friendfinder.com

In 1996, Andrew Conru had a vision - to create a one-stop solution for seeking, finding, and managing all types of online relationships.

Today, the FriendFinder Network's 15 web communities have over 20 million registered members.

Andrew is one of the first "netrepreneurs", founding more than 25 online advertising and software companies. We spoke with Andrew to try and find out how and why he has been so successful.

Your name: Andrew Conru

Position / title: CEO

Company name: FriendFinder Inc.

Websites:

friendfinderinc.com is the corporate website with the following websites providing the content:

friendfinder.com

passion.com

gradfinder.com

asiafriendfinder.com

guanxi.com

indianfriendfinder.com

seniorfriendfinder.com

nicecards.com

quizhappy.com

breakthrough.com

amigos.com

germanfriendfinder.com

koreanfriendfinder.com

filipinofriendfinder.com

bigchurch.com

sharerent.com

dine.com

friendpages.com

frenchfriendfinder.com

italianfriendfinder.com

jewishfriender.com

allpersonals.com

adultfriendfinder.com

outpersonals.com

alt.com

Your company / website vision statement / goal:

To create a one-stop solution for seeking, finding, and managing all types of online relationships.

What you sell / services you offer (brief description of your company):

The FriendFinder Network of online relationship websites is the largest Internet social networking destination in the world. Over 60 million members have registered and used FriendFinder since founding in 1996, and more than 20 million are actively using the service today.

FriendFinder was the first dating service on the Internet and has continued to lead the highly competitive online dating category by enabling people to confidentially and anonymously meet friends with similar interests and lifestyles in 15 different dedicated virtual “communities.”

Have you got any qualifications? Please tell us about yourself academically?

CEO Andrew Conru founded the FriendFinder Network in 1996, just as the world was awakening to the Internet revolution. His primary goal was to harness the power of the Net to help people around the world develop and nurture fulfilling relationships.

A cyberspace pioneer, Andrew is one of the first "netrepreneurs", founding more than 25 online advertising and software companies. These early e-commerce ventures include W3, Inc., which was the first company to develop commercial software for membership management, and Adknowledge, which developed centralized web-based advertising. Other companies founded by Andrew include StudyOnline, the Web Personals, and the Dine.com Restaurant Guide Network.

Andrew holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering design from Stanford University, with bachelor degrees in economics from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota.