Mohr, Davidow Hires AOL Exec. –

MENLO PARK, Calif. – Mohr, Davidow Ventures in early-September hired Debby Meredith, former senior vice president and chief quality officer at America Online Inc., as its fifth venture partner, said General Partner George Zachary.

“Our success is built on backing and building start-up companies,” Zachary said. The firm needs people with operational experience to help its portfolio companies grow with the pace of the market, he said. “We’ve been recruiting venture partners to help portfolio companies [positioning members of the firm to] get involved in companies from the beginning.”

Meredith will use her experience in software development, engineering and management to assist Mohr, Davidow portfolio companies with staffing, partnerships, operations and marketing. She will focus on Internet companies, software services and infrastructure and business-to-business spaces.

Mohr, Davidow invests in early-stage technology companies, making average initial investments of $10 million in each (VCJ, October 2000, page 34). At press time, the firm’s most recent fund, the $300 million Mohr, Davidow Ventures V LLC, which closed in November 1999, had backed about 17 companies. The firm seeks to invest in another three to eight companies before being completely committed, Zachary said, adding that the firm plans to raise another vehicle in the next one to two quarters, he said.

Mohr, Davidow recently opened offices in Kirkland, Wash., and McLean, Va. Meredith will be based in the Menlo Park office.