Frustrated by getting his first mortgage, Doug Lebda saw a need to empower consumers in what is, for most, the largest financial transaction in their lives – financing a home. He envisioned a process where lenders would compete for the borrower’s business in a fair and open marketplace. And through this process, lenders would be able to target exactly the right consumers to grow. With that vision and his passion for driving innovation, Doug founded LendingTree in 1996, revolutionizing how consumers shop for loans and how lenders reach new customers.
After launching LendingTree nationally in July 1998, Doug led the company through a successful IPO in 2000, through the dot-com meltdown of 2001 and a successful sale to IAC/InterActiveCorp in 2003. From 2005 to 2008, Doug served as IAC’s President and Chief Operating Officer, leading the company through a transition from a holding company to a unified operating company. In 2008, Doug rejoined Tree.com as it spun out from IAC as a separate public company. Today, Tree.com connects consumers and businesses more broadly than just mortgages including; cars, auto finance, education and home services.
In addition to Tree.com and his non-profit work, Doug helps lead other companies that are transforming the way consumers transact online. He’s the Chairman of the Board of Recyclebank (recently named one of the 50 most innovative companies in the world), Co-Founder of Tykoon (an innovative financial platform for families and children) and is an active mentor and angel investor.
Before founding LendingTree, Doug worked as an auditor and consultant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers after receiving his Bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University.
Gabe Dalporto was named as Chief Marketing Officer for Tree.com in April 2011. Gabe and his team of world-class marketers are responsible for all marketing activities including brand strategy, online marketing, analytics, offline advertising, CRM, affinity and affiliate partnerships, social media, PR, and LendingTree product.
Gabe brings 15 years of primarily marketing and financial services experience to his role at Tree.com. He was most recently Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer of online brokerage Zecco Holdings, where he led integrated online and offline marketing, business development and PR. While at Zecco, Mr. Dalporto developed and launched the company’s cutting edge financial social networking platform.
Prior to joining Zecco in 2007, Mr. Dalporto was VP of eMarketing and Customer Development at E*Trade Financial, where he was part of the senior marketing leadership team that re-ignited the company’s growth following the dot-com bust. He has served as VP of CRM Strategy and Customer Acquisition at JP Morgan Chase, leading CRM strategies across the company’s retail divisions. Gabe also has experience in database marketing, strategy consulting and nuclear engineering.
Mr. Dalporto earned a BS in nuclear engineering from the University of Florida and an MS in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Kamelia Dianati is the Senior Vice President of Technology for LendingTree and is responsible for all facets of technology development for the Tree.com businesses. She joined the company in April of 2000 and has served in technical-lead and architectural capacities within the technology department. Ms. Dianati was previously the Vice President of Technology at RealEstate.com, and prior to that role, was a consultant and software engineer at several large organizations, including First Union and Pinkerton Security.
Claudette Hampton is Tree.com’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Administration. In that role, she heads the company’s efforts in human resources strategy and management, facilities and call center operations. Working with a CEO and leadership team that demand creativity in all facets of the employment relationship and recognizing that the strength of Tree has always been its bright and diverse workforce, Claudette and her team are laser-focused on identifying and implementing innovative ways to source and retain excellent employees.
Early professional experiences at Westinghouse Electric, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals provided Claudette with both breadth and depth in the HR discipline. From those firms, she moved into leadership roles, working as a member of senior management teams to design and run organizations and to make the most effective use of human capital. Prior to leading the Tree.com team, she served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Baker & Taylor, Inc., headquartered in Charlotte. Claudette earned a Bachelor’s degree from Winthrop University and a Master’s degree from the University of South Carolina.
Alex Mandel formally joined Tree.com as its Chief Financial Officer on July 30, 2012, after working as a financial consultant to the company for two years, acting as head of corporate development. In his role as CFO, Alex will continue to focus on strategic finance initiatives, corporate strategy and general financial management.
Prior to joining Tree.com, Alex was an investment banker working with clients in the Media & Entertainment industry, providing financial advisory and capital raising services. Most recently he was a Managing Director of Centerview Partners, LLC, an investment banking advisory firm, and previously spent twelve years with Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., including serving as a Managing Director from 2003-2008.
Alex received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Tufts University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.