WebVisible Founder Kirsten Mangers Named Woman Entrepreneur of the Year

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kirsten Mangers, who in the wake of the dot-com bust put every penny on the line to found WebVisible (www.WebVisible.com), the leading provider of local online marketing software and services, today is being honored as Woman Entrepreneur of the Year by the United States Global Entrepreneurs Association (USGEA).

“She is a true innovator whose passion, creativity and leadership inspire all of us to follow our dreams.”

Mangers, who recently reduced her involvement at WebVisible by changing her role from chief executive officer to Founder, will receive the award during ceremonies held at the USGEA annual conference held at the Pacific Palms Resort in the City of Industry.

An entrepreneur, philanthropist and dedicated small business advocate, Mangers founded WebVisible in 2001 to help small businesses get “found” online by potential customers using search engines, online directories, mobile phones and GPS devices. Under her leadership, the company has become a leading global player in local online advertising and experienced rapid growth since its inception. In 2009, WebVisible secured $20 million in Series C financing following a year of vigorous growth that saw revenues more than double and bookings increase by 88 percent year over year.

Today, WebVisible powers the search marketing offerings for many major U.S. and international reseller partners, such as AT&T, The New York Times Company, British Telecom, McClatchy and Sensis. The company serves an estimated 25 million small businesses in the United States, as well as regional chains, franchises, advertising agents and manufacturers that localize their local online advertising efforts.

“Kirsten Mangers is both a role model and an inspiration to women locally, nationally and internationally who dream of transforming an idea into a successful business,” said USGEA Chairman Dr. Shaan Kumar. “On this, the first National Entrepreneurs Day, USGEA is pleased to honor her as our Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.”

“Kristen Mangers is the embodiment of the entrepreneurial spirit that has made this company, and this country, great,” said WebVisible CEO Ron Burr. “She is a true innovator whose passion, creativity and leadership inspire all of us to follow our dreams.”

Mangers also has received numerous awards for her achievements in business and contributions to social causes. In 2009, she received the Outstanding Woman in Technology Award from TechAmerica and recently was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Orange County/Desert Region. She is vice chairwoman of the Southern California Technology Political Action Committee and serves on the board of directors of the Alzheimer’s Association of Southern California and has served as the chair of its Visionary Women’s Circle, which raises awareness and funds.

About WebVisible, Inc.

WebVisible has been the leading provider of local online marketing software and services since 2001. WebVisible was among the first to pioneer the use of search as a reliable, measurable avenue to connect directly with a buyer’s needs, providing solutions through some of the world’s largest Interactive Yellow Page companies, directories and other media vendors. The company has served over 100,000 customers from 4,000 industries in 14 countries. The company also delivers solutions directly to small businesses throughout the United States. WebVisible is based in Irvine, California with offices in Los Angeles, Denver, Charlotte and Mumbai, India. For more information, visit www.webvisible.com, follow WebVisible, or call 949-255-9677.

About USGEA

The United States Global Entrepreneurs Association (USGEA) is a nonprofit global business network formed by entrepreneurs, executives, educators and investors for the growth and development of small and medium size businesses, emerging entrepreneurs and professionals. For more information, visit www.usgea.org