Regardless if you use the dating service or not, there is a good chance you have seen the TV commercials for eHarmony featuring the lovable grandfather type Dr. Neil Clark Warren, who is actually a psychologist and marriage counselor, as well as the co-founder and CEO of the site.
But now there will be a new face sitting on the chief executive chair.
The company announced on Tuesday, July 26, that Warren will retire as eHarmony's CEO, although he will remain in his position as chairman of the board of directors.
This is the second time the 81-year-old has stepped down from his position. Warren previously retired as CEO back in 2007, only to come back five years after to help bring the company back on its feet.
Although the match making site has been successful at helping couples find true love, reportedly being responsible for 2 million marriages, it hasn't always been seen in a positive light. The company was slapped with a lawsuit in 2005 for alleged discrimination against same-sex couples. The lawsuit was then settled in 2009, and the company went on to launch a separate dating site for homosexual singles called Compatible Partner, which never caught on among users.
It now appears like Warren has helped eHarmony regain its footing in the online dating world, so now his services are no longer needed.
Taking his place as chief executive officer is Grant Langston, eHarmony's VP of brand marketing and original team member since day one.
Langston started as a writer and editor back when the website was getting ready to launch in 2000. Since then he has used his expertise for marketing, customer service, content and social media.
"Grant Langston is a natural choice to succeed Dr. Warren as CEO as he has been at his side since the inception of the company. His level of experience in the field of online dating is unparalleled and we are pleased to elevate him to this position," Jamie McJunkin, founder and general partner at Madrone Capital Partners and eHarmony Board Director said in a statement.
And with the new seat change, some changes are expected in the direction of the company. Langston revealed that the company will start to focus on improving its app to better stay relevant and keep up with other dating services like Tinder and Bumble.
"Dr. Warren's 40 years of counseling and experience as a psychologist and counselor informed a process that even today remains unique to online dating," Langston said. "That process has brought together literally millions of couples in pursuit of meaningful relationships and we will continue to build on the foundation and accelerate the growth of the company as we move to a mobile-first platform."
While providing a more seamless app experience will be in the forefront of the company now, it is also expanding its services outside of the realm of relationships and marriage with the launch of the job search site Elevated Careers.
Source: eHarmony
