Babierge, Inc. Appoints Fran Maier New CEO
Industry: Travel & Leisure
Entrepreneur Who Held Executive Positions with Match.com and TRUSTe on Board to Build Trusted Resource for Parents Traveling with Small Children
Memphis, Tennessee (PRUnderground) July 1st, 2016
Heather Munro a Memphis-based Trusted Partner of Babierge, Inc., a rapidly growing multi-state online baby equipment rental platform, is part of a team that has recently appointed Fran Maier as Chief Executive Officer. She succeeds Kerri Couillard, Babierge’s Founder, who will continue to serve as the Company’s Chief Technology Officer.
Heather has been a Trusted Partner since April 2016. The company’s Trusted Partners, independent representatives of Babierge, deliver, set up and pick up the items families need when traveling to create a hassle-free, positive experience for families and hosts.
“It’s such a privilege to bring Babierge to the visitors and residents of Memphis. With millions of visitors coming to our city from all over the globe each year, we know that Babierge will alleviate much of the unnecessary stress of travel by providing high-end baby and toddler products with a friendly and warm Southern welcome,” said Heather.
Baby Gear Rental Platform Gears Up for Growth
Babierge (baby + concierge) aims to become a trusted national brand for traveling parents and grandparents. It currently operates in ten markets – Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, New Mexico; San Francisco and Los Angeles, California; San Antonio, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Chicago, Illinois, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and Kalamazoo, Michigan, and will roll out dozens more by the end of the year including two new markets: Phoenix, Arizona; and Burlingame, California, this month. The company’s Trusted Partners, independent representatives of Babierge, deliver, set up and pick up the items families need when traveling to create a hassle-free, positive experience for families and hosts.
Ms. Maier and Ms. Couillard met at the well-regarded Women’s Startup Lab earlier this year, when Kerri was selected for a coveted slot in the February 2016 program. Ms. Maier has served as an advisor to Women’s Startup Lab since its inception in 2013.
“Babierge makes traveling with kids a better experience and at the same time provides extra income opportunities for our on-the-ground Trusted Partners,” said Ms. Maier. “Kerri has done an amazing job demonstrating the high demand among parents and grandparents for baby equipment rental, from car seats to full-size cribs to highchairs. We are in the process of scaling the success in Santa Fe to other markets.”
About Fran Maier
Fran Maier is best known for her 10+ years leading TRUSTe, the leading privacy trust- mark and solutions provider, her role as co-founder and first general manager of Match.com, the earliest and most successful online dating platform. She has been active as an advisor to start-ups, many led by female entrepreneurs, as well as an being an angel investor. Recognition for her contributions include:
● 20th Annual Jerry I. Porras Latino Leadership award recipient, 2016
● 100 Most Influential Women in Tech, Hot Topics, 2015
● 150 Most Influential Women in the Bay Area, San Francisco Business Times, 2011
She holds an A.B. and M.B.A. from Stanford University.
Ms. Maier is also an Airbnb “Superhost” in both San Francisco and Santa Fe and has first-hand knowledge of the need for baby gear for traveling families, as well as the importance of personalized service.
Ms. Couillard said, “Having Fran on board adds an important dimension to Babierge as we scale the business to a national trusted brand. Her grasp of the gig and sharing economies as well as her success in building national brands is a big advantage for Babierge and our Trusted Partners.”
Ms. Maier, whose maiden name was Allocca, grew up in Santa Fe. She will continue to live and work out of San Francisco, however, she will make frequent trips to New Mexico to support her new role as Babierge CEO, as well as other investments she has in the state.
“New Mexico occupies a special spot in my heart,” Ms. Maier said. “I have been watching the growth of entrepreneurial activity in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and other parts of the state and am pleased to be working with Kerri in a high-potential New Mexico company.”
About Babierge
Babierge (baby + concierge) Inc, was incorporated in 2016, and is building on Founder Kerri Couillard’s vision for a more positive travel experience for parents of small children and their hosts. Key executives are Ms Fran Maier, CEO, who is best known for her executive roles at Match.com and TRUSTe, and Ms. Kerri Couillard, CTO, who began renting equipment in the Santa Fe, NM area in 2011. Now operating in eight states, Babierge is developing a national trusted brand and platform, leveraging gig and shared economy models, in a market that has been fragmented to date.
About Babierge
For traveling families, who are seeking convenience and the least amount of disruption in their routine, Babierge is the first collaborative economy tech platform that allows you to rent baby equipment that can be delivered and setup for you and your family.
Unlike having to borrow, having grandparents spend lots of money, or lugging everything through the airport, Babierge allows you to choose the perfect items for your family while Trusted Partners, who are independent providers, graciously provide high-end quality, personal customer service.
Ultimately, for us, the world would be a better place if parents felt great about traveling as a family knowing they had on-demand access to familiar products and services while away from home.
