Earlier today we reported that NameMedia Senior VP Pete Lamson, who was also General Manager of the company's Domain Marketplace (including both the AfternicDLS and BuyDomains) left the company last week. This afternoon I heard through the grapevine that 

the company's Senior VP for Direct Search, Brian Carr, also left recently. I have a call into Brian to confirm this directly with him. 

If true, it is a double dose of bad news for the industry as both rank among the most talented executives in our space. The current recession has necessitated staff reductions at almost every major company in the industry over the past 12-18 months. I don't know if that was the cause for the news coming out of NameMedia today but we all know that Carr's area of responsibility, PPC monetization, has been hit harder than any other industry sector in the current downturn. 

Like Lamson, Carr has an impressive work history dating back more than 20 years to when he started out as a reporter for the Patriot Ledger newspaper in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Brian Carr

A few other notes before we head into the weekend. Rick Latona Auctions will, at no charge, provide the online auction platform for the WhyPark Charity Domain Auction scheduled for December 7-11.  The WhyPark Charity Auction will be the first online auction to utilize Rick Latona’s new beta auction platform at a new location, www.LATONAS.com. 

WhyPark’s auction will consist of up to 50 domain names, with no reserve price, all donated by domain industry leaders. The proceeds from the auction will be given to a socially-responsible charity chosen by the highest single bidder in the auction. To submit domain names for the auction and for complete details, visit: http://www.whypark.com/auction.

Canadian domainers who want to enjoy a night out with fellow pros will have a chance to do that again Wedensday, November 25th when the 9th Domainer Dinner will be held in Toronto at Rosewater Supper Club. Tickets for the event being organized by DomainConvergence founder Frank Michlick are $90 + eventbrite fee and include food and two drinks. The amount of seats is limited, so if you would like to attend, it would be a good idea to register ASAP. 

Last but not least, those who want to relive or vicariously enjoy a few days in paradise as provided at the SedoPro Partners Forum in Key West, Florida last month will want to visit Sedo's Facebook page. They have just posted 194 photos from the event that were taken by a professional photographer hired to document the 4th annual event. 

A  new Facebook album of 194 photos from last month's SedoPro Partners Forum in Key West, Florida includes the shot above of Sedo's three Co-Founders and the company's COO & General Counsel Jeremiah Johnston (2nd from left). The Co-Founders are Tim Schumacher (far left), Ulrich Essman (to Johnston's right) and Ulrich Priesner (far right).