September 16, 2008- For IMMEDIATE Release
Contact: Owen Frager 561-620-8708
GRAND NAMES DOMAIN MARKETPLACE NAMES ADVISORY BOARD
Council of Madison Ave, Hollywood, DotCOM and Corporate Brand Builders
to Mentor Online Entrepreneurs and Provide Creative Solutions for Economic Challenges
BOCA RATON, FL (September 16th, 2008) - Grand Names, the Web's starting line to help SMBs unlock human potential and realize the possibilities of success online, today named the appointment of 12 Internet, technology and media leaders to its Advisory Board. These business executives will help guide the online company as it reshapes the fast-evolving domain name industry by enabling owners to better understand the challenges and perspectives of buyers, and help startups discover all the tools and possibilities of building a business online, beyond the name. Especially key is the senior leaders' experience in traditional marketing methods that can be successfully applied online when refreshed for web.
Grand Names was created by Florida-based Internet entrepreneur Owen Frager, who in 30-plus years as a corporate marketing executive, agency head and author of the FragerFactor marketing blog, has made a career of narrowly identifying, targeting and reaching customers in ways not possible through traditional advertising. Based on his insights into the limits of traditional marketing and the problems facing would-be online entrepreneurs, Frager says Grand Name's concept is both easy to understand and long overdue.
"In addition to a unique low-cost, no-auction, no-negotiation buying and selling process for domain names, we've also enlisted national caliber Web-savvy tech marketing copy and design talent to help sellers who chose to promote their names with the Grand Names Marketing Campaign option," said Frager. "This service is designed to increase exposure of names for sale by generating traffic to carefully crafted, keyword-rich ads for them. We're applying the lessons we've learned in amassing over 10,000 page-one, top-four, Google results that have driven 90% of our traffic directly to the specific ads and articles our visitors came for - bypassing our home page completely."
Named to the Grand Names Advisory Board are William Ryan, Howard Neu, Page Howe, David Sams, Karen Wukich, Mary Charles, Michelle Miller, Leland Hardy, Jay Berkowitz, Bruce Turkel, Jeffrey Reynolds, Ph.D and Jeff Zbar.
"These entrepreneurs and leaders from across the spectrum of business and industry will have a vital hands-on role in shaping the company's strategy, delivering competitive advantage and contributing to our customer's success," said Frager. "This is a unique moment in time, as faced with possible unemployment, declining home values and uncertain retirement incomes, many driven individuals are searching for creative solutions to their economic pressures. And for many, that means starting their own businesses."
But the online startup process begins to break down almost at the outset, says Frager. "Most domain business solutions are robotic, self-serve, and provide no human connection at a time when people taking bold steps need handholding the most. To have the support and council of a team like this goes way beyond what people can find elsewhere - and that's what set's us apart."
"More important, they bring backgrounds, experiences and mindsets very different from what many people associate with the Web," Frager added. "For example, Mary Charles, a leader in tourism and sales incentives and the queen of social networking in the offline world, will help us build a Grand Names community based on the ways that people really interact with each other. I don't think that's ever been done online. And compared to Web entrepreneurs' reputation for wanting to buy or create content on the cheap, Karen Wukich brings to the Advisory Board the insight of someone who has directed the spending over $100 million in corporate naming projects. Up and down the Board, these are professionals who know the importance of quality and understand what it takes to succeed in business."
Background on the Executives Joining the Grand Names Advisory Board
William Ryan. When Steve Jobs re-took the helm at Apple Computer, Bill Ryan and his team polished Apple's market presence and launched the iMac. When two Internet entrepreneurs at Stanford wanted to introduce Yahoo!, Ryan helped guide their debut onto the national scene. As Chairman of Silicon Valley's Niehaus Ryan Haller, Ryan built a $32 million agency at the epicenter of the Web. After 20 years, he continues to create, shape and evangelize breakthrough ideas that define market landscapes and drive demand. Ryan also serves on the Board of Directors of the Craigslist Foundation.
Howard Neu. As Co-founder & Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer of T.R.A.F.F.I.C., Howard Neu has created a tradeshow credited by the likes of the Wall Street Journal and Forbes for being the catalyst that moved the domain industry from a well-kept secret to a multi-billion global enterprise. A former municipal judge and North Miami, Fla., councilman, Neu has been practicing law since 1968, and previously was a practicing Certified Public Accountant. Neu is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the National Arbitration Association (NAF). He currently represents global domainers in domain defense litigation and prepares contracts for the transfer of domains.
Page Howe. From a dot-com bust in the early 2000s to a phenomenal success four years later, Page Howe is the poster boy for domain name possibilities. He showed up at DNForum.com looking to rebound from failure. Four years later, Howe completed two seven-figure sales in the same year (Seniors.com for $1.8 million and Guy.com for $1 million). In 2008, Howe continues to grow his geodomain empire.
Karen Wukich. Karen Wukich is Director, Integrated Marketing and Global Branding at The PGA of America. She previously managed the reinvention or launch of Fortune 500 brands such as IBM, Citrix, Apple and Sprint. Over the course of their careers, working with top brand architects such as Ogilvy and Landor, Karen was responsible for over $100 million investments in corporate naming projects.
Mary Charles. Mary Charles recently sold Hawaii's largest destination management company which she built from the ground up, beginning as just a two person operation and ending with offices on every island and entertaining millions of guests for some of the most important corporate and civic events in the world working closely with just about every Fortune 100 company ceo and their boards in the world.
"She was instrumental in putting Hawaii at the forefront of the meetings, conventions and incentives world," said Mike Murray, director of corporate meeting and incentive sales for the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. Today Mary's retirement avoidance syndrome consists of being Hawaii's most passionate champion, restoring and managing a quaint escape on the island of Lanai and spending more time with her husband Tom, whose own event, media, Internet and apparel brands include 150 XTERRA branded events in 17 countries; 14 nationally syndicated television shows; advertising and P.R. efforts; a Website with five million qualified visits annually; and the XTERRA line of branded and licensed products.
Michelle Miller. Michelle Miller helped build and grow the original domain marketplace Buy Domains to acquisition by Name Media. She is well versed in all facets of building, growing and branding Internet companies. As a domain pioneer, she has extensive experience in domain sales, valuations, and marketing
Jeffrey Reynolds, Ph.D. Jeffrey Reynolds is President/CEO of Precision Marketing Solutions, a privately held integrated media, marketing and public relations company. The company operates high-traffic websites in a variety of markets and harnesses the power of direct domain name navigation to enhance users' online experiences. Among its premier properties are AmericanFlags.com, WholesaleFlags.com, Discrimination.com and PetSitter.com. The company also helps small businesses, corporations and non-profit organizations deliver messages that penetrate the noise and clutter of American life, and reach their intended audience in the most efficient way possible.
Jeff Zbar. Jeff Zbar is a veteran freelance journalist, business columnist and corporate copywriter. He writes the weekly marketing column for the South Florida Business Journal, and he's also been published in Florida Trend, Advertising Age, Costco Connection, Inc.com and Entrepreneur. An ardent proponent of freelancing and a fledgling domainer, Jeff's blog "MyDaddyWorksInHisUnderwear.com" is one domainers can relate to, and it offers great tips for achieving better work life balance. Among the domains Zbar owns and operates are ChiefHomeOfficer.com, HomeOfficeHighway.com and several others focusing on home-based business and telework.
Bruce Turkel. As CEO of the successful brand management firm, TURKEL, Bruce has been creating and working with valuable brands for over 25 years.
Bruce Turkel has helped create some of the world's most compelling brands including HBO, Discovery Networks Latin America, and Miami. Bruce has also worked with American Express, Charles Schwab, Citicorp, Hasbro, LanChile Airline, Nike, Peabody Hotel Group, Sol Meliá Hotels, Radisson Seven Seas Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises.
A captivating speaker and author, Bruce has published several books including Building Brand Value, Brain Darts, and New Design: Miami. He has been a featured speaker at MIT, Harvard, The University of Miami, ProMax, NSA, FSA and Travel + Leisure Magazine's International Market Watch. He has served on the editorial board of HOW Magazine and the boards of The Miami Ad School, The University of Florida Advertising Advisory Council, OurKids and RMS. Bruce has been featured in The New York Times, Communication Arts, Advertising Age, AdWeek, USA Today and Graphic Design USA and he has appeared on CNN, ABC, CBS and NPR.
An accomplished and enthusiastic musician, Bruce can also be seen fronting the Miami blues and rock band BlackStar. Bruce is a graduate of the University of Florida.
Now specializing in travel and tourism advertising, Turkel represents the convention and visitors bureaus of key geo destination such as Miami, Coconut Grove and Kissimmee, Florida, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Canyon Ranch, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and the ACLU.
Jay Berkowitz is a senior online marketing professional with over twenty years of marketing experience. He has managed marketing departments for Fortune 500 brands: Coca-Cola, Sprint and McDonald's Restaurants, and has developed online and offline strategies for AT and leading health and fitness website eDiets.com.
Mr. Berkowitz is the author of The Ten Golden Rules of Online Marketing Workbook, the Founder and CEO of www.TenGoldenRules.com, a strategic online marketing consulting business based in Boca Raton, Florida, and the host of the Ten Golden Rules of Internet Marketing Podcast.
Mr. Berkowitz is a popular presenter at conferences and events such as Ad-Tech, Affiliate Summit, Webmaster World, The Direct Marketing Association, The American Marketing Association and The CEO Executive Forum. He is the Research Co-Chairman for SEMPO, the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization, a Founding Board Member of The South Florida Interactive Marketing Association a Past President of the South Florida Chapter of The American Marketing Association, the Gold Medal winner at the Association of Women in Communications PR Olympics and the recipient of two SOFIE Award nominations.
Leland Hardy, Former professional boxer and talent agent for Venus and Serena Williams, Leland Hardy is the founder and original registrant of www.NEWYORK.com, considered one of the most valuable domain names in the world.
Hardy successfully negotiated what is described as "the single most innovative individual athlete endorsement deal in history" when signed then tennis prodigy, Serena Williams to the apparel and footwear industry's first ever global, multimedia apparel and footwear endorsement agreement with Puma. For his work with music impresario, Percy "Master P" Miller and his No Limit
Enterprises operation, Hardy was selected by Advertising Age Magazine as one of the "op 100 Marketers in the World."
In the field of finance, Hardy has developed an innovative, patent pending funding method for non-profit organizations to raise funds from the general public through NEWYORK.COM. In addition, he provides global hedge fund advisory services through an exclusive agreement with Hennessee Group LLC, one of Wall Street's most quoted hedge fund experts and publishers of the benchmark Hennessee Hedge Fund Index.
Hardy is a Co-Founder of the Providenciales, TCI based Turks Caicos Islands Development Group Ltd. which specializes in Five Star resort property development and high end residential real estate in the Turks Caicos Islands.
About Grand Names
Grand Names (.com) is the Web's newest brokerage and marketplace for customer-focused domain names, where every name available for sale can be purchased for less than $1,000. Listing and selling fees for basic participation in Grand Names total just $20. With its simple browse, select, pay and receive process, Grand Names fixes what's wrong with the domain name market. Compared to what domain buyers have encountered for years, at Grand Names they will find no auctions that make them bid against others, no packages that force them to take names they don't really want, no stratosphere high prices that bear no relation to a name's real value, and no endless negotiation for a name that might not really be for sale.
More importantly, Grand Names was created to help prospective Internet entrepreneurs develop an exit strategy to escape the 9-to-5 grind, become their own bosses and take control their economic destinies. Unlike automated, self-service sites common in the domain marketplace, Grand Names provides members the additional benefit of the emotional and technical support available only from human interaction. Members choosing the Grand Names Marketing Campaign get affordable access to the services of professional copywriters, designers and marketing consultants who understand how to reach prospective buyers of their names.
GrandNames.com is privately held by Domain Success, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Frager Creative Group of Companies.
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