Forte Group to Augment Auto Axzpt.Com Inc. Management Team; Auto Axzpt.Com Inc. Announces Forte Group Consulting Contract and New Board Members
13 July 1999
Forte Group to Augment Auto Axzpt.Com Inc. Management Team; Auto Axzpt.Com Inc. Announces Forte Group Consulting Contract and New Board Members
AUSTIN, Texas--July 13, 1999--Business to Business EC / Internet Service Launch
Auto Axzpt.Com Inc. announced today that it has signed a consulting agreement with the Forte Group of Houston, Texas, to provide management services to guide the company through its service launch phase and the next two years of operations.
"We are convinced that with the assistance of Forte Group, we have increased our ability to deliver a world-class Internet service offering," said Noel Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of Auto Axzpt.Com Inc.
Forte Group, a global IT consulting practice specializing in promising early-stage technology ventures, will assist the company in its strategic planning as well as the day-to-day execution of its business strategies. It has been agreed that Forte principals, Stephen M. Harris, a former Compaq Computers and Texas Instruments executive, and Russell A. Naisbitt, formerly of CLEAR Communications an MCI joint-venture and Sharp Corp. of NZ Limited, will join the Auto Axzpt.Com board of directors.
About Auto Axzpt.com
Auto Axzpt.Com (http://www.axzpt.com) is focused on establishing itself as a "cybermediary" facilitating transactions between registered automobile dealerships and registered lenders offering a wide range of retail installment credit options and other services. These member dealerships and lenders will be charged fees for services rendered over its Internet site. Auto Axzpt.Com expects to officially launch its Internet e-commerce site in approximately 90 days.
ABOUT FORTE GROUP
"MOLDING THE VISION, CREATING SUCCESS"
The biggest challenge facing early-stage high-technology companies is moving from a technology or service development phase through product/service launch and successful establishment of their product in the market. Founded with the goal of assisting these firms, The Forte Group principals, Stephen Harris, Russell Naisbitt and Kevin Stulp, have structured an organization that leverages strategic partnerships and affiliations including an international network of resources to address this niche in the current high-tech marketplace.
Major hurdles for most small technology firms typically include limited experience in certain of the essential areas critical to drive a successful start-up, including business planning, raising capital, marketing or manufacturing. Forte Group provides this expertise to high-tech companies to enable them to successfully commercialize their product or service.
Forte's practice has an operational focus and includes strategic business development with and the provision of "management on demand" whereby Forte's resources are used to augment those of its client companies to maximize the impact of strategic initiatives that in many cases it also helps develop. Forte Group currently has offices in Houston, Texas, with a planned domestic and international expansion of its network of partners and associates.
Founder's Profiles:
Stephen Harris. Stephen Harris has over 22 years of varied international and domestic experience in growing businesses primarily with Texas Instruments and Compaq Computer Inc. While at Compaq he held positions of International Business Planning Manager, Marketing Director, General Manager and European Support Operations Director with responsibility for up to $1.5 B, over 3,000 distribution partners, located in over 70 countries.
He was instrumental in establishing Compaq's operations in Australia, SE Asia, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, Portugal, Greece, the Middle East and South Africa. He has led various strategic initiatives with various top tier-consulting firms focused on Business Strategy, Call Center Deployment, Process Re-engineering and Organizational Restructuring.
While at Texas Instruments, Stephen held management positions in Financial Control, Product Management and Business Development. His industry experience ranges across all aspects of IT hardware and Software, Imaging Systems and Electronic Commerce, having been one of the pioneers in deploying a Dealer Electronic Commerce System.
Stephen has been a regular conference speaker and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of an Internet EC firm, an Internet Media Broadcasting firm, a Real Estate Development firm and an International Distribution Agent firm. He also has an advisory role for another Media Broadcasting firm.
Russell Naisbitt. Russell has 15 years experience in the software and telecommunications industries including numerous successful startups. Prior to joining Forte Group, he was President of Pharos Systems (USA) Inc., a successful start-up software Development Company producing output management software.
During his 3 years at CLEAR Communications Limited, a $250 million (NZ) Telco start-up, he was VP of Business Development and responsible for initiating a number of strategic alliances with major players in the utility, television, alarm monitoring and specialized communications fields.
He has served as Chief Financial Officer and on the board of directors of both systems integrator, Trilogy Corporation Limited, and consumer electronics company Sharp Corporation of New Zealand Limited.
Russell is a member of the New Zealand Society of Accountants and, prior to joining Trilogy, he had 7 years tax, auditing and business services experience with Deloitte Touche and Ernst & Young (New Zealand). He also serves on the board of ADC Labs Inc., a privately held "new media" Internet broadcasting company and several non-profit corporations. His industry experience ranges across all aspects of Electronic Commerce, Internet Broadcast and Media, Telecommunications, Software Development, Systems Integration and Consumer Electronics.
Kevin Stulp. Kevin had a distinguished career at Compaq Computer Corporation from 1983 to 1995. At the time of leaving Compaq, he was Director, Manufacturing responsible for the design and implementation of Compaq's worldwide re-engineering strategy including cell design, build of one, finite factory scheduling (rhythm system) and JIT material delivery.
Prior to that, he was Director, manufacturing responsible for North American manufacture of servers, portables, desktops and options with a $3Bn sales value. He managed a total workforce of 2000 comprising 1,300 permanent plus an average of 700 temporary workers. He was able to increase output by 500% from the same floor-space and reduce the labor cost per unit by 40% while increasing quality.
Kevin started his career at Texas Instruments with a variety of financial planning and manufacturing positions. Kevin currently serves on several profits and not-for-profit boards.
Note: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Sections 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created hereby. Investors are cautioned that while all forward-looking statements contained herein are considered reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including: competitive developments, regulatory approval requirements, the ability to convince auto dealers and lenders of the economic benefits of Auto Axzpt.Com System, and the inaccuracy of any other assumptions upon which such forward-looking statements were founded. There can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included herein and the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved and neither investors in the Company nor any other person should regard the inclusion of such information as a representation.