Michael Chasen

Michael Chasen is an American businessman. He is a co-founder and former CEO of Blackboard Inc., a position he held from 1999 to 2012. In April 2013, Chasen co-founded SocialRadar, a technology startup company developing a location-based social app. In 2020, he co-founded ClassEDU, the maker of Class For Zoom, which aims to improve the effectiveness of Zoom-based remote learning.

Michael Chasen
NationalityAmerican
Alma materAmerican University, Georgetown University
OccupationCEO of PrecisionHawk
Known forCo-founder of Blackboard Inc. along with Matthew Pittinsky, Stephen Gilfus, Daniel Cane
SpouseNone
Children3

Early life

Michael Chasen grew up in Cheshire, Connecticut.[1][2] He developed an interest in computers at age 10,[1] and he began writing programs on his father's Radio Shack TRS Model III.[1][2] He later used his skills to offer local businesses computer consulting while still in school.[2][3] Also during high school, he was an active member of BBYO (B'nai B'rith Youth Organization).[4]

Chasen attended American University and completed a degree in computer science in three years, graduating in 1993.[5][6] While at American, Chasen worked part-time doing technology work for the FBI.[2] He met future Blackboard co-founder Matthew Pittinsky in the American University dorms when Pittinsky wanted to borrow Chasen's laser printer.[1][7]

Following his undergraduate degree, Chasen earned an MBA with a focus in accounting from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business in 1995.[1][8]

Career

Early career

While still at Georgetown, Chasen was inspired by the application process to multiple undergraduate and MBA programs to start Search and Apply Group, a company that offered a computer application allowing colleges to accept online applications.[5] After hearing about Search and Apply Group, Greg Baroni, who was Matthew Pittinsky's manager at KPMG Peat Marwick (now KPMG Consulting), offered Chasen a job.[1][5] In 1996, Chasen left law school after completing one year to join KPMG as a consultant in the Higher Education Group.[1][9]

During their time at KPMG, Chasen and Pittinsky observed that colleges were investing in connecting classrooms and dormitories to the Internet, but there was a gap in the adoption of software to aid learning.[9]

Chasen and Pittinsky left KPMG in 1997 to launch their e-learning business.[10] In an oft-cited anecdote, Baroni allowed them to borrow their computers while they got themselves set-up, a situation that Chasen and Pittinsky used to then steal their office chairs.[2][11]

Blackboard

Chasen and Pittinsky founded Blackboard LLC, a consulting company developing IMS (Instructional Management System) standards for elearning based on a contract from EDUCOM and the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative, in 1997.[12][13][14] In 1998, the company merged with CourseInfo LLC, a software provider which had developed a platform for internet and networked learning, which they called a "Course Management System" platform.[15] The combined company became known as Blackboard Inc.[16]

Chasen became chief executive officer (CEO) of Blackboard in 1999,[17] as one of the youngest CEOs of a publicly traded company[7][18] when he orchestrated Blackboard's initial public offering in 2004.[12][19]

By 2012 Blackboard had grown to more than 3,000 employees with 20,000 clients in over 65 countries, and earning $600 million in revenue,[2][11][20] and Chasen announced he would be stepping down as the CEO of Blackboard.[11][21][22] Jay Bhatt was named as his successor.[20][22]

SocialRadar

In 2013, Chasen founded SocialRadar, a D.C.-based mobile startup focused on building a social location app for smartphones and Google Glass.[23][24][25] He is the CEO of the new company.[24][26]

In June 2013, it was reported that Chasen had secured $12.75 million in a first round of investments.[25][27][28] SocialRadar's app was planned to enter beta testing in July 2013[28] and was initially developed for iPhone, followed by Android and Glass.[24][29][27] On January 30, 2014, SocialRadar was released to the Apple AppStore.[30]

Awards and recognition

Chasen was included in Forbes’ list of “America's 15 Most Powerful CEOs 40 And Under”[3] and Washington SmartCEO named Chasen as its first CEO of the Year in 2006.[7] Other recognition received by Chasen includes being named Ernst & Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year for Emerging Companies in Washington, D.C."[31] and being honored as a "Young Innovator" by the Kilby Foundation.[32] Chasen was listed by Washington Techway Magazine as one of D.C.'s "most-admired bosses" and was featured in Washington Business Forward's list of the Washington, D.C. area's "rising stars".[8]

Investments

Chasen is an active angel investor. His portfolio includes Parchment, EverFi, and several others. After announcing his departure from Blackboard, it was reported that Chasen would be pursuing additional investment opportunities.[11][33]

Personal life

Chasen lives in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife Randi and three children.[2][11]

See also

References
  1. Hope Katz Gibbs. "Blackboard Rules: Advice from Two of the Smartest Kids in the Class". Beinkandescent. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  2. Steven Pearlstein (18 November 2012). "Blackboard's Departing Founder, An opportunist who made his own luck". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 7 December 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  3. Helen Coster (2 December 2010). "America's 15 Most Powerful CEOs Are Under 40". Forbes. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  4. Nate Homan (28 February 2013). "Michael Chasen's new thing: SocialRadar". Brookline Patch. Archived from the original on 6 March 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  5. Anne Kelleher (1 July 2011). "Blackboard Founders' Roots at American University". American Today. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  6. Patricia Huan (7 July 2006). "America's youngest CEOs". Forbes. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  7. Timothy Burn (May 2006). "Agent of Change: Blackboard CEO Michael Chasen erases the old way of learning" (PDF). SmartCEO. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-06-22. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  8. "Alumni Spotlight". georgetown.edu. Georgetown University. 26 October 2012. Archived from the original on 13 November 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  9. Katy Finneran (20 January 2010). "In Pictures: The Greatest Risk They Ever Took". Forbes. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  10. Hope Katz Gibbs (September 2010). "Education + Technology = Michael Chasen's Blackboard.com". Beinkandescent. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  11. Tong Zhang (15 November 2012). "Michael Chasen calls D.C. a top tech city". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  12. Leigh Buchanan (30 August 2012). "Private Again and On the Move". Inc. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  13. Michael J. De La Merced (1 July 2011). "Providence to Buy Blackboard for $1.64 Billion". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  14. William C. Taylor (16 July 2006). "Business Revolutionaries Learn Diplomacy's Value". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  15. Michelle Nagler (October 16, 1997). "Senior's company helps to produce Web pages for college courses". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  16. "Matthew Pittinsky And Michael Chasen - Fast 50 2003". Fast Company. 28 February 2003. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  17. Rip Empson (18 October 2012). "Blackboard: With Both Co-founders Now Gone, It's The End Of An Era For The Education Software Giant". TechCrunch. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  18. Matthew Kirdahy (12 October 2007). "Young Guns: America's Youngest CEOs". Forbes. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  19. Richard Gibbons (24 June 2004). "Blackboard's Screeching IPO". The Motley Fool. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  20. David Nagel (15 October 2012). "Blackboard CEO Chasen To Step Down". THE Journal. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  21. Steven Overly (15 October 2012). "Blackboard CEO Michael Chasen to step down in December, firm says". The Washington Post. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  22. Jeff Clabaugh (15 October 2012). "Blackboard CEO Michael Chasen to step down". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  23. Aquala Bogan (9 May 2013). "Blackboard Co-Founder Michael Chasen Announces Launch of SocialRadar". WashingtonExec. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  24. Bill Flook (29 April 2013). "Michael Chasen's new thing: SocialRadar". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  25. Steven Overly (30 April 2013). "Michael Chasen launches new venture: SocialRadar". The Washington Post. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  26. Bill Flook (30 April 2013). "Ex-Blackboarders join SocialRadar, Michael Chasen's new startup". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  27. "Blackboard Co-Founder Michael Chasen Raises $12.75M Series A For SocialRadar, A New Take On Location-Based People Discovery Apps". TechCrunch. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  28. Kira M Newman (19 June 2013). "SocialRadar collects $12.75M from investors". Tech Cocktail. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  29. Steven Overly (19 June 2013). "SocialRadar collects $12.75M from investors". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  30. EDN (2014-01-30). "EDN - SocialRadar's App for iPhone Gives You Real-time Information About the People Around You". EDN. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  31. "University of Maryland Technology Start-Up Boot Camp". Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute. University of Maryland. October 2009. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  32. "Executive profile: Michael L. Chasen". Businessweek. 2013. Archived from the original on July 3, 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  33. Bill Flook (19 October 2012). "Michael Chasen ponders angel investing post-Blackboard". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
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