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Press Release: LeisureLink, Inc.
May 17, 2006
PASADENA, CA -- LeisureLink, Inc. (http://www.leisurelink.com),
the electronic marketplace that connects travelers with vacation rental and timeshare suppliers worldwide, has
named Erik Hovanec, 39, as President and CEO, announced founder Kelly Tompkins.
"Erik is an experienced and highly talented executive. His proven record of success and passion for Internet
commerce makes him the ideal person to lead LeisureLink to new and greater levels of success in the years ahead,"
said Kelly Tompkins, founder and Chief Strategy Officer for LeisureLink.
Mr. Hovanec, who has served on the Board of LeisureLink since 2004, was previously the General Manager for the
Green Dot Financial Network, a division of Green Dot Corporation and a market leader in the multi-billion dollar
prepaid financial services industry. From 1998 to 2003 Erik was a member of the Senior Management team at GoTo.com
which became Overture Services Inc and is now owned by Yahoo!. At Overture Services he oversaw numerous facets
of that company's rapid growth in the Paid Search Engine industry from its inception through to its subsequent
acquisition by Yahoo! in October 2003 for $1.6 Billion. His efforts there included leadership of the product management
department, deployment of the original advertiser management platforms, creation of key applications and services,
as well as the negotiations of various business and corporate development relationships.
Previously Erik worked as a consultant for the Boston Consulting Group, Marakon Associates and as a product manager
for a high tech startup.
"Erik brings a set of professional skills to a growth company setting that will enable LeisureLink to capitalize
on its vision to build the dominant marketplace for vacation rentals," said Ted Alexander, Managing Partner
at Mission Ventures, the lead investor in LeisureLink. "Erik's participation will allow LeisureLink's supplier
partners to maximize their revenue by taking advantage of the company's next generation electronic distribution
platform and rapidly expanding sales channels."
Erik is also a Board member and past officer of the Harvard Business School Association of Southern California.
He is on the Board of Directors of Nami Media, Inc. and is an active member of the Pasadena Angels where he works
with young companies seeking angel investment capital.
Mr. Hovanec received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Princeton University. He is married and
resides in Pasadena with his wife and two daughters.
About LeisureLink, Inc.
LeisureLink has developed the Travel industry's first Global Distribution System (GDS) for the vacation rental
industry that enables traditional and online travel agencies to reserve vacation rental properties in real-time.
Since 2002 LeisureLink has expanded the revenue opportunities for vacation rental management companies, timeshare
companies as well as offline and online travel agencies.
The LeisureLink electronic marketplace allows suppliers to increase their revenue per available room and agencies
to earn attractive commissions. This massively scaleable system currently features next generation type-A connectivity
with major GDS systems and merchant distribution with major online travel agencies.
The company has been funded by investments from leading Southern California Venture Capital companies Mission Ventures
and Clearstone Venture Partners. In addition, the Company's initial round of funding came from the Pasadena Angels
and Tech Coast Angels.
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Contact: Comunicano, Inc. Brooke Davidson, 858-314-2958 bdavidson@comunicano.com
Source: LeisureLink, Inc.