SideStep is appointing Matthew Heist as senior vice president of global search. Heist will be responsible for driving SideStep’s core search and international search businesses. His appointment adds more than 15 years of business management experience to SideStep’s executive team.

Prior to joining SideStep, Heist was vice president of business operations at Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO), responsible for driving strategy and operations for Yahoo!‘s vertical search and commerce/listings properties, including Yahoo! Shopping, Real Estate, Travel, Autos and the Local Group (Local Search, Yellow Pages and Maps.) Prior to his tenure with Yahoo!, Heist held legal and analyst positions for a number of firms, including Bear, Sterns and Co. Inc, and Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette in New York, and Cacace, Tusch & Santagata in Stamford, Connecticut. Heist earned a BA from the College of William and Mary, a JD from George Washington University School of Law and an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business.

“Matt brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the SideStep executive roster,” said Rob Solomon, president and CEO, SideStep. “He is a trusted, proven leader in the Internet business world and will be instrumental in furthering SideStep’s reach in the U.S. and across the globe. We are thrilled to welcome him to our team.”

“The INC 5000 represents the fastest growing private companies in America, and we are thrilled to have been named to the inaugural list,” said Rob Solomon, president and CEO, SideStep, Inc. “Our growth is strong validation that SideStep.com continues to meet and exceed the needs of today’s travelers.”

“This is a very exciting time to work for SideStep,” said Heist. “The company continues to grow by focusing on its core strengths and innovations, and I look forward to making contributions that increase SideStep’s value proposition for consumers and travel suppliers.”
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