Gregg Freishtat
Chief Executive Officer
Gregg Freishtat has more than 17 years of experience in venture management and venture investing including founding three successful start-ups. In 2001, Freishtat founded Proficient Systems and served as chairman and chief executive officer until the sale of Proficient to LivePerson (NASDAQ: LPSN) in June of 2006.
From September 1998 until January 2001, Freishtat was the founder and chief executive officer of VerticalOne Corporation, the first provider of web-based account aggregation services. Freishtat then served as chairman and chief executive officer of VerticalOne both before and after the sale to S1, as well as serving on the Board of Directors of S1 until October 2000. From September 1996 to September 1998, Freishtat served as a senior vice president of Premiere Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq-PTEK) where he was responsible for the company's mergers and acquisitions and Internet investment initiatives. Freishtat founded Telet, Inc., which developed the first generation of unified messaging products. Telet, Inc. was sold to PTEK in 1996.
Freishtat is an active private equity investor and has served on many private company boards including Marketworks, Relevant Knowledge, OutWeb, Waypoint Systems, Camp Kudzu, Jewish Federation, Galloway School, S1, USA.net and others.
Freishtat received an undergraduate degree from Boston University and was awarded his J.D. from the University Of Maryland School Of Law.
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Joe Fiveash
President and Chief Revenue Officer
Joe Fiveash has 15+ years of leadership experience in Internet and interactive technology companies, most recently serving as EVP/GM of The Weather Channel Interactive, with overall responsibility for the Web and mobile platforms. During his tenure, The Weather Channel became one of the top content brands in the U.S. across the Web, the mobile web, and mobile applications. Prior to The Weather Channel, Fiveash worked in several startup and corporate development roles for Landmark Communications, the former parent of The Weather Channel, and also worked as a corporate attorney in Washington D.C. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Crisp Media, a mobile rich media advertising company.
Fiveash earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton Univerisity in 1984 and a JD/MBA from the University of Virginia in 1989.
Paul Kaib
Chief Strategy and Technology Officer
Kaib has more than 20 years of diverse experience in technology industries both as a technology architect as well as an executive. For the last decade, he focused on entrepreneurial ventures most recently as co-founder of Proficient Systems where he served as vice president of Engineering until the company was acquired by LivePerson (NASDAQ: LPSN) in 2005. Prior to Proficient, Kaib served as chief architect and product strategist of VerticalOne Corporation, the first provider of web-based account aggregation services. At each company, he was instrumental in developing patented systems as well as steering corporate growth to facilitate acquisition. Kaib's extensive background includes consulting engagements with such clients such as Scientific Atlanta, GE-Harris Railway Electronics and Grimes Aerospace. He also spent six years with the Department of Defense developing military communication and control systems. His areas of expertise include Internet architecture and artificial intelligence.
Neal McEwen
Chief Financial Officer
Neal McEwen has served as a Board member and advisor to Vertical Acuity since its start-up. During the past twenty-five years, McEwen held senior executive positions with several technology companies in the Atlanta area. Most recently, he is CFO of Second Growth LLC and was CFO of Proficient Systems, Inc. until its acquisition by LivePerson in 2006. He served as CFO of Pathfire, Inc. in Roswell, GA from 2001 until 2006. While at Pathfire, the company closed multiple rounds of financing with both strategic and venture capital investors and multiple long-term technology and services contracts with major media companies.
McEwen was a member of the founding management team and CFO with VerticalOne Corporation in 1998 through 2000, including VerticalOne's acquisition by S1 Corporation. He served as the CFO of Peachtree Software for several years until its sale in 1994 to ADP, and he served as President of a subsidiary of Intelligent Systems Corporation in 1997 and 1998. As a Certified Public Accountant, he held a variety of positions for many years in Atlanta with Arthur Young & Company (now known as Ernst & Young LLP), including his last position as Director of Entrepreneurial Services where he directed the firm's resources dedicated to technology and other emerging market segments.
McEwen holds a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
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