Jim Riesenbach, the longtime AOL executive who has been a driving force behind the development of AOL Local, and more recently, AOL Search, is getting the top job at Autobytel. I have worked for Riesenbach as a consultant, so you won’t find much objectivity here. I like him.
But I find it especially compelling that Autobytel recognized Riesenbach for the real innovation he has shown in keeping ahead of local’s shifting sands. “When we began our search for a new CEO, we knew that we needed to find a visionary with deep expertise in innovating ahead of the demands of the evolving digital universe,” said outgoing Autobytel President Rick Post in his official statement welcoming Riesenbach to the company.
Come to think of it, that’s what every decision maker in local has been going through. It is simply a great training ground. Autobytel isn’t the only one to recognize this. Take a look at IAC’s executive team. While local represents a small part of IAC’s business, the vast majority of its leaders are graduates from CitySearch.