Management
Katherine E. Simmons
Chief Executive Officer
Kathy Simmons joined NETSHARE in 1992. She is the guiding force behind the company and the architect of NETSHARE's online business strategy. Simmons is responsible for the ongoing evolution of NETSHARE as a Web-based community for executives who are seeking jobs as well as opportunities to network with their peers and build a personal "brand" online – a prerequisite for success in the Internet era.. Since assuming the role of CEO in 2004, Simmons has made it her mission to help NETSHARE members harness the Internet to advance their careers.
Under her leadership, NETSHARE has evolved into the Web address where executives go to meet all of their career management needs.
Prior to joining NETSHARE, Simmons spent 15 years in customer service and technology positions in the telecommunications, construction and healthcare industries. Her eclectic background includes stints as a buyer for an international trading company and founder of an administrative services center in Tehran, Iran.
Born in Southern California, Simmons spent most of her formative years in Asia, the daughter of an international executive with assignments in Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Korea. She credits her ability to size up situations and make connections quickly to her early years and the many times she was the "new kid" in school!
Simmons' passion for connecting people has served NETSHARE well. She recalls the night in 1993 when she took a call from a recruiter who was having a tough time filling an international assignment. The client had very specific multi-lingual and cultural requirements. Earlier that day, the perfect resume had been faxed to NETSHARE by a new member. Calls were made, faxes exchanged. Within two weeks the job was filled by the NETSHARE member. Today such connections are made more efficient by the Internet, but Simmons' passion for connecting the right people with the right jobs remains the guiding philosophy behind NETSHARE
Simmons commentary frequently appears in major media outlets. She has been a guest on MSNBC's Morning Call and has been widely quoted in national publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor and Smart Money Magazine, discussing issues related to executive employment. kathy@netshare.com
Annette M. DiSano
Chief Operating Officer
Annette joined NETSHARE in 2005 to assume the day to day running of the company. As COO, DiSano shares responsibility with the CEO for strategic direction and financial health of the company, heads up business development and marketing and generally oversees execution of all strategic initiatives.
DiSano began her career in consumer packaged goods marketing/brand management for large publicly traded food companies, then transitioned to consumer electronics at a senior level (SVP marketing/sales). Within the last decade she has served as COO for a different $30MM consumer electronics company and a $35MM consumer products company. She has experience in selling through a multitude of trade channels, including grocery and drug stores, clubs and mass merchants (WalMart, Kmart, Target); national consumer electronic chains (Best Buy, Circuit City); department stores (Macys, Nordstrom, Robinson/May); mid-tier chains (i.e. Sears, J.C Penney) and catalogs and the Internet. DiSano earned her MBA (dual track Marketing and Finance) from the University of Southern California.
“Business speaks to both sides of my brain,” DiSano notes. At more senior levels, business can be highly creative, but it also requires a healthy dose of analytics, both of which she finds rewarding. She has also enjoyed having the opportunity, as an executive, to positively influence corporate culture, creating workplace environments that are both comfortable and challenging. DiSano brought this positive perspective to NETSHARE, Inc., and it has demonstrated itself in the evolution of NETSHARE, Inc. and the satisfaction of its staff and members.
DiSano was born and raised in California. Her roots go back three generations – her grandfather was born in California in 1900. While DiSano loves to travel and explore new places, her heart really is in San Francisco which she believes is one of the best cities in the world, because of its beauty, culture, temperate climate and diversity of people. annette@netshare.com