Scott A. Jones Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer
Scott A. Jones is a veteran entrepreneur, inventor, strategist, venture capitalist and co-founder of ChaCha, today’s leading free, real-time answers service. Jones created the ChaCha concept/idea more than two decades ago – well before desktop search engines and the Web were created – when he described publicly during speeches in Hong Kong and London a vision of people having access to all of mankind’s knowledge, from anywhere, and at any time. In 2008, he realized that the enabling technologies of the Web and the ubiquity and portability of mobile devices finally provided the necessary pieces of the puzzle to manifest his dream.
By allowing anyone with any mobile phone device to ask any question in conversational English and receive an accurate answer as a text message, ChaCha is the world’s easiest-to-use and most comprehensive way to access answers and information. Through its unique “ask-a-smart-friend” platform that Jones developed, ChaCha has answered over 2 billion questions since launch from more than 40 million unique users per month via online (www.chacha.com), SMS text (242-242), iPhone app, Android app, and voice 1-800-2-ChaCha™.
Before developing ChaCha, at age 25 Jones co-founded and led Boston Technology, where he invented the massively scalable, easy-to-use voicemail system. Used by over two billion people around the world, it was later sold to Comverse for $843 million. Subsequently Jones founded Internet-based music service company Gracenote, now utilized by Apple, Yahoo, and Sony. Gracenote services are accessed globally at the rate of 24 billion times per year by applications such as iTunes and the company was later sold to Sony in 2008 for $260 million. Jones is now driven by the singular focus of making ChaCha the world’s easiest-to-use and most comprehensive way to access answers and information.
More on Scott is available at www.scottajones.com.
Michael Zammuto Chief Operating Officer
Michael A. Zammuto is a seasoned business leader, entrepreneur and strategist in the technology industry and he serves as ChaCha’s Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Michael provides strategic decision making, leadership and planning for ChaCha. Michael has a strong background in creating and leading startup companies, and his experience is invaluable to the direction of ChaCha.
Prior to his role at ChaCha, Michael has been involved in multiple award winning startup firms and has held instrumental leadership roles in established companies. Most recently, Michael served as Chief Operating Officer of Ontario Systems. Before his time at Ontario Systems, Michael served as an SVP and Business Information Officer of ChoicePoint Services in its technology division. Prior to that, he worked for Microsoft and was a key manager in the successful development of the first version of Windows Workflow Foundation and was responsible for managing a portfolio of large product development efforts.
Before Microsoft, he founded the company Sapago, a provider of Radio Frequency Identification technologies. The company won several awards including ‘Best in Show’ at Microsoft’s Global Partner Conference and was featured in RFID Journal, Internet Retailer, Retail World, the Craft Report and other periodicals. Michael has also appeared on CNN International’s Global Office program as an expert on technology management representation on corporate board of directors.
Michael has a wife and three young children. The Zammutos enjoy sailing, hiking and camping. Michael completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School, received his undergraduate business degree at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and studied at Cambridge University in England.
Shawn Schwegman Chief Marketing Officer
As ChaCha’s Chief Marketing Officer and an accomplished marketing strategist, Shawn Schwegman has been the driving force behind ChaCha’s swift transformation into a comScore and Quantcast Top 100 Web property and premiere online destination for memorable consumer engagement. Schwegman provides leadership and direction surrounding customer focus across all of ChaCha’s products including chacha.com, the mobile answers service, iPhone and smartphone applications, and mobile Web products. Schwegman also commands the company’s marketing and brand strategies for both national and international markets.
Prior to his role at ChaCha, Schwegman built an impressive record as a leader in the technology space for nearly two decades. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of SAS Technology, a consulting firm specializing in ecommerce, online marketing, social networking, and many other Web 2.0/3.0 technologies. Prior to that, Schwegman served two years as Chief Marketing Officer of Vcommerce Corporation, an end-to-end ecommerce platform provider delivering solutions to companies such as Target, eToys, MTV, FYE, BJ’s Wholesale Club, NewEgg, and many others.
Schwegman also held a pivotal role as Chief Technical Officer and Vice President of Marketing for five years with Top-10 Internet retailer Overstock.com. During his tenure, the Web start-up grew exponentially from $10 million to over $800 million in annual sales.
