MerchantAdvantage's Executive Team

Marshall Hudes, Chief Executive Officer

Marshall is an entrepreneurial executive with over 15 years of experience in developing businesses from inception to profitability, expansion and acquisition.

As Chief Operating Officer of Exault LLC & Exault Inc., Marshall opened the New York, Boston, and Washington, DC offices while overseeing the growth from 6 founding partners in 3 locations to 120 professionals in 13 cities generating revenue of $65M. In 2001, Marshall co-led the M&A effort leading to the closing of VeriSign's (NASDAQ: VRSN) acquisition of Exault LLC & Exault Inc. Post acquisition, Marshall transitioned into the role of Director of VeriSign's Managed Security Services business. Marshall created a managed security services offering to complement VeriSign's PKI and certificate managed offerings. During this time he developed a competitive offering through strategic acquisition, synergistic partnerships and focused business development. Marshall is also one of the founders and board members of Open Market Partners, a cutting edge company that has created healthcare cost indices for use by the financial markets for the purpose of hedging healthcare risk. Marshall began his career with Andersen Consulting in the Technology Consulting Group aligned to the utility industry practice out of the New York office. Mr. Hudes holds a Bachelor of Sciences degree focused on Business Management and Marketing from Cornell University.

Thomas L. Smith, Chief Financial Officer

Tom is both a technology and finance veteran with over 16 years of delivery, management, and deal making experience.

As Chief Financial Officer for Exault LLC & Exault Inc, Tom led the financial business planning and cash flow management effort including securing a working capital line of credit with LaSalle Bank that helped accelerate the company's rapid organic growth from 6 founding partners in 3 locations to 120 professionals in 13 cities generating revenue of $65M without the need of third party investment capital. In 2001, Tom co-led the M&A effort leading up to and through closing of VeriSign's (NASDAQ: VRSN) acquisition of Exault LLC & Exault Inc. Post acquisition, Tom shifted from a finance focus back to technology business development in his position as Director of International Consulting for VeriSign. This included responsibility for creation and sales of new business lines focused on enablement of international service providers in offering Managed Security Services and VeriSign Authorized Training Center Programs. From 2001 to 2003, Tom was specifically focused on opportunities in Spain, Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Taiwan, and South Korea. In addition to business development opportunities, Tom also worked closely with VeriSign's Corporate Development team in evaluating International M&A opportunities for the Consulting Division. After leaving VeriSign in 2003, Tom took his finance experience and applied it to the commercial and residential real estate markets. Tom has been the lead finance partner for developments in downtown Dallas and lake and golf community resorts in North Texas. Tom has been responsible for raising equity, structuring acquisitions, securing commercial financing, and managing loan maturities and extensions including capital restructuring. Tom began his career with Anderson Consulting in the Technology Consulting Group aligned to the utility industry practice. Mr. Smith has a Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Michael Lambert, Chief Technical Officer & Co-Founder

Michael Lambert Cofounded MerchantAdvantage and created the concept for the Channel Management product line in 2005. As the CTO of MerchantAdvantage, Michael oversees all of the technologies of the company from product development to systems maintainance. Since its inception MerchantAdvantage has become a leader in product feed tools and analytical reporting, and is now preparing to introduce additional marketing tools to the online retailers. The product lines now interface to a vast majority of available channels in the US and Europe as well as most storefront software providers. Additionally, the provided merchants back office now provides a wealth of resources including online video training and channel insight.

Previous to creating MerchantAdvantage, Michael was the CEO of the ComputerCenter, a custom software development and hosting firm in Ft Lauderdale Florida. The development team provided programming and in some cases other services to Carnival Corporation, Microsoft Real Estate and Finance, Citizens Bank, Metro Dade Police department, and the U.S. Secret Service. After a series of mergers and acquisitions, Michael negotiated the sale of the company to a similar, but larger firm.

Michael attended Florida State University, University of Miami and various technology institutes, and has taught technology classes in local colleges as well as abroad.

Michael has spoken at various venues including eBay live, the Minority & Women owned Business Empowerment Conference, and Rocketplace to name a few.

Before entering into the computer industry, Michael was a professional musician working with such talent as Tony Bennett, Melissa Manchester, the Spinners, el Puma and many others. Michael is also a private pilot, a husband and father of two children.

Chip Arndt, Executive Vice President of Business Development & Co-Founder

Chip Arndt is Co-Founder of MerchantAdvantage and an experienced entrepreneur with a successful track record in bringing ideas to market. At MerchantAdvantage, Chip is instrumental in developing short and long-term strategy and responsible for business partnerships and development. Since MerchantAdvantage's inception in 2005, Chip has developed over 100 strategic partners including Amazon, eBay!, Commission Junction, Go Daddy, Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo! and leading ecommerce and mobile commerce technology companies positioning MerchantAdvantage as an industry leader in Web-based, marketing tools and data feed management.

A Wall Street veteran, Chip worked at Morgan Stanley Investment Bank raising over $10 billion in structured and public finance transactions in Australia, China, England, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, South America, Thailand and the United Sates for a myriad of public, private, and government owned companies. After Wall Street, Chip embarked on an entrepreneurial career and started Arndt Strategies, LTD, a venture resource, advisory company. Through Arndt Strategies, Chip helped start three other companies in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, and Palm Springs. These companies include: www.AlmostGolf.com, a Los Angeles-based sports company where he was a founding member and investor; www.Flimp.net, a Boston-based rich media platform company where he sits on the Board of Directors; www.HatchPartners.org, a Palm Springs-based "Green Business Incubator" where he is Co-founder and sits on the Board of Directors. Chip is also a Strategic Advisor to www.WIPSpace.com, a London and South African- based online content creation/management production company.

Chip is a former golf professional and earned a BA in Political History from Yale University, cum laude with Honors in The Major, and an MBA from Harvard University.

Chip is most often known for co-winning CBS Television's "The Amazing Race" in 2003, with his then husband, and is an active voice in not-for-profits to advance civil and human rights for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people. In this capacity, Chip is a Board Director and Co-founder of www.GayAmericanHeroes.com and is a Director on Miami Beach Mayor's LGBT Business Development Council.

Tamara Walters, Vice President of Operations & Sales

Tamara Walters joined MerchantAdvantage in 2006 prior to the Company's national launch. She is responsible for managing the Company's day to day activities as well as operations management.

Tamara has over twenty years of management experience in industries ranging from entertainment to healthcare, all with companies whose core competencies centered around leading edge technology. So landing at MerchantAdvantage seemed to be a very natural progression.

A native of Huntington, WV, Tamara attended Marshall University where she initially studied business law before moving on to the marketing program.

Tamara has enjoyed being a part of several highly successful entrepreneurial endeavors throughout her career. Some of the highlights include posts as executive producer of nationally syndicated radio programs at New Century Broadcasting; head of advertising and sales for THE BOX Worldwide, an interactive international music video programming service subsequently acquired by Viacom; VP of marketing for MyCity.com, a content aggregator for over 50,000 local city guides; and VP operations for HealthAccess Panama, a turnkey health solutions company for Central and South America.