economics from Penn State University and an M.B.A. from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.
Giesea founded FierceMarkets in April 2000 with the launch of FierceWireless. Since then, FierceMarkets has expanded to become a leader in B2B e-media, now producing 23 digital publications serving five vertical markets. He was recently recognized as a "Top Innovator in Business Publishing" by Media Business Magazine and a member of the "2008 Digital Hot List" by Min Magazine. When he leaves in January, Giesea plans to do some traveling before pursuing other entrepreneurial endeavors.
"The past eight years have been the most amazing and educational experience I could have imagined," said Giesea. "I am most proud of, and most humbled by, our amazing team of extremely talented individuals. I know I am leaving the company in good hands."
FierceMarkets was acquired in January 2008 by Questex Media Group, Inc. (www.questex.com), a global, diversified business-to-business integrated media and information provider headquartered in Newton, MA.
About FierceMarkets
FierceMarkets, a leader in B2B e-media, provides information and marketing services in the Telecommunications, Life Sciences, Healthcare, IT, and Finance industries through its portfolio of e-mail newsletters, Web sites, webinars, and live events. Every business day, FierceMarkets' wide array of publications reaches more than 730,000 executives in over 100 countries. Current publications include: FierceBiotech; FierceBioResearcher; FierceBroadbandWireless; FierceCIO; FierceCIO:TechWatch; FierceContentManagement; FierceDeveloper; FierceFinance; FierceFinanceIT; FierceHealthcare; FierceHealthIT; FierceHealthFinance; FierceIPTV; FierceMobileContent; FierceMobileEnterprise; FierceMobileIT; FiercePharma; FierceSarbox; FierceTelecom; FierceOnlineVideo; FierceVaccines; FierceVoIP; FierceWireless; FierceWireless:Europe; Hospital Impact; and IT-Wireless.
About Questex Media Group, Inc.
Questex Media Group, Inc. is a global, diversified business-to-business integrated media and information provider, headquartered in Newton, MA. Questex serves multiple industries including technology, beauty, spa, travel, hospitality, leisure, home entertainment, industrial specialties and service industries through a range of well-established, market-leading publications, events, interactive media, research, information and integrated marketing services. The company's businesses are managed through operating companies including Questex Media Group and five subsidiaries; InfoTrends, Inc., the world's leading strategic research and advisory services provider to the document management and communications industries; McLean Events International, Ltd, a world-leading producer of appointment-based events; Imaging Network, a leading business-to-business multimedia marketing company serving the office products channel; Five Star Alliance, the leading online luxury hotel booking service for the affluent traveler; and, Oxford Publishing, Inc., publisher and tradeshow producer serving the beverage and food industries; and FierceMarkets, a leading online B2B media company serving the telecommunications, life sciences, healthcare, IT and finance industries. The company's combined operations include more than 450 employees in offices throughout North America, South America, Asia and Europe.