[After this story was published, the principals revealed ESS raised $1.6MM to launch the firm, which aims to help private investors track shareholder records. - Ed.]

At least three former Investment Scorecard execs are at it, again.

Joe Maxwell and Charles Blankenship, then founder-chairman and CEO respectively, were in the lead 18 months ago when Investment Scorecard sold for about $50 million to White Plains, N.Y.-based Informa Investment Solutions. Ed Weller was Scorecard's "chief geek" for five years.

An SEC filing this morning and online research indicates that Maxwell and Blankenship are officers of Equity Service Solutions LLC, and Weller is vice president for technology for ESS.

An SEC filing earlier today indicates the management team is about $190K away from their capital-raising goal of $1.25 million. The filing indicates ESS has a Grassmere Office Park address.

Weller's profile indicates he has recently been associated as a software architect with Avalara Inc., a company that provides tax-compliance and related software and services, based in Washington state. Weller is a 1989 graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, where he dual-majored in computer science and electrical engineering.

As reported by VNC, earlier this year Maxwell and Blankenship were busily reinventing Beacon Technologies, in the course of which then-CEO Bill Hapner left. Hapner eventually joined Smartvue Corporation, based here.

Brad Blevins, owner of locally based manufactured-housing supplier Blevins Inc., is also listed with the SEC as a director at ESS.

At the time of Scorecard's sale in 2007, the company's board reportedly included, in addition to Maxwell and Blankenship, the following persons, with their affiliations at that time: Townes Duncan, president of Solidus Co.; Fred Goad, co-founder of Voyent Partners LLC; George Horgen, senior managing partner, Southeastern Technology Fund; and, Jeffrey Powell, co-founder of Harpeth Partners.

VNC attempts to reach Maxwell and Blankenship via ESS offices have thus far proven unsuccessful. ♦