Advantage IQ Announces Seth Nesbitt as Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer

SPOKANE, Wash., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Advantage IQ, Inc., a leading provider of strategic energy management solutions and a subsidiary of Avista Corp. (NYSE: AVA), announced today the appointment of Seth Nesbitt, age 43, to the position of vice president and chief marketing officer. In this role, Nesbitt will oversee all aspects of marketing for Advantage IQ's entire portfolio, including its subsidiary, Ecos.

"Seth is an important addition to our executive team as we continue to grow as a market-leading, trusted advisor in energy management," says Jeff Heggedahl, president and chief executive officer of Advantage IQ. "He is a strategic leader who understands the importance of clearly communicating Advantage IQ's unique vision and capabilities, which is essential in the constantly changing energy space. Seth has a successful track record of working with companies in high and hyper-growth stages and has led them through all facets of marketing, including positioning, messaging, product marketing and corporate communications."

Prior to Advantage IQ, Nesbitt was vice president of marketing for Parallels, Inc., a fast-growing cloud computing software firm, where he led marketing for the company’s B2B division.  Prior to Parallels, Inc., Nesbitt was vice president, products and solutions marketing for Amdocs, Inc., a $3 billion software and solutions provider for the telecommunications sector. Nesbitt is a member of the North American Advisory Board for the CMO Council, and serves on the Advisory Council for TM Forum.

Nesbitt earned his master's degree in Business Administration from Oxford University in Oxford, England, and his bachelor's degree from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

About Advantage IQ

Advantage IQ partners with Fortune 1000 organizations to maximize business results by reducing energy and other facility expenses, managing risk and improving environmental performance. These outcomes are achieved through performance reporting, energy supply management, carbon tracking, and expense management. Advantage IQ's patented systems provide online access to critical cost and consumption data, enabling informed strategic management. Advantage IQ collaborates with clients to process, measure, analyze and improve resource administration in the key expense categories of energy, telecom, waste and leasing. Advantage IQ is the primary non-regulated subsidiary of Avista Corp, NYSE: AVA. For more information about Advantage IQ, visit www.advantageiq.com or call (800)791-7564.

About Avista Corp.

Avista Corp. is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses.  Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 359,000 customers and natural gas to 319,000 customers.  Our service territory covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.5 million.  Avista's primary, non-regulated subsidiary is Advantage IQ.  Our stock is traded under the ticker symbol "AVA."  For more information about Avista, please visit www.avistacorp.com.

SOURCE Advantage IQ