supporting a friend’s vision Michael Holt ’83 Initial Investor, Angie’s List
M
ichael Holt ’83 is quick to deflect any attention that he receives for his involvement in the success of Angie’s List, which went public in November of 2011. Holt is a founding investor of the organization and makes it clear that he is not a founder. Angie’s List is a membership services company that compiles consumer ratings of local service companies and contractors, and Holt lauds the founders Bill Oesterle and Angie Hicks for their hard work and vision that led to the company’s creation in 1995. Holt readily expresses his gratitude for the opportunity to work with Hicks and Oesterle, a classmate of Holt’s from Harvard Business School. Holt used his financial expertise to work on analytics, modeling, and scenarios that ultimately helped launch the company into a successful and nationally known organization. During the first 10 years of the company’s existence, Holt was busy working off the side of his desk for the organization, understanding the economics of the business that was evolving, and he also served on its board of managers. During that time, his dayjobs were first at Burlington Industries and later Holt Hosiery Mills. It was in 2006 that Oesterle convinced Holt to join Angie’s List officially as its executive vice president. “I understood my role and how I could help my family, help my friend,” Holt said, “and do something that was adding value as being part of a team.” Holt believes that leadership can be found in all forms, whether as a CEO of a company or as part of the support or management team that works behind the scenes to ensure the cohesiveness that is paramount to the success of a company. He attributes this understanding of teamwork and leadership to his days at Episcopal.
“I hold dearer my time at Episcopal than anywhere. Lessons learned there continue to support me today, and I am sure they will Michael Holt ’83 (second from right) and his family, from left: daughter Emma ’12, wife Trina, and daughter Mandy ’14.
as I move forward.” Michael Holt ’83
Holt arrived at the Hill in the 10th grade and was very active in sports; he remembers playing basketball as one of his most significant experiences. Holt played varsity basketball for three years, and in 1982, during his junior year, was the starting point guard of Episcopal’s first IAC championship team. “It was my job to play tireless defense and to get the ball to our scorers, Danny Miller ’82 and Paul Utt ’83. I was not the most talented player, but I was part of the team,” he remembered. His coach, Tony Shaver, taught him the value of being a team member and working hard to accomplish things together, everyone playing their part. “He was tough,” Holt said of Shaver. “He played for Dean Smith at North Carolina and had a very demanding work ethic.” By working hard in not just athletics but also in the classroom, Holt finished first in his class. He says that relevant and challenging material presented in the classroom by smart and thoughtful teachers helped build
EHS The Magazine of Episcopal High School
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