This longtime Kettering company now has a new owner

New owner says it is ‘evaluating our staffing needs’
Jim Continenza, chairman and CEO of Vivial, in a 2016 photo

Jim Continenza, chairman and CEO of Vivial, in a 2016 photo

Business software company Thryv Inc. purchased Kettering marketing technology business Vivial Media Holdings late last month, the company said in response to questions from the Dayton Daily News.

Asked about the possibility of local layoffs, Joe Walsh, chief executive of Thryv, said: “Local business and the people that support it have always been at the forefront of Thryv’s mission. We are currently evaluating our staffing needs.”

At this writing, the company has issued no press release on the purchase, but it did mention the acquisition in a brief notice on its web site, and it did respond to questions.

Image capture from a Thryv app.

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“Thryv Holdings, Inc. acquired Vivial Media Holdings, Inc. on January 21, 2022. As part of the acquisition, we notified Vivial’s staff of the transition,” Walsh said in an email to this news outlet.

Longtime Dayton-area Berry Co. changed its name to Vivial in mid-2016.

The Kettering company was long known for producing the Yellow Pages and various online directories.

“Thryv is proud of Vivial’s rich history serving the local Dayton business community,” Walsh said. “In addition, Thryv already has a significant presence in the Dayton market, with our marketing agency, the Berry Network, Inc. (BNI).”

He added: “We’re looking forward to introducing Vivial’s clients and the Dayton business community to our new product offerings, including our Thryv software platform designed for small businesses.”

In late 2016, Vivial said it was expanding its headquarters at 3100 Research Blvd. to include a new outbound call center. The company also planned to hire 60 full and part-time workers, it said at the time.

“The demand for our services from small and medium sized businesses continues to grow as does our commitment to the Dayton community,” Jim Continenza, chairman and CEO of Vivial, said in 2016.

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