IN THIS SEASON OF GIVING, SEARCH123 PUTS ITS EMPLOYEES WHERE ITS HEART IS

Search123 Takes New Slant on Holiday Contributions, Empowering Staff to Aid Needy in Los Angeles, Ventura Counties

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (December 18, 2001) - Even in the midst of a recession, it's easy to write a check to a worthy cause. But it takes a bit more imagination - and a fair bit more energy - to brighten this holiday season for a thousand children in need.

That's especially true if you're an employee of a small company, a dot-com survivor - appreciative to have a job but also chastened by the rough economy and a world turned upside down. This season, the staff at one Southern California firm is going well beyond feel-good gestures and is making a big difference, in a highly personal way, for 1,000 area children.

While companies who donate typically do so coolly and efficiently -- and rarely with employee involvement -- the staff of Search123 (www.search123.com) is learning about the joys of giving, first-hand, for organizations like Conejo Family Center in Thousand Oaks and Casa Pacifica in Camarillo.

Company CEO James Beriker responded when his staff asked to get involved in the company's holiday giving. Beriker decided to add a new twist to the effort, understanding that this year, more than ever, each employee wanted to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. Rather than simply donating money or choosing one organization to support, Beriker decided to empower every employee to select where the gifts would go -- and to take up to three full workdays to live the spirit of giving.

In response, the staff of Search123 has been working tirelessly, researching local organizations, determining who is most in need, and handling all of the logistics, right down to personally wrapping and hand-delivering the 1,000 gifts - all on company time.

In addition to Casa Pacifica and Conejo Family Center, participating organizations include the Child & Family Guidance Center, Northridge; Chaparral Elementary Toy Drive, Calabasas; Moorpark Catholic Charities, Moorpark; Project Understanding, Ventura; the Salvation Army, Oxnard and Thousand Oaks; St. John's Hospital, Santa Monica; Saint Joseph's Family Center; Los Angeles; and Toys for Tots, Thousand Oaks.

"We wanted to contribute in a way that requires action, invigorating and challenging staff members to give back to the community," Beriker said. "It takes some effort to find charities that need that help, and wrapping a thousand gifts is a challenge. But this isn't just about Christmas gifts - it's about those in need, and about adding perspective to the workplace through this kind of outreach. We can't be insulated or so fixated on careers or technology.

"The human element has been missing from the Internet sector for a while," he said. "Ultimately, this isn't just an Internet business. There are people on the other end who want value and connection. Now more than ever, it's vital that we be part of the community."

About Search123

Based in Westlake Village, Calif., Search123 (www.search123.com) is a commercial search engine that enables merchants to list their sites, bid on keywords, and manage their online advertising accounts -- all in real time. By creating aggressive revenue sharing relationships with Web properties with a strong base of qualified users, Search123 has been able to cost-effectively and profitably drive increasing amounts of highly-targeted consumers to its advertisers Web sites while creating a strong supplemental revenue opportunity for its search partners. Search123 is part of the essential shift in online advertising that has embraced the concept that performance -- and the ability to deliver meaningful return-on-investment for advertising clients -- must be the industry's focus.