O'Reilly Conferences

Vice-President of Product Strategy, Local Matters, Inc.

Michael Bauer has been an internet professional since 1993 starting as a consultant for O'Reilly & Associates on the Global Network Navigator. His first company built the first version of Mapquest, deployed some of the first e-commerce sites (BlackBox and Fisher Scientific), created a knowledge-based content management system called Manage!IT, and deployed an early domain name internet directory on Internet.ORG.

Bauer worked on the integration of search and directory systems for a company called iAtlas (later sold to Alta Vista), created a localized version of the DMOZ Open Directory for Webb Interactive, worked as the vice president of open source relations for Jabber, Inc., and consulted with Joltid (which later became Skype). Bauer currently works as vice president of product strategy for Local Matters, where he directs research and development for consumer-centric local search applications, and works at the intersection of business, design, and technology in the conceptualization and implementation of new internet-based applications.

Bauer holds a master of science in computer science from the University of Pittsburgh and a master of science in industrial administration from Carnegie Mellon University.