Riggs Eckelberry, Principal


     next           up

About Riggs Eckelberry


Riggs Eckelberry founded TechTransform in early 2001 to specialize in high technology interventions. He continues to drive the firm's engagements, bringing his personal relationships and "tactical strategy" business approach to bear on every client assignment.
He says: "Basically I'm a disruptive operator which means that I get in there and get things going using any means at hand. I've worked so long in the high tech space I would probably approach even a brick and mortar opportunity with the same experimental, fast-moving techniques."
On August 6, 2007, as its CEO, Riggs announced the launch of OriginOil, a company developing a breakthrough technology that will transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum. The company is now publicly traded.
At the end of 2006, Riggs wrapped up an 18-month assignment to launch CyberDefender . As its President and COO, he upgraded the company from a marketing operation to a full security software developer, and proved the company's breakthrough product model (see case study). He helped achieve the company's first institutional funding and the filing of a public offering. (See testimonial.)
In 2004, Riggs was key to the turnaround and sale of YellowPages.com. His pragmatic marketing approach helped reverse a slide in sales, ultimately helping to double revenues and achieve the sale of the company for $100 million to SBC and BellSouth. (See testimonial.)
In 2003, Riggs drove record sales for Panda Software as General Manager of its US unit, more than doubling the company's business and helping to achieve a 2% share for the company in a crowded US segment. His innovative marketing programs were published in the handbook "Marketing Wisdom for 2004".
Just before launching TechTransform, Riggs served as the first Managing Director of the Santa Monica office of financial intervention firm NetCatalyst. He was key to establishing the financial network’s branding as a Global Liquidity Engineer.
“At NetCatalyst, Eckelberry has helped develop ‘liquidity engineering,’ a set of processes by which ‘we remedy issues affecting liquidity issues in a basically healthy company’.” Los Angeles Business Journal, 17 October 2000.
Prior to NetCatalyst, Riggs served in a series of high technology ventures. His trademark is the rapid experimental discovery and implementation of successful business models. Examples:
While VP of Marketing at personalization technology startup TriVida, he implemented an advanced product strategy which helped in the successful sale of this personalization technology player to Be Free.
As Chief Operating Officer of technical support content vendor Micro House International, Eckelberry drove record productivity and revenues and updated the company's technology model, leading to the company's successful sale to EarthWeb Corporation.
Eckelberry first demonstrated his ability to transform technology with the 1995 world launch of Quarterdeck Corporation’s CleanSweep. The product’s seven-figure monthly revenue rate was ultimately responsible for the valuation of the company when it was sold to Symantec.
In 1997, Eckelberry founded Lassoo Interactive, an online marketing agency that built its early reputation on effective online software marketing techniques, which he launched and further developed as a principal in Clearwater, FL based NetVital Technologies. In 2002, Microsoft Business Systems - Great Plains credited the use of these techniques for its best lead generation results across all media.
Eckelberry’s earlier professional experience included the 80s founding of a New York-based UNIX business systems integrator, where he developed operating principles that are employed in the successor company to this day; and a wide variety of technology implementations in direct marketing, distribution and entertainment industry settings.  
Mr. Eckelberry found his higher education in a decade of early service in the non-profit sector, where he qualified as a Master of commercial oceangoing vessels. He was profiled as an Internet Architect in the Industry Standard (profile, interview), and is a regular panelist and guest speaker at the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business in Malibu, California. He has also served as a mentor for LARTA international company development programs. Riggs is an avid skier, sailor and rower. He serves in his third term as President of the Los Angeles Rowing Club.
Links
Images
Copyright (c) Riggs Eckelberry 2006
Photo: July 2006, SW France

Airdate: August 23, 2007 3:00PM



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
Copyright © 1996-2011 Riggs Eckelberry Marketing Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
TechTransform and the interlocked "T" are trademarks of REMG, Inc.