Alumnus Shams Named New CEO of Searchles

ECE alumnus Elias Shams, B.S. '90, was named the new CEO of Searchles, an intelligent social search platform that integrates popular Internet tools like bookmarking, tagging and sharing content with in-depth search features. Shams will be responsible for providing leadership and overall direction for the company.

Shams brings to Searchles more than sixteen years of technology management and entrepreneurial experience in the Internet and telecommunications industries both domestically and internationally. He worked as a project manager and engineer for PRC, SAIC, Newbridge Networks and Yurie Systems. As a project manager with a top secret security clearance at Yurie Systems, Shams was in charge of managing the mission-critical design and rapid deployment of the ATM over satellite network used to support U.S. troops on the ground in Bosnia—the first of its kind. He was also the founder and chief technology officer of telezoo.com, a user-driven marketing e-channel that matched enterprise IT buyers with telecom and networking suppliers.

Shams graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in electrical engineering in 1990 and later earned his M.S. in telecommunications engineering from George Washington University.

Published November 13, 2006