WebProNews

Taek Kwon, currently vice president of product and technology at CitySearch.com, takes over Friendster's executive office on June 13.

The social networking pioneer site Friendster will replace CEO Scott Sassa this June, Mr. Sassa will stay on with Friendster through the summer to enable a smooth transition between executives.

Scott Sassa, chief executive officer at Friendster, said: "As a proven product development executive, Taek Kwon has the knowledge and expertise necessary to develop a long-term vision for the company, and the skills and experience to successfully execute on that strategy."

Mr. Kwon, in addition to his CitySearch.com experience, has previously worked for discount travel site Hotwire. He served as vice president of engineering and operations there.

"I am very pleased to welcome Taek Kwon to Friendster, and look forward to working closely with him to create an online experience for consumers that's unlike anything in existence today," said Jeffrey Katz, a member of Friendster's board of directors.

David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.