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Black Steps Down as Harris Chairman
Harris Interactive has announced a number of changes to its senior management. They include the resignation of Dr. Gordon S. Black as Executive Chairman on December 31, 2004, in line with the succession plan agreed more than two years ago. Robert E. Knapp succeeds him as Chairman and remains CEO, and there are three other senior moves / appointments.
Knapp paid tribute to Dr Black, who will continue as a Director of the Company: 'It was Gordon's extraordinary vision and drive that turned our company into the world's leading online research firm. On behalf of all of us at Harris Interactive, I thank him for his leadership and look forward to collaborating with him as a fellow director of the Company'.
Frank J. Connolly Jr. joins the company as Executive VP, CFO and Treasurer, reporting to Knapp. Connolly has over twenty years of corporate finance experience, most recently as CFO at Modem Media Inc., and previously in senior finance roles at Donnelly Marketing, and The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation. Prior to D&B, he was a senior consultant with Accenture.
Knapp says Connolly, who holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BA Economics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, will play a key role in 'helping us drive profitable growth as we move into the top tier of global market research firms'.
Bruce A. Newman, CFO at Harris Interactive since 1986, has been named Executive VP, Finance reporting to Mr. Connolly. He remains Corporate Secretary.
David B. Vaden, previously Senior VP, Corporate Development and Internet Services and chief architect of the Novatris and WirthlinWorldwide acquisitions, has been promoted to Executive VP and will continue to lead the firm's M&A activities. Knapp adds: 'I have asked David to take on the additional role of Chief Strategy Officer to help us develop innovative ways of leveraging our technology and the enormous information available from our online databases'.
There are also changes to the employment agreements of Leonard R. Bayer, EVP and Chief Technology Officer and Gregory T. Novak, President and COO. Harris Interactive is online at www.harrisinteractive.com
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