Technology >> CEO Interviews >> November 15, 1999

Patrick J. Spain – Hoover’s Inc (hoov)

PATRICK J. SPAIN is Chairman President and CEO of Hoover's, Inc., a company twice named to the Inc. 500 list and a leading publisher of company information on the Internet. Spain joined Hoover's within weeks of its founding in 1990 by his long-time friend and business partner Gary Hoover. In 1993 Spain became CEO and in 1995 he launched Hoover's Online. Prior to joining Hoover's, Spain worked as an economic consultant, a real-estate developer, an in-house counsel for a high technology company, and a mergers and acquisitions executive at a subsidiary of a FORTUNE 500 company. He holds a JD from Boston University and a BA in Ancient History from the University of Chicago. Profile
TWST: Could you begin by giving us a background summary and then

describe what you see as your business and company today?

Mr. Spain: Hoover's was founded nine and half years ago. Our mission