Focus.com Launches Expert Media Roster

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Focus.com, the leading free online business professional network, with more than 850,000 members and over 5,000 business and technology experts, today announced the debut of its Focus.com Expert Media Roster—a team of experienced business and technology leaders and subject matter specialists available to speak with the media for expertise, commentary and trend insights on a wide range of business topics affecting their specific coverage areas.

The current roster includes six experts who were selected from the Focus.com Expert Network, an extensive group of 5,000 leading business and technology experts from dozens of industries nationwide. Consisting of thought leaders, technology veterans, and innovative entrepreneurs, Focus.com Experts provide an engaged community of 850,000 business professionals with everyday advice that helps their businesses grow. These experts power a majority of the interaction on the Focus.com network through real time Q&A, primary research, personalized support and interactive webinars.

The debut Focus Expert Media Roster is as follows:

• ADVERTISING/MARKETING: Ted Jablonski, Founder and Principal of Marketing Consortium: Jablonski has extensive experience in all areas of consumer and institutional product, marketing and communications with venture-funded start-ups to the Fortune 100. As Focus.com's Advertising and Marketing Expert, Jablonski will be providing the latest insights, analysis and commentary to the media on a wide range of topics, including branding, advertising, public relations, corporate marketing, new product and service development, and social media.

• TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Jon Arnold, Principal of J Arnold & Associates (JAA): Arnold is one of the most seasoned thought leaders in the telecommunications industry, providing strategic counsel, marketing strategies, and market research for a client base that covers a range of startups, mid-market vendors, Tier 1 vendors, all types of service providers, as well as the financial community and marketing firms. Among the topics Arnold will be covering on a regular basis with the media are IP communications, VoIP, mobile broadband, IPTV, telepresence and unified communications.

• INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT): Michael Dortch, Principal Analyst and Managing Editor at DortchOnIT.com: Dortch has been counseling IT buyers, sellers and users since 1979, translating what technologists say and do into language that non-technologists can understand and use. Prior to becoming Focus.com's IT Expert, he was a senior analyst at Aberdeen Group, Robert Frances Group (RFG) and Yankee Group. Among the topics Dortch will be covering with the media are general IT trends, IT infrastructure, storage, automation, cloud computing/software as a service (SAAS), and others.

• INTERNET SECURITY: Richard Stiennon, Founder & Chief Research Analyst at IT-Harvest: Stiennon is one of the most highly-respected online security experts and analysts, reporting on the IT security industry, and providing actionable guidance to vendors and end users. Throughout his career, Stiennon has served as Chief Marketing Officer for Fortinet, Inc. the leading UTM vendor, as well as the VP of Threat Research for Webroot Software. He is also the author of Surviving Cyberwar (Government Institutes, May 2010). In his role as Focus.com's Internet Security Expert, Stiennon will be sharing his thoughts and insights with the media on all aspects of internet security, both from a business and consumer perspective.

• RETAIL: Paula Rosenblum, Managing Partner at Retail Systems Research: Rosenblum is an internationally recognized retail business authority, with extensive experience providing strategy development and market planning to retailers and technology organizations across the world. Among the topics she will be covering with the media include retail customer service, retail inventory management, retail technology, and the retail and computing market.

• EMPLOYMENT: Pete Tzavalas, Vice President at Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.: Tzavalas has a diverse industry background, as a consultant and a business developer, building strong strategic relationships and partnerships to provide effective human resources solutions. As Focus.com's designated Employment Expert, Tzavalas will be available to the media to discuss national hiring trends and employment issues, human resources, human capital, executive management and outplacement services.

"The Focus Expert Network of 5,000 leading business and technology experts has grown to become the most trusted source of real-time information to business professionals, offering free expertise, insights and analysis that helps our members make better business decisions," said Scott Albro, CEO of Focus.com. "With the launch of our Expert Media Roster, we are now extending the reach of our Expert community to the media, enabling journalists, producers and media professionals of all kinds to take advantage of industry-best expertise, advanced previews on industry trends, and in-depth analysis on categories and news topics that are relevant to their coverage areas."

This announcement is the first in what is expected to be several new categories and expert analysts that will be added to the Focus Expert Media Roster over the coming months.

In addition to these six experts, more subject matter experts in the Focus.com Expert network are available to speak with the media upon request. To request an interview with a member of the Focus.com Expert Media Roster, or another Focus.com Expert, please contact [email protected].

About Focus.com

Focus.com is the leading online business professional network that consists of two interconnected groups – a membership base of more than 850,000 business professionals and the highly-acclaimed Focus Expert Network, which features more than 5,000 of the most-recognized business and technology experts across every business category. Focus.com is ad-supported and entirely free to join. Within its engaged business community, members interact with each other and Focus experts to make more-informed business decisions.

To become a Focus expert, the Focus.com staff conducts an evaluation of the background and credentials of each candidate in their respective industry. In addition to free access to world-class business advice, Focus.com also offers real-time Q&A, industry research, relevant product and service information and personalized support. For more information, and to register to become a member or Focus expert, please visit http://www.focus.com/.

SOURCE Focus.com