About Us
Andrew Mottaz is our founder and gets a lot of kudos for founding Site9 in late 1998. As he characterizes it, we were web designers and programmers who had one purpose, create killer sites with great software technology. This philosophy led to internal tools and methods that enabled us to develop sophisticated eCommerce websites much faster and simpler than before. It enabled us to overcome the inefficiencies and time associated with laborious site programming.
Focusing on eCommerce upfront enabled us to develop tools for the most challenging sites. eCommerce requires frequent changes and the latest most dynamic features. While we still like to design websites, we realized the much bigger opportunity was what our software platform could do for others. With a little bit of help from Mount Hood Equity Partners and the beauty of Portland around us, we launched our software platforms into the world.
Management
Andrew S. Mottaz, Founder, Chairman & CEO
After founding Site9 in 1998, Andrew led the company’s technology development, creating a range of successful e-commerce sites and innovative business technologies. With a unique ability to create and synthesize comprehensive solutions to meet an array of many different customer needs, Andrew started the development of Site9™ in 2001. Andrew earned a BA from Dartmouth College and a JD degree from Northwestern University. He has been a member of the Illinois Bar since 1993. Now his law degree is put to good use laying down the law for his baby daughter, Zoe. That and analyzing Perry Mason reruns.
Blake D. Johnson, Founder, VP Business Development
Blake is an excellent communicator and a natural salesman. He has the vision to see what could be and the drive to make it happen. His belief that web site software should enable creative developers rather than constraining them has motivated many aspects of the Site9 product. Blake earned a BA in English and History from University of Iowa. When not at Site9, Blake can be found riding his bike and camping in the Oregon wilderness. That’s his excuse for continuously ordering new cycling clothes and gear.
Advisors
Steve Gray
Steve Gray is Technology Director at Avenue A/Razorfish, one of the largest interactive marketing services firm in the world. In his current position, he manages all the technology projects in Northwest United States. Additionally, his responsibilities include new business development, career management of all technology personnel, and participation on the local management team, where he helps set strategic direction for the web development group. A technologist with over 18 years of application development and IT consulting experience, Gray’s design goals always include seeking the “proper fit” of technology to business needs, ease of code maintenance and minimal operational dependencies. His background includes deep experience in all phases of custom and commercial software development, specializing in design and development of multi-tiered web applications. He is a graduate of Michigan State University, and holds BS and BA degrees in engineering and communications.
Bruce Mowery
Bruce Mowery has over 20 years of marketing experience in high technology. At Apple Computer he helped position and launch almost every major product from 1984-1990, including the Macintosh personal computer, while serving as Director of Marketing. Subsequent to Apple, Mowery held senior sales and marketing positions with several technology companies including Visioneer, MusicNet, and more.com. Most recently, he served as Vice President, Marketing, for SupportSoft, a pioneering company in support automation solutions. Mowery was instrumental in introducing a new category of software solutions that assist broadband service providers and enterprises reduce operating costs and enhance customer service through automated resolution of technical problems. Mowery also served as the “Entrepreneur in Residence” at Kleiner, Perkins, Caulfield, and Byers, one of Silicon Valley's premier venture capital firms. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University, The American Graduate School of International Management, and holds a diploma from INSEAD, Europe's leading business management school.
Peter Weiss
Peter Weiss has over 25 years experience leading successful branding and integrated marketing programs for both Fortune 500 and start-up companies worldwide. While leading account management for agencies such as Grey, Euro RSCG and Ogilvy & Mather, Weiss helped launch companies and brands with Procter & Gamble, Danone, Mattel, Merck, Glaxo SmithKline, Dell, Oracle and Agilent in locations including New York, Tokyo, Düsseldorf, Mexico City, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Portland. Weiss played a key role in establishing market leadership for over 20 global brands, including growing Pringles to over $2 billion as P&G’s most integrated brand, and launching Dell in Japan to help achieve year 1 sales of $350 million. As head of sales and marketing at nascent technology company Verance, Weiss helped build a $5 million business selling broadcast verification technology to most major media agencies and key broadcasters such as Turner Broadcasting. Weiss earned his MBA and BS from the University of California, Berkeley where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
Bob Wiggins is a well-known entrepreneur, lawyer and investor in early-stage companies in Oregon. Over the course of 20 years, Mr.Wiggins has developed a good reputation in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community for honesty, intelligence and hard work. As the Managing Member of Mount Hood Equity Management, LLC, which manages the Fund, Mr. Wiggins devotes his full-time efforts to Fund business, and serves on the Boards of Directors of Routeware, Site9 and Remote Technologies, the Fund's three portfolio companies.
Tom Holce, principal of Holce Investments, is an entrepreneur and angel investor who has built or helped to build dozens of successful companies in the Pacific Northwest over the last 50 years. He was the founder/CEO of such companies as Kentrox, Sentrol and Mikros, and held senior positions at Electro Scientific Industries Inc. and Plantronics. He also served as Chairman of Seasons Foods, BLT Technologies, Inc., Mitron and Decision Dynamics, Inc. Mr. Holce has a B.S. in math and physics and an honorary doctorate of science from Pacific University and holds over 20 U.S. patents.
Tom Malone has 25 years of management experience of which 15 have been in the role of CEO, COO, President, Senior Vice President or General Manager with P+L responsibility; conceived, launched, and managed new businesses through start-up and growth stages; has helped manage 7 acquisitions. CEO, COO or President in public and private companies as large as $ 1.6 billion and as small as $ 8 million in sales.
Andrew Mottaz: