RevRoad appoints Jenney Rees new CEO; Derrin Hill continues as Chairman and will take a larger role in the capital fund

Derrin Hill and Jenney Rees

RevRoad, a leading venture services firm, announced today the selection of Jenney Rees as its new CEO, effective August 1, 2024, by unanimous confirmation of its Board of Directors. The appointment follows a months-long evaluation of the firm’s needs and preparation for transition to the right leader with the character and competence to guide it forward. Founder and current CEO Derrin Hill will continue as the Chairman of the Board and will take on a larger role in the capital fund and will lead raising the next fund with RevRoad Capital. In addition, he will lead the Board, continue to help portfolio companies grow, engage investors, and continue to build the RevRoad brands in the flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Rees joined RevRoad in 2023 as the COO of one of its portfolio companies, Orkid, and transitioned to become RevRoad’s Chief Operating Officer in August of last year. Previously, she served as a cabinet member in the Utah Governor’s office, leading a state agency with more than 1,300 employees. She led transformational efforts to consolidate multiple departments that resulted in significant cost reductions and improved operational efficiency. Her focus on accountability, strategic alignment, and process-driven execution are hallmarks of her leadership style.

In addition to her work in the public sector, Rees also has outstanding expertise in startup and technology leadership. At MediConnect Global, her efforts supported the company’s growth and ultimate acquisition for $348M in 2012. She has been recognized by Utah Business Magazine as part of its “30 Women to Watch” series, served as a popular and dedicated mayor of Cedar Hills, Utah, and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Southern Utah University. About this appointment, Rees notes, “I’m humbled by the opportunity to lead this outstanding team. Derrin, the RevRoad founders, and our Board have done so much to elevate startups over the past seven years; I’m honored to be involved in this important and unique mission’s future.”

Says Hill, “She’s the perfect leader to deliver the next phase of the RevRoad vision and a partner I trust completely.” He adds, “RevRoad has some exciting new programs and services in the works. I’m excited to partner with RevRoad Capital to develop the capital pathway for these, and Jenney has the character and competence to maximize their return. I look forward to what our teams will do together.”

About RevRoad

RevRoad is a venture services firm dedicated to achieving the full value of startups for founders and investors. The company invests in innovators through delivery of strategic services, including marketing, sales, development, strategy, finance, and capital to accelerate revenues and scale efficiently while keeping founders in the driver’s seat.

For more information, contact: 
Kristine Widtfeldt
Chief Marketing Officer
kristine.widtfeldt@revroad.com

Apple Attacks the ‘Lifeblood’ of the United States Economy

Saving the Pear from Apple: Where we’re at and why we care

Provo, UT—In the United States, it costs tens of thousands of dollars to defend a trademark opposition. For a company like Apple, with tens of billions of dollars in resources, attacking the trademarks of small businesses is no problem. Sadly, most small businesses can’t afford to defend themselves against this type of litigation, and, as a result, must change their logo and branding or close their doors. Either way, the bully wins. 

Does  the international software giant really spend time and resources hunting down and filing notices of opposition against small businesses? Unfortunately for the young, Utah-local cooking app, Prepear, the answer is yes. “It’s unfortunate that a world renown brand, such as Apple, would directly attack a young, female owned startup such as Prepear, just because they can,” says A.J. Rounds, CMO of RevRoad—a partner with Prepear, “In this difficult time, regarding the pandemic, the world is rooting extra hard for small business, while Apple seems anxious to squash them.

Prepear is a cooking app that helps users combine every part of their cooking life in one concise place. Prepear users can discover, organize, shop, and cook all within Prepear’s uniquely built features. Pretty straight forward right? Just a small business simplifying the lives of America’s home cooks. Yet, here comes Apple (yes, 2 trillion dollar Apple) claiming Prepear’s obviously pear shaped logo is too close to Apple’s trademark logo. 

But does Apple really think Prepear’s logo could create confusion with their own? Here’s exactly what the megacorporation has to say:

In most cases, these company logos do not resemble Apple’s at all, nor are they in the same line of business. Yet, Apple has been going after dozens of small businesses, forcing them to pay for a very expensive legal defense, or abandon their trademarks (which also comes at substantial cost).

A 2019 release from the US Small Business Administration stated, “Small businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy: they create two-thirds of net new jobs and drive U.S. innovation and competitiveness. A new report shows that they account for 44 percent of U.S. economic activity.” This information highlights the importance of small businesses for the U.S. economy. 

Prepear has already spent thousands of dollars and been forced to lay off a team member due to this expensive battle with Apple. So why fight it?

“I feel a moral obligation to take a stand against Apple’s aggressive legal action against small businesses and fight for the right to keep our logo. We are defending ourselves against Apple not only to keep our logo, but to send a message to big tech companies that bullying small businesses has consequences.”

Natalie Monson, CEO at Prepear

Prepear has since generated over 260,000 signatures on their petition to Save the Pear from Apple. 

Join their fight for small businesses by signing the petition and sharing their story. 

###For media inquiries, interviews or additional information, please contact Communications Specialist  Bri Ray at bri.ray@revroad.com or by calling  888-920-7623