D&B Hoovers
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Business intelligence, Data services |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Gary Hoover, Patrick Spain, Alan Chai, Alta Campbell |
| Fate | Acquired by Dun & Bradstreet in 2003 |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville , United States |
| Products | Business intelligence platform "D&B Hoovers" |
| Parent | Dun & Bradstreet |
D&B Hoovers originated in 1990, founded by Gary Hoover and Patrick Spain as a U.S.-based business intelligence firm providing detailed company and industry data through its flagship platform, "Hoover's". In 2003, Dun & Bradstreet acquired the company, integrating it as a fully owned subsidiary. The original Hoover's product was rebranded to D&B Hoovers in 2017. The headquarters of Dun & Bradstreet is located in Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
History
The inception of Hoovers involved founders Gary Hoover, Patrick J. Spain, Alan Chai, and Alta Campbell. Before establishing Hoovers, Hoover created the Bookstop bookstore chain, which was eventually purchased by Barnes & Noble. Initially operating under the name The Reference Press, the firm specialized in publishing corporate reference materials.
During Patrick Spain’s tenure as CEO (1993–2001) and chairman (1994–2002), the company experienced significant expansion led by executives such as Carl Shepherd, Lynn Atchison, Elisabeth DeMarse, Jani Spede, Kris Rao, and Gordon Anderson. In 1999, Hoovers went public with an initial offering on NASDAQ.
In 2003, Dun & Bradstreet acquired Hoovers for $119 million. After Dun & Bradstreet’s purchase of Avention in 2017, the D&B Hoovers platform was introduced to replace the original Hoover's product.
Operations
Dun & Bradstreet maintains a comprehensive database containing information on more than 330 million companies worldwide. This data is compiled from 30,000 global sources and updated approximately 5 million times each day. The platform combines Dun & Bradstreet’s extensive data assets with Avention’s sales acceleration technology. Its subscription services cater to professionals in sales, marketing, and business development who require accurate contact details for prospecting purposes. The database facilitates lead generation, outreach efforts, preparation for sales calls, corporate research, notifications of leadership changes, and customer acquisition strategies.
The information is delivered through the D&B Hoovers interface, various data feeds, and licensing agreements with third parties. D&B Hoovers provides exclusive business intelligence via an online portal and integrated workflow tools, encompassing over 120 million business profiles across more than 1,000 industries.