Barry Schuler

He is best known for leading the AOL team that simplified the online service provider's user interface, making it possible for millions of consumers to gain easy access to the Internet.

An avid computer hobbyist and reader of Popular Electronics, Schuler befriended a group of technical enthusiasts who were developing software applications for microcomputers.

[1] In 1978, he established CMP Communications, an advertising and marketing company devoted to helping high tech entrepreneurs spread the word about the impending revolution in microcomputing.

Schuler quit CMP in 1988 and took a position as president and CEO of Cricket Software, overseeing the development and marketing of color desktop applications for Apple Computer's Macintosh, including a Postscript driven drawing program.

In 1994, the company entered into a joint venture with, Apple Computer Inc., and Redgate Communications and launched 2Market, considered to be the first rich media online shopping service.

While at Medior, Schuler and company co-developed a music creation game with Nick Tenbrock and Gary Levenberg of San Francisco-based Interactive Audio.

[3] Medior also collaborated with Time Warner, one of its clients, on the building of the world's first digital, switched, interactive broadband communications network delivering a range of services.

Schuler, brought over from Medior by AOL founder and CEO Steve Case, was charged with helping him and then president Ted Leonsis to transform the online service provider into a broad based, consumer-driven medium.

He also advocated the opening up of AOL's proprietary message service known as IM, a key development that allowed its subscriber base to "chat" electronically over the Internet with non-AOL computer users free of charge.

Likewise, internal dissent over the best ways to merge AOL's distribution channels with Time Warner's more traditional media content plagued the online unit.

Notable investments in Schuler’s portfolio include Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN), Formlabs, Foursquare, Giphy (Facebook), Glowforge, Good (Blackberry), Helix, NotCo, Patreon, Tumblr (Yahoo!

A vocal proponent of public education reform,[16] he co-founded the Blue Oak School, an independent, not-for-profit entity for students, kindergarten through eighth grade.

[18] Soil conditions in the Coombsville area are a mix of well-draining river rock and mineral-rich volcanic ash, both of which are considered suitable for Bordeaux varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon.