Reputation.com co-founder Brian Kelley '00 to speak Oct. 17

Brian Kelley - a member of the Skidmore Class of 2000 who majored in computer science and music, has contributed to the launch of five companies, and is now leading a citizens' revolution in journalism in San Francisco - will return to the campus Monday, Oct. 17 to share his story and advice on starting new businesses. 

He'll deliver his main talk - which is free and open to the public - in Davis Auditorium at 7 p.m. His title: "The Story of a Computer Science and Music Major: Accepting the Challenge to Do Things You Do Not Know How to Do."

Kelley co-founded Reputation.com (formerly ReputationDefender), the world's first comprehensive online reputation management and privacy company. Before that, he participated in the launch of The Ticket Reserve, an online futures market for tickets to sports events, and The Academic Approach, which develops online interactive educational software. He served as chief technology officer for all three of those companies.

In March, 2010, Kelley became the chief technology officer for The Bay Citizen, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, member-supported news organization dedicated to promoting innovation in journalism and catalyzing citizen engagement with the news. The Bay Citizen delivers news not only through its Web site, an iPhone app, and email, but also through a twice-weekly section of San Francisco edition of The New York Times. 

In addition to his public lecture, Kelley will meet with classes in entrepreneurship and organizational behavior. 

"This will be a great opportunity for students to connect with an alumnus who really embodies the spirit of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship that we encourage at Skidmore," said Laura Paul, lecturer in management and business.