Fact Sheet

Founded

Ask.com (formerly Ask Jeeves, Inc.) was founded in 1996 in Berkeley, California by David Warthen, veteran software developer, and Garrett Gruener, venture capitalist at Alta Partners and founder of Virtual Microsystems. Ask Jeeves was renamed Ask.com in 2005.

Company Profile

Ask.com is a leading search engine helping millions of people get what they are looking on the Web for everyday. Ask.com sites include Ask.com U.S. (www.Ask.com), Ask.com Deutschland, Ask.com Espana, Ask.com France, Ask.com Italia, Ask.com Japan, Ask.com Nederland, and Ask.com UK. Ask.com brands also include Ask.com Mobile, Ask for Kids (www.askforkids.com) and Bloglines (www.bloglines.com). A wholly owned business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), Ask.com is headquartered in Oakland, California with offices throughout the United States, as well as in Europe and Asia.

Headquarters

555 12th Street, Suite 500
Oakland, CA 94607
tel: (510) 985-7400
fax: (510) 985-7412

Management Team

Scott Garell
President, Ask Networks
Doug Leeds
President, Ask.com-U.S
Edward Ferguson
SVP, General Counsel
Apostolos Gerasoulis
EVP, Search Technology
Tomasz Imielinski
EVP, Technology
Scott Kim
Chief Technology Officer
Andrew Moers
President, Ask.com Partner Network
James Speer
General Manager, Ask Sponsored Listings
Tao Yang
SVP, Chief Scientist

Timeline of Events:

December 2007, Ask.com introduces AskEraser, the first product to give consumers privacy control over their online searches by providing them an easy-to-use option for completely deleting all future search queries and associated cookie information from Ask.com servers.
June 2007, Walt Mossberg, Wall Street Journal columnist, reviews Ask3D and compares to Google Universal Search, noting that Ask3D "is a much bolder and better advance in unifying different kinds of results and presenting them in a more effective manner. It shows, once again, that Ask places a higher priority than its competitors do on making search results easy to navigate and use"
June 2007, Ask Maps recognized by 2007 CNET Webware Awards as one of the top Reference sites on the Web
June 2007, In tandem with Ask3D, Ask.com launches "Morph," a new algorithmic content-matching and ranking technology, that delivers the most relevant content for each search query and places that content on a single results page
June 2007, Ask.com completely redefines the search experience with its launch of Ask3D, synthesizing the best search technologies across the three dimensions of search: Search Expression, Results and Content. Ask3D met with industry acclaim
May 2007, Ask Mobile GPS launches as the first ever GPS-enabled lifestyle application to combine local content, social networking and GPS navigation
May 2007, "The Algorithm" advertising campaign, designed by Crispin Porter + Bogusky, runs nationally
April 2007, Ask Sponsored Listings launches a contextual advertising product as a way to create new revenue options for publishers and expand distribution options for ASL advertisers
April 2007, Ask Mobile wins "Best Mobile Website" in the 11th Annual Webby Awards
January 2007, Scott Kessler from Standard & Poor's cites Ask.com as the search engine to watch in 2007

2006:

December 2006, Ask.com is cited as the fastest growing search engine in 2006 by comScore
December 2006, Ask.com's unique approach to local search, AskCity, is launched in December and is lauded as the most innovative and useful local option available
October 2006, Ask Mobile launches
September 2006, Ask surpasses Time Warner (which includes AOL) in query volume, becoming the 4th largest search property
June 2006, Ask.com Blog and Feed Search launches to critical acclaim
April 2006, Jim Lanzone takes the reigns as CEO of Ask.com
March 2006, Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal gives glowing review of Ask.com
February 2006, Ask Jeeves re-launches as Ask.com, retiring the Jeeves mascot
January 2006, Ask Deutschland launches in beta
January 2006, Ask.com introduces proprietary Image Search

2005:

August 2005, Ask Jeeves announces Ask Jeeves Sponsored Listings, the company's first search advertising product that allows advertisers to purchase, manage and optimize pay-per-click advertising campaigns on Ask Jeeves (Ask.com) and its advertising syndication network
August 2005, Ask Jeeves' AJInteractive partners with IAC Partner Marketing to form IAC Advertising Solutions
July 2005, Ask Jeeves, Inc becomes a wholly-owned business of IAC/InterActiveCorp
May 2005, Ask Jeeves introduces Web Answers, an extension of Ask Jeeves' direct-answering abilities by mining unstructured data in real time
May 2005, Ask Jeeves launches Zoom Related Search, a unique navigation tool, that offers conceptually-related suggestions to narrow or expand searches
April 2005, Ask Jeeves launches beta version of Ask Espana
March 2005, Ask.com launches beta versions of Ask.com France, Ask.com Italia & Ask.com Nederland
March 2005, IAC/InterActiveCorp announces intent to acquire Ask Jeeves
February 2005, Ask Jeeves launches its first TV ad campaign in more than four years
January 2005, Ask Jeeves acquires Bloglines

2004:

December 2004, Ask Jeeves moves its headquarters from Emeryville to Oakland, Calif.
September 2004, Ask Jeeves becomes the first major search engine to offer a personal search system with the launch of MyJeeves (now MyStuff)
August 2004, Ask Jeeves continues its international expansion by launching a search offering in Japan, Ask.jp
August 2004, Ask Jeeves launches an enhanced local search product; partners with Citysearch for local content
July 2004, Ask Jeeves extends its relationship with Google as a provider of sponsored advertising links on Ask Jeeves' global search and portal brands through 2007
May 2004, Ask Jeeves completes the acquisition of Interactive Search Holdings (ISH), adding a diverse portfolio of Web sites, portals and desktop applications, all with search as their foundation

2003:

December 2003, The Company's stock performance during 2003 spoke volumes to the turnaround of Ask Jeeves. Ask Jeeves was the 51st best-performing stock out of 3229 companies on the NASDAQ, and was the 7th best performing stock in the Bay Area for 2003. The price of Ask Jeeves stock soared more than 500 percent throughout the course of the year
November 2003, Ask Jeeves names Steve Berkowitz as CEO
August 2003, Ask Jeeves launches its first national print advertising campaign in over two years, with the help of its agency, TBWA\Chiat\Day
April 2003, Ask Jeeves launches its widely-heralded Smart Search, intuitive new search tools and functionality designed to help people conduct more efficient searches
January 2003, Ask Jeeves announces Q4 2006 earnings, its first profitable quarter

2002:

October 2002, Ask Jeeves leads the search industry when it discontinues all pop-up and pop-unders from Ask.com. Shortly following the move, the company removes all banners from Ask Jeeves
July 2002, Ask Jeeves selects Google as its paid listing provider
July 2002, Ask Jeeves introduces the Ask Jeeves Toolbar
April 2002, Teoma launches and puts Ask.com back on the map as a serious search contender with an innovative ExpertRank search technology, significantly differentiating itself from competitors

2001:

December 2001, Ask Jeeves integrates the Teoma algorithmic search technology into Ask Jeeves and sees a 25 percent increase in user satisfaction
September 2001, Ask Jeeves acquires Teoma Technologies, a pivotal decision that gives the company world-class algorithmic search technology

2000:

December 2000, Skip Battle is named CEO of Ask Jeeves
November 2000, Jeeves becomes the first Internet icon to be a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
November 2000, Ask Jeeves introduces an online shopping advisor channel
May 2000, Ask Jeeves adds its "related search" functionality to Ask.com
March 2000, Ask Jeeves advances to the 15th most visited site, as cited by MediaMetrix
March 2000, Ask Jeeves conducts its secondary public offering
January 2000, DirectHit Technologies is acquired by Ask Jeeves

1999:

December 1999, Ask Jeeves launches Ask Jeeves International with joint venture to establish Ask Jeeves UK; the site officially launches in February of the following year
November 1999, Ask Jeeves moves to #31 in MediaMetrix Top 50, marking a 404 percent growth since January of that year
July 1999, Ask Jeeves initial public offering is marked the 3rd most successful first day performance in history
July 1999, Ask Jeeves kicks off its first national advertising/branding campaign
January 1999, Ask Jeeves begins answering 700,000 searches a day, which rapidly increases one million searches by May and two million by October of the same year

1998:

October 1998, Ask.com reaches 300,000 searches per day and signs its first syndication deal with Alta Vista
February 1998, Ask Jeeves for Kids (AJKids.com) launches

1997:

April 1997, Ask.com officially launches