Technology >> CEO Interviews >> May 11, 2000
DEAN DEBIASE Chairman and CEO of Autoweb.com, Inc. is directing the
company's global expansion efforts and building on its position as the
leading consumer automotive Internet service. With Mr. DeBiase's strong
leadership skills and vision, Autoweb.com is revolutionizing the
automotive industry and providing consumers with the next generation of
superior automotive content, community and commerce offerings. Mr.
DeBiase brings a solid operations, strategy and M & A track record
building successful brands and new ventures in a variety of industries,
including consumer products and services, as well as business-to-
business technology and Internet commerce companies. Most recently, Mr.
DeBiase was President and CEO of WorldPlay, a leading Internet
entertainment company. Mr. DeBiase helped pioneer the online games
industry, then orchestrated the company's acquisition by America Online
(AOL) and expanded WorldPlay into one of the most popular AOL channels,
earning it the Media Metrix rating as 'the Number One game destination
in cyberspace.' Previously, in a dual role, Mr. DeBiase was Chief
Marketing Officer at Zenith Consumer Electronics and head of its Network
Systems Division, where he led the rapid turnaround of that interactive
TV business unit and successfully initiated the introduction of cable
modems into the Cable TV and Internet markets. Mr. DeBiase was also a
Managing Director at FedEx, where he built and managed aggressive,
award-winning sales and marketing divisions. He also led various start-
up ventures at ANTEC Corporation, where he founded Optical Networks
International, which led the introduction of advanced broadband networks
into the Cable TV industry. Mr. DeBiase attended the MBA Plus program at
the University of Chicago and the CEO program at the AMA and holds an
MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management and a BS in Marketing from
Northern Illinois University. He serves on the boards of Catch TV and
Datavision Technologies. Profile
Mr. DeBiase: We started out in 1995 as one of the pioneers in this
space, bringing consumers a new, revolutionary way to buy cars.
