FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NBC NEWS SENIOR EXECUTIVE GUY PEPPER
JOINS BYEBYENOW.COM AS CEOTop television executive takes helm
of Internet travel provider
Pompano Beach, FL., January 25, 2000 -- ByeByeNOW.com today announcedEmmy
award winner Guy Pepper joined the company as Chief Executive Officer.
Known for developing the brand, creative look, consumer direction andlaunch
of CNN, MSNBC, and all NBC News programs, including Dateline NBC, Later
Today, and the Today Show, Pepper will lead ByeByeNOW.com to become the
premier resource and marketplace for leisure travel information and
e-commerce. Prior to today's announcement, Pepper was Senior Directorand
Special Advisor to the President of NBC News responsible for thenetwork's
domestic and international news programming on broadcast, cable and the
Internet.
"Guy has been responsible for implementing some of the most significant
changes in broadcast television - always taking the medium one step
further," said Reese Schonfeld, co-founder of CNN and the Food Networkand
board member of ByeByeNOW.com. "No one is better qualified to merge
broadband and the Internet, while providing consumers with entertaining
content. There are three components necessary to a successful Internet
venture: clicks, bricks and promotion. Guy brings all three toByeByeNOW.com
and more."
"Guy has always been a mover and shaker in the new digital economysince its
infancy. He is the ideal candidate to position the company as theleader in
the worldwide travel industry," said Gerry Parker, Chairman of theBoard of
ByeByeNOW.com and a founding member of Inktomi Corporation, a publicly
traded high-tech company.
Pepper's announcement signals a trend of top media executivesundertaking
Internet ventures. The difference is Pepper pioneered new media andthe
convergence of television and the Internet in 1996 when he played a keyrole
in launching MSNBC -- the first news organization to embrace threemedia
technologies - broadcast, cable and the Internet. Pepper collaboratedon the
design of MSNBC.com, as well as all prime time MSNBC programs.
Pepper is considered the visionary behind the successful "NBCExperience,"
the 20,000 square foot retail attraction located at Rockefeller Centerin
New York City. He conceptualized the theme, designed and launched the
high-tech store, which includes the first-ever three screenhigh-definition
(HDTV) theater.
"Guy brings a solid understanding of the importance of combiningtraditional
and new media platforms, infrastructure and broadband, the best of both
worlds together for a complete customer-focused, interactiveexperience,"
said Tom Conlan, founder of ByeByeNOW.com. "He commands the vision and
business acumen necessary to successfully brand ByeByeNOW.com as theplace
for people to go to take care of all their leisure and travel needs. He
strengthens our management team exponentially and we welcome him to our
family," added Conlan. About ByeByeNOW.com
Founded in 1999, ByeByeNOW.com is an interactive network of websites,and
franchise travel agents for the sale of vacation products, its corearea of
specialization. With a focus on cruisers, honeymooners, golfers,skiers,
boaters, adventure-seekers and families, ByeByeNow.com is easy to use,fun,
entertaining and secure. It employs a unique model of distribution and
customer service infrastructure designed to meet the needs of web and
non-web purchasers of leisure travel products and services.
ByeByeNOW.com is an independent venture owned by its managementpartners,
investors and employees. ByeByeNOW.com can be found on the Web at
byebyenow.com. |
