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History of eHarmony
by OnlinDatingMagazine.com

Company: eHarmony.com
Startup in Online Dating: August 2000
Private/Public: Private
Parent Company: None

History of eHarmony
eHarmony.com is a private company headquartered in Pasadena, California. The company has tried to target singles that are ready to settle down for life, start a serious relationship, or find their soul mate. eHarmony.com claims that its “patented matching technology is based on more than 35 years of empirical and clinical research on what goes into successful relationships, and it brings together singles using a scientifically-proven set of compatibility principles.”

eHarmony.com was officially founded in 2000 by Neil Clark Warren, Ph.D, author of several books on dating, love, and marriage. The online dating site was launched in August of 2000 and developed by Ph.D. psychologists, led by Dr. Warren. The site was built with one venture round of $3 million and was cash flow positive within two years of launching. Investors in eHarmony.com include Fayez Sarofim & Co.

Before eHarmony.com took an online dating service direction, it was more of a website with insight into improving marriages and relationships that already existed. In 1999, eHarmony.com listed a survey for married couples to take in order to receive their "marriage profile" from Dr. Warren. By early 2000, the site had redesigned itself into an online dating singles matchmaking service.

In February 23, 2003, eHarmony.com claimed to have 3 million members. That number grew to 4 million registered members by May 11, 2004. Now the eHarmony.com registered member count is over 5 million. eHarmony also claims more marriages per match than any other online dating service. By December 2003 eHarmony.com announced an estimated 2,000 marriages to its credit since 2001 and that number grew to more than 2,500 known marriages to its credit by February 2004. Until 2005, eHarmony had claimed more than 6,000 marriages to its credit since 2001. That number drastically changed when the results of a Harris Interactive study found that between August 2004 and August 2005, over 33,000 couples that met on eHarmony married. That's an average of 90 a day.

Throughout its company history, eHarmony.com has been actively involved in television and radio advertising. During the third quarter of 2003, television advertising generated over 250,000 new eHarmony.com members with a return on advertising investment of 30% and growing. Based on its success in 2003, eHarmony.com significantly increased media spending for 2004 with new television, radio and print advertising campaigns featuring real couples in the ads.

On May 17, 2004, eHarmony.com announced that it had been granted U.S. Patent No. 6,735,568 for its unique Compatibility Matching System, a method that uses data from the study of thousands of married couples to predict long-term compatibility between two people. The matching system relied upon by eHarmony.com is, according to the company, built upon research conducted with more than 5,000 married persons.

On January 10, 2006, eHarmony.com named Jaynie M. Studenmund as it's new president and chief executive officer (effective February 1, 2006), replacing cofounder Greg Forgatch who previously held the position.

On March 31, 2006, eHarmony.com announced the resignation of Jaynie Studenmund and announced Gregory Waldorf as the new Interim CEO.

On November 19, 2008, eHarmony.com and the State of New Jersey announced that they had settled a discrimination complaint from a gay man who claimed eHarmony wouldn't match him with another male. You can see the Settlement Agreement here. eHarmony.com will now open a service for gays and lesbians called "Compatible Partners".

eHarmony Partnerships
On November 15, 2004, eHarmony.com and Gannett Co., Inc., a leading international news and information company, announced a partnerhship to launch branded online personals for USA Today and Gannett’s daily newspapers.

On November 30, 2004 eHarmony.com announced a partnership with popular social networking site Friendster. It was announced that the two services would jointly launch a co-branded matching service that will combine eHarmony's patented Compatibility Matching System™ with Friendster's 13-million member community.

eHarmony Fast Facts
On an average day, eHarmony.com receives notice from ten members of an engagement, marriage or other long-term, committed relationship.

eHarmony.com has quadrupled in size since January 2003 and currently averages 10,000 – 15,000 new users a day.

eHarmony.com members pay $49.95 for a one-month subscription, $99.95 for a three-month subscription, $149.95 for a six-month subscription, and $249.95 for an entire year of membership.

A privately held company, eHarmony.com does not disclose its annual revenue or say whether it is profitable.

Related Links:
» Jaynie Studenmund Takes CEO Reigns at eHarmony
» eHarmony CEO Steps Down After Only Two Months
» Bio of Jaynie Studenmund
» Bio of Gregory Waldorf