Matchmakers reunite loved ones.
Nick matzorkis, 34, learned how emotional reunions with loved
ones can be at an early age. When Matzorkis was 9 years old, his
father moved the family to Greece to track down family members
they'd lost touch with during World War II.
"My father pulled us out of school for a year to find our
roots," says Matzorkis. "It was an incredibly impactful
time of my life."
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So much so that, more than 20 years later, those memories were
the impetus for the founding of Beverly Hills, California-based
1-800-U.S. Search Inc. In late 1994, Matzorkis began running
classified ads urging people who were interested in finding
long-lost family or friends to call him. He then searched databases
to match the individuals with their loved ones.
It didn't take long for 1-800-U.S. Search to take off,
especially after Matzorkis brought in former colleague Robert Rich,
27, to help with the business side of the company. The
partners' first TV appearance, on the talk show
"Leeza," garnered more than 20,000 calls. Subsequent
talk-show appearances have the young company's phones ringing
to the tune of $10 million a year in sales. --H.C.F.

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