Andrew Conru

Andrew Conru is an American internet businessman who has founded e-commerce, advertising, online dating, and personal ad sites including W3, AdKnowledge, WebPersonals, FriendFinder, and Adult FriendFinder. He is the CEO of FriendFinder Networks Inc.

Andrew Conru
NationalityAmerican
EducationRose-Hulman Institute of Technology
OccupationBusinessman
TitleCEO, FriendFinder Networks Inc.
Websiteconru.com

Education and early career

Conru grew up in northwestern Indiana and attended Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, earning undergraduate degrees in economics and chemical engineering.[1] In 1991, he went to Stanford, receiving a doctorate in mechanical engineering.[2]

While there, he founded W3.com, an early interactive website development firm that was the first company to develop commercial software for membership management.[3][4] The company created PWS (Personal Web Site), an early customized advertising product used by Hewlett-Packard and Egghead Software.[5] In 1997, the company released a product called AdOptimizer Network, the first centralized ad server, which allowed sites to manage advertising across a network of sites.[1][6] He also founded Adknowledge, a web-based banner advertising company.[7] In 1994, Conru founded WebPersonals.com.[8] Considered to be one of the first internet dating sites, Conru sold the company in 1995.[9]

FriendFinder

In 1996, he launched FriendFinder.com, an early social networking site.[10] Days after the site went live, Conru found that members were posting nude photos pictures of themselves and using the site to seek out partners for adult activities.[11] As a result, Conru started Adult FriendFinder, followed by other niche dating sites, including Senior FriendFinder, Amigos.com, BigChurch.com, and Alt.com.[12] By 2007, the combined websites had 260 million registered members, more than 500,000 affiliates and 450 employees.[12][13]

In December 2007, Conru sold the company to Penthouse Media Group for $500 million, much of which came in the form of IOUs.[14][15] Penthouse later changed its name to FriendFinder Networks.[16] On September 17, 2013, FriendFinder Networks Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.[17][18] In December 2013, as the company emerged from bankruptcy protection, Conru once again gained control of the company, where he now serves as CEO.[19][20]

Compute.org

In 2010, Conru launched the non-profit foundation Compute.org, which awards internet and software startups with grants in amounts of $50,000–100,000.[21] One startup that has been awarded is CityRoof.org, a social network for homeless people that helps the homeless connect with necessary resources.[22]

In 2014, he delivered the keynote address at AVN Internext Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.[23]

See also

References
  1. "Hooking Up the World". XBIZ.com. 2006-12-20. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  2. "Investors spurn profitable, risque Web site". Azstarnet.com. 2006-11-12. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  3. Denton Jr., Robert E., ed. (2000). Political Communication Ethics: An Oxymoron? - Google Books. ISBN 9780275964825. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  4. "Web 2.0 Conference". Web2con.com. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  5. "Ad Management Tool Helps Determine Roi | News - Advertising Age". Adage.com. 1996-09-30. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  6. "W3.Com unveils new product | News - Advertising Age". Adage.com. 1997-03-25. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  7. Loughane, E. (February 2005). Net Success Interviews - E. Loughane - Google Books. ISBN 9781411626980. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  8. "Andrew Conru Interview". Lovesites. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  9. Stein, Joel (2007-03-30). "Social networking's dirty side - April 1, 2007". Money.cnn.com. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  10. "The Accidental 'Friend' Finder - Online Personals Watch: News on the Dating Industry and Business". Online Personals Watch. 2007-03-30. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  11. "Sex firms mine riches in Web niches - today > tech". TODAY.com. 2002-09-29. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  12. Stein, Joel (2007-03-30). "Social networking's dirty side - April 1, 2007". Money.cnn.com. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  13. "Penthouse buys AdultFriendFinder owner". Reuters. 2007-12-12. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  14. Duncan Riley (2007-12-11). "Confirmed: Penthouse Buys AdultFriendFinder For $500 Million". Techcrunch. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  15. "Business & Technology | Sex-site IPO to pay Seattle man's IOU | Seattle Times Newspaper". Seattletimes.com. 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  16. "Penthouse publisher FriendFinder files for bankruptcy protection - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. 2013-09-17. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  17. Valinsky, Jordan. "AdultFriendFinder Totally F*cked". Betabeat. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  18. Beaudette, Marie (September 17, 2013). "Penthouse Publisher FriendFinder Files for Bankruptcy Protection". The Wall Street Journal.(subscription required)
  19. Bathon, Michael (2013-12-16). "FriendFinder Alters Reorganization Plan to Win Court OK". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  20. "Update 2-Penthouse publisher FriendFinder files for bankruptcy". Reuters. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  21. "Compute.org looks to bankroll startups with few strings attached - Puget Sound Business Journal". Bizjournals.com. 2010-06-25. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  22. "My 'Oops' Moment With Andrew Conru". Online Persals Watch. 2012-08-18. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  23. "AVN - FriendFinder CEO Andrew Conru to Deliver Internext Keynote". Business.avn.com. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
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