Dror Zoreff
Interim CEO and President, Chairman of the Board & Corporate Secretary
Mr. Dror Zoreff has served on Smart Online’s Board of Directors since April 2008, He was appointed Board Chairman May 2009.
Mr. Zoreff has served as the President and CEO of Donor Management Services, Inc., a New York-based company that provides major donors, corporations, and foundations a unique set of tools and services to ensure their charitable gifts are properly used and achieve the desired impact since 2008. From 1999 to 2008, Mr. Zoreff served as Consultant to the President and CEO of United Retail Group Inc., a specialty retailer of large size women's fashions. From 1997 to 1999, he was Vice President of International Operations at Russ Berrie, Inc., a designer, importer, marketer, and distributor of gift and infant and juvenile consumer products. Prior to 1997, Mr. Zoreff held positions with The College of Judea & Samaria, Glenoit Industries Ltd, and the Jewish Agency for Israel.
Mr. Zoreff holds a B.A. degree in Business Administration from Manchester University and an M.A. degree in Business Administration from Tel Aviv University.
Amir Elbaz
Director
To fill a vacancy in the Board of Directors (the “Board”), the members of the Board unanimously appointed Amir Elbaz as a director of the Company, effective January 15, 2010, to serve until his successor is duly elected and qualified.
Mr. Elbaz currently advises technology and renewable energy companies on business strategy, restructuring and business development initiatives. Mr. Elbaz served as the Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Lithium Technology Corporation (“LTC”) until November 2008. Mr. Elbaz joined LTC in 2006 to oversee finances and marketing, as well as business development.
Prior to joining LTC, Mr. Elbaz served as a Senior Associate of Arch Hill Capital NV, a Dutch venture firm, from 2005-2006. During 2004 and most of 2005 Mr. Elbaz served as Vice President of Corporate Finance at Yorkville Advisors, where Mr. Elbaz sourced, structured and managed investments in more than a dozen public and private companies. Prior to joining Yorkville Advisors, Mr. Elbaz served for several years as an Analyst with the Economic Department in the Procurement Mission of the Israeli Ministry of Defense in New York City. In that capacity Mr. Elbaz co-headed multi-million dollar negotiations with first tier technology companies, and was in charge of the financial aspects of the day-to-day operations.
Mr. Elbaz holds a B.A. from the University of Haifa, Israel, and an MBA in Finance & Investments from Bernard Baruch College, CUNY, New York. Following his MBA graduation, Mr. Elbaz was elected to the International Honorary Finance Society of Beta Gamma Sigma.
There is no arrangement or understanding between Mr. Elbaz and the Company, or to the Company’s knowledge, between Mr. Elbaz and any other person pursuant to which Mr. Elbaz was selected as a director.
Mr. Elbaz has been determined by the Board to be “independent” within the meaning of the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules definition of that term. Mr. Elbaz was appointed by the Board to serve on the Audit Committee of the Board.
There have been no transactions, and no transactions are proposed, by Mr. Elbaz with related persons as defined by Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Mr. Elbaz will receive compensation in the amount of $1,500 per month as a director of the Company.
Shlomo Elia
Director
Mr. Shlomo Elia has served on Smart Online’s Board of Directors since November 2006. He was recommended for appointment to the Board by Atlas Capital SA ('Atlas'), one of the company's stockholders. Mr. Elia is a Director of 3Pen Ltd. ('3Pen'), a private holding company focusing on business opportunities in Internet infrastructure and telecommunications. Prior to founding 3Pen in 1999, Mr. Elia held several senior positions in the Israeli Defense Forces (I.D.F.), including the post of the Military Governor of the West-Bank (1982-1984) and Commander of the Liaison Unit for South Lebanon (1984-1985). During his service, then General Elia was engaged for a year as a Research Fellow in the Institute of International Strategic Affairs at U.C.L.A.
Since his retirement from the I.D.F., he has been involved in communication projects in Nigeria and West Africa and construction projects in Romania. Mr. Elia has served as Chairman of the National Tourist Board and currently is Chairman of 3Pen Technologies Ltd. and co-chairman of the Israeli Soldiers Welfare Association. He holds a B.A. degree in Modern History of the Middle-East from Tel Aviv University.
CJ Meese
Director and Audit Committee Chair
Mr. Meese is the President and founder of Business Development Associates, Inc. ("BDA"), a strategic advisory firm. Since 1989 BDA provide advice and assistance to high growth companies on issues of company valuations, acquisitions and divestitures, market development, capitalization, corporate governance and organizational structuring.
Prior to 1989, he spent approximately 20 years in various senior corporate marketing, business development and finance positions.
Mr. Meese has served on the Company's Board of Directors since November 2006, on which he chairs the Company's Audit Committee and is a member of both its Compensation and Nominating Committees.
Mr. Meese also is a director of Gray Security Services, Inc., Electrical Equipment Company, The Railroaders Memorial Museum, Community Music School, Raleigh Rescue Mission and its Foundation and, as of March 31, 2006, Consolidated Ecoprogress Technology, Inc., a public company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada (Toronto Stock Exchange: CES.V).
Mr. Meese received a B.A. degree in Economics.