(Online Dating Industry Journal) Jaynie M. Studenmund, appointed president and chief executive officer of eHarmony in early January, will start her tenure effective today, February 1, 2006. She succeeds Greg Forgatch, co-founder of eHarmony, who has voluntarily stepped down as president and chief executive officer to pursue other interests. Forgatch will continue to hold his current position on the board.
Studenmund has served as a board member of eHarmony since August 2005 and brings 25 years of executive operating and marketing experience to her new role at the company. She will have overall responsibility for leading all aspects of eHarmony's business.
Prior to joining eHarmony, Studenmund was a board member for Countrywide Bank, aQuantive Inc., Western Asset, and Forest Lawn. Until early 2004, she was the chief operating officer for Overture Services Inc. During her three year tenure as COO, the company experienced profitable, hyper growth, including growing annual revenues from $100 million to $1.2 billion, quarterly profits from negative to 10 consecutive quarters of profit, and international markets from one to 12. Previously, Studenmund was the president and COO of PayMyBills.com.
Before the Internet, Studenmund had a career in financial services. She spent 11 years at First Interstate, starting as the chief marketing officer and eventually becoming the executive vice president responsible for all of retail at the California bank. While there, she managed $1 billion in revenue, 4,000 employees, 403 stores, a 1,000-person sales force, and marketing. She also was the executive vice president responsible for all of retail at the nation's two largest savings and loans, Great Western Bank and Home Savings of America.
Earlier in her career, Studenmund was a management consultant with Booz, Allen & Hamilton. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Wellesley College.
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