4 December 2008 by Libbi.

PROVO, UTAH – December 3, 2008 – The Generations Network, Inc., parent company of Ancestry.com, today announced the appointment of Howard Hochhauser as Chief Financial Officer. Hochhauser, currently CFO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE:MSO), will join TGN in early January. Current CFO David Rinn will lead a newly established Strategy and Corporate Development group.

“I am very, very pleased to have Howard Hochhauser join The Generations Network as CFO,” said Tim Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of TGN. “Howard brings over 15 years of broad media and online content experience, bolstered by years of working with a solid base of loyal consumers who are similar in profile to ours. His expertise lends additional insights into our business as we grow our core user base and seek to further transform how people all over the world explore their family history online.”

“The Generations Network has built one of the most compelling subscription internet businesses today,” said Hochhauser. “I am delighted to be joining a first rate management team, as we leverage the business model to capitalize on the growth opportunities that are clearly ahead for us.”

Current CFO David Rinn has served in the position for the past four years. He will continue to report to CEO Tim Sullivan in his new role.

In commenting on Rinn’s new position and the company’s new corporate development group, Sullivan added, “David Rinn’s contributions to TGN as CFO have been remarkable, as shown clearly by our strong balance sheet and the financial success we’ve achieved in the current economic environment. When we recently committed ourselves to an expanded and more concerted focus on corporate development and strategic partnerships, David was the natural choice to fill this key role. We’re both excited about the chance to augment our organic growth through strategic opportunities that fit our company mission to connect families across distance and time.”

“I am pleased to lead this new focus for TGN,” said Rinn. “With our company currently enjoying great success on many fronts, it is an exciting time to explore new avenues of growth. We believe we have a real opportunity to further add to a great company.”

Howard Hochhauser has spent more than eight years at MSLO and has served as CFO since July, 2006. As CFO, Hochhauser played a pivotal role in determining MSLO’s business strategy and capital allocation process and has oversight responsibility for certain key administrative functions, including investor relations and corporate communications. Hochhauser joined MSLO in May 2000. Prior to becoming Acting CFO, he served as the company’s Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations, beginning in March 2002, overseeing MSLO’s financial planning and budgeting as well as investor relations initiatives, and acting as the primary contact for the company within the investment community. From 1996 to 2000, Hochhauser was at Bear, Stearns & Co. in the equity research department where he most recently served as Vice President. Previously, he worked at Credit Suisse First Boston and KPMG Peat Marwick.

Hochhauser, a certified public accountant, has a master’s degree in business administration from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Boston University. He and his wife, Cindy, will be re-locating to Park City, Utah with their two children.

David Rinn has served as CFO of The Generations Network since June, 2004, and managed the accounting, financial reporting, human resources and legal functions. Prior to his work at TGN, Rinn spent eleven years at Microsoft Corporation, in a variety of roles including CFO of the Mobile and Embedded Devices Business Group, general manager of Finance and Administration, CFO of HomeAdvisor Technologies, senior director of Product Group Finance, and director of Business Development. Earlier in his career, David worked in the investment banking division of Morgan Stanley. Rinn holds a Masters of Business Administration from The Anderson School at UCLA and a Bachelors Degree in Geology from Vassar College in New York.

About The Generations Network, Inc.

The Generations Network, through its flagship Ancestry.com property, is the world’s leading resource for online family history. Ancestry.com has local websites in nine countries and has digitized and put online over 7 billion names and 26,000 historical records collections over the past ten years. Since July, 2006, Ancestry.com users have created more than 8.1 million family trees containing 780 million profiles and 15 million photographs and stories. The Generations Network also includes myfamily.com, Genealogy.com, Rootsweb.ancestry.com, MyCanvas.com, dna.ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker. More than 7.6 million unique visitors spent over 4.5 million hours on a TGN website in October, 2008 (comScore Media Metrix, Worldwide).

Web sites: http://www.ancestry.com/

http://www.myfamily.com/

http://www.genealogy.com/

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

http://www.mycanvas.com/

http://www.dna.ancestry.com/

http://www.familytreemaker.com/

Posted in DNA, Genealogy | Print | 2 Comments »

3 December 2008 by Libbi.

This is not Christmas Season.

Nope. That starts December 24.

We are now in the season of Advent, (from the Latin for “to come”) which has its own rich and rewarding traditions, handed down from many cultures, and deserving of our attention.

My rector, the Rev. Elizabeth J. Powell, gave an interesting talk on the history of Advent recently, and I’d like to share some high points with you.

1. The first evidence of a season of Advent is from Spain, to prepare for the celebration of the Epiphany on January 6 (the 12 Days of Christmas, which I’ll explore in another post.) Also, in Gaul, on November 11, St. Martin’s day (a patron saint of soldiers) began 40 days of preparation much like Lent for candidates for baptism.
2. The first liturgy for Advent began in the mid-fifth century with a theme of awaiting the Incarnation. Pope Gregory the Great put together special prayers for the four Sundays preceding the Mass of the Nativity to help the community focus on that.
3. In Northern Europe, the traditional theme was an expectation of the return of Christ in glory.

Advent traditions from these themes (preparation for baptism, the birth of Christ and the return of Christ) have are interesting and varied.

• In some centuries, the first theme above was so emphasized that no music or weddings were allowed in Advent. In Gallican rites, even “Alleluia” was dropped for the season.
• Bagpipers in Rome led shepherds to reenact the Gospel story of the birth of Christ.

My favorite Advent traditions are:

• The Advent Wreath. Three purple candles, one pink, and one white one in the middle are lit week by week, with prayers, at each meal during the four weeks before Christmas. The white one is lit on Christmas Eve, and then the wreath is part of the light we use to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
• The Advent Calendar. This starts December 1, and continues until December 24. The windows behind each number may have a picture, candy, an ornament or other surprise. A German tradition originally, it is a delightful way to count down to Christmas!

Posted in And More... | Print | 1 Comment »

2 December 2008 by Libbi.

Time for some news on the DNA front:

• DNA may soon be used to treat certain cancers.
• Is your child the next Olympic wunderkind? DNA test may have the answer.
• DNA tests now can be used in property crimes as well as personal injury crimes.
•  DNA is being used to count tigers in India.
•  Researchers in Paris, France have proven that EcoRV enzymes can jump and slide along strands of DNA.
• Eggs and breast cancer? Not sure this isn’t a “scare the consumer” story.

Posted in DNA, And More..., News | Print | 1 Comment »

1 December 2008 by Libbi.

Two awards to be granted for articles based on National Archives records

The National Archives is known worldwide as a treasure chest of genealogical information. Each year, millions of people use Federal records in the National Archives to search for their family roots. Census schedules, ship passenger arrival lists, citizenship papers, military pension files, land patents, and court records offer detailed evidence to flesh out family histories. This competition provides an opportunity for students to share their research “treasures” with the public.

The awards are $1,000 for first place; $500 for second place. Winning articles may be published in Prologue, the quarterly magazine of the National Archives, and/or on the National Archives web site.
To be eligible, an applicant must be either an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in an accredited institution of higher learning; have completed at least one semester; and have not yet advanced to candidacy, if in a Ph.D. program. An applicant does not have to be an American citizen, but must be attending an American college or university. Permanent National Archives employees are not eligible.
Awards will be announced at the National Archives annual Genealogy Fair on April 22, 2009.
Applicants are required to submit:

    —  Cover sheet that includes the following:
        —  Name and contact information;
        —  Proof of enrollment at an accredited academic institution; and
        —  Signature giving permission for the article to be published.

    —  An original, unpublished work between 1,000 and 3,000 words that
        demonstrates the use of National Archives holdings to conduct
        genealogical research.  The essay must be typed and include a
        works-cited page or bibliography.  End notes are suggested but not
        required.

    Please submit applications to:
    Diane Dimkoff
    Director, Customer Services Division
    Room G-13
    700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
    Washington, DC  20408
    diane.dimkoff@nara.gov

Essays may be submitted in-person or via e-mail before 5:00 p.m. EST March 1, 2009 or via regular mail (postmarked by February 25, 2009).
For additional information about the scholarship and/or application process, email KYR@nara.gov.
SOURCE National Archives http://www.nara.gov

Posted in And More..., News | Print | No Comments »