EdRover Inc. Appoints First Board Members

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EdRover Inc., creator of the first location-based mobile application for school fundraising, announced the first four members of its board of directors. The board of directors is responsible for driving the strategic direction and ensuring the fulfillment of the organization’s charitable charter. Inaugural board members include Melissa Gena, Eric Holmen, Benjamin Hope and Tania Mulry.

“Raising funds for education is such an important issue today, which is why I created edRover and enlisted the support of these esteemed professionals.”

Gena has extensive experience in marketing, mobile and Internet technologies. She currently serves as the director of product and client services for Ondeego Inc., an enterprise mobile application management provider, and previously served as a senior vice president for ipsh!, a pioneer in mobile marketing. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Golden Gate University and is working toward a Master of Arts in organizational leadership.

Holmen brings more than 15 years’ experience in various aspects of marketing and executive leadership. He is the senior vice president of marketing and business development for The Marketing Arm/Omnicom where he oversees the company’s wireless and digital practices. Holmen has served on numerous boards and committees, including the boards of directors for SmartReply Inc. and Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Orange County and national cabinet member for the American Heart Association. He is a frequent speaker on mobile and direct marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Science in management from the University of Redlands and a postgraduate certificate in innovation and strategy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Hope is senior vice president and chief information officer for Fox Networks Group (FNG). He is responsible for managing technology solutions, systems development, and hardware acquisition and integration for the entire Fox portfolio of networks. Before joining the FNG executive team, Hope spent 12 years at NBC Universal where he ultimately served as senior vice president of entertainment systems for NBC Universal Global Entertainment Division. Also a certified public accountant, Hope holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Pace University in New York as well as a master’s degree in finance and international business from Columbia University in New York.

Mulry, founder and chief executive officer of EdRover Inc., also serves as chairman of the board of directors. An experienced business executive, Mulry specializes in the business strategy, product development, marketing and management. Prior to founding EdRover Inc. she oversaw mobile marketing strategies for several companies, including MasterCard Worldwide where she launched the company’s mobile initiative. Mulry earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics and near eastern languages and literatures from NYU’s College of Arts and Sciences.

“I am excited about the wealth of experience and knowledge that Melissa, Eric and Ben bring to EdRover,” said Mulry. “Raising funds for education is such an important issue today, which is why I created edRover and enlisted the support of these esteemed professionals.”

EdRover’s initial iPhone application, called edRover, will launch in early 2011. The free app allows supporters to raise funds for their favorite schools or educational charities by checking into sponsored locations.

EdRover Inc. is a California Public Benefit Corporation that aims to connect businesses and families in support of U.S. schools. Its signature application, edRover, aligns businesses’ marketing goals with schools’ fundraising needs. Developed by a concerned mother of three, edRover allows consumers to direct donations from participating businesses to the school of their choice by confirming visits with their mobile devices each time they visit sponsors’ locations. EdRover Inc. assumes the administrative task of distributing funds from concerned businesses to more than 99,000 schools and educational charities across the nation. For more information, visit http://www.edrover.com/ or find on Facebook and Twitter.