Marchex

In October 2000, an internet-based company named Go2Net Inc. merged with another company named InfoSpace Inc.[3] It was a $1.5 billion deal that set the stage for the formation of Marchex, a start-up company whose founders were all former Go2Net executives. John Keister, Ethan Caldwell, and Peter Christothoulou were part of the Go2Net team that founded Marchex, led by a fourth member, Go2Net's founder, Russell Horowitz. In January 2003, the four formed Marchex, Inc. Each member of the founding team assumed executive responsibilities at the new start-up.

Marchex’s IPO was filed in December 2003 and the company has made several acquisitions since its founding.[4]

In February 2015, Horowitz stepped down as CEO while remaining active on the board of directors. Christothoulou was announced as Horowitz’s replacement.[5]

Marchex and many of its known subsidiaries (Archeodomains)[6] employed domain name parking (CyberSquatting) as a self-proclaimed "backward"[7] business model that held over 200,000 domains hostage from businesses, registered trademark holders, and individuals. In April 2015, Internet domain name registrar and web hosting company GoDaddy acquired 200,000 of Marchex's CyberSquatted domains[8] for $28.1 million in cash with the goal to make domains that have "not been generally available to the public" "available to businesses worldwide."

In October 2016, both CEO Pete Christothoulou and Board Chairman Clark Kokich resigned from the company. The company is now led by an "interim office of the CEO" headed up by Anne Devereux-Mills, a Marchex board member since 2006.[9]

As of October 2019, the board of directors at Marchex is:

• Russell Horowitz – Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors
• Dennis Cline – Director
• Donald P. Cogsville – Director
• M. Wayne Wisehart – Director

• 2018: APPEALIE Best SaaS Award[10]
• 2015: CIO 50 Most Promising Google Technology Solution Providers[11]
• 2008: Search Engine Strategies Best SEM Technology Platform for SMBs[12]