Edhat Online Magazine

Santa Barbara, CA, January 14, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Edhat Online Magazine announced that it has received a round of private funding and intends to utilize the newfound resources to expand its subscriber base and name recognition throughout Santa Barbara County. The source of the funding was undisclosed.

Ed himself was unavailable for comment. However, Edhat Publisher Peter Sklar, the driving force behind the online magazine since its 2003 inception, is pleased with the evolution and optimistic about what the funding infusion means for the company in 2008.

“When I started Edhat my goal was to use the Internet to bring Santa Barbara closer together, and to get people more in touch with the community in which they live. We’ve operated on a shoestring up until now, and never imagined how successful this labor of love would be. I am very excited now to have the resources to give this little website the opportunity to achieve its potential.”

Sklar wasted little time in tapping Blake Beltram to be the General Manager of Edhat. Beltram, an entrepreneur with a degree from UCLA, has a diverse background and skill set that should prove valuable in taking Edhat to the next level. Beltram previously founded MindBody SoftWare (now Mindbody Online), which today boasts over 1500 clients worldwide. More recently, he quadrupled revenue as Built-to-Ship Division Manager for nationally recognized green building contractor, Allen Associates.

“I’m thrilled to join the Edhat team,” said Beltram. “The opportunity here is about so much more than just building a business, it’s about building community. What Peter has done with Edhat up to this point is brilliant in my mind, because he’s helped a lot of us feel closer to the place we live, and done it in a way that’s informative and fun and approachable. I think in many ways it’s the new frontier. My job is to retain the heart and soul of Edhat, expand on what works, and make sure every person in Santa Barbara County knows Edhat!”

Tal Avitzur has been hired as Director of Operations & Finance. Avitzur holds a Masters degree from UCSB, and spent several years as the President of coolmaps.com, a successful start-up founded by Sklar in 1996. “Working with Ed is a dream job. The work is enjoyable and the people involved are great. I’m very committed to Edhat,” said Avitzur. “With the core team in place now, and building on our track record, I expect to see exponential growth in 2008.”

The dedicated staff of edhat.com will again this year blanket the Santa Barbara International Film Festival with their unique brand of coverage. “We are planning daily photo galleries, event articles, Ed Carpets, Ed counts, interviews, and a few other activities that Ed hasn’t told us about yet,” says Sklar. “That’s Ed, keeps us guessing up to the last minute.” Edhat will be the official host of the Online Schedule for the Festival.

Edhat is a Santa Barbara based online magazine, voted #1 Website in Santa Barbara (SB Independent) and Second Best Local Website in the Nation (Placeblogger.com). Increasing numbers of Santa Barbarians turn to Edhat for links to local news stories, local happenings, photos, entertaining tidbits, and such regular features as Dog of the Week, Pictures Over Time, Wednesday Where Is It (WWII), community reports, and official counts of everything from palm trees to Fiesta Parade horses.

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For further information, please call Blake Beltram at (805) 896-1298 or e-mail blake@edhat.com