LendingTree Mulling IPO?

The announcement of management changes at LendingTree, the Internet lender based in Charlotte, N.C., has fueled rumors that the company is positioning itself for a possible IPO.LendingTree's chief executive officer, Doug Lebda, told MortgageWire that the company faces no funding problems, but he termed all financial options "viable" and did not quibble with rumors that a funding deal could come as early as the next 12-18 months. Mitchell York has been named president of LendingTree and Gene Lockhart, a former CEO of Mastercard International, has joined LendingTree's board of directors. Mr. York will be responsible for LendingTree's day-to-day operations. Prior to joining LendingTree, Mr. York was a vice president at CMP Media Inc., a technology publisher and media company. Mr. Lebda, who founded LendingTree, assumed the CEO post in connection with the other management changes. He said he will now focus on the strategic growth of the company, including increasing the number of lenders that list their products on the site. LendingTree's website address is http://www.lendingtree.com.