Hello Denny, here's something to chew on:
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 3, 2000--Franklin Telecom
(AMEX:FCM - news) announced today that veteran e-business marketing and strategy consultant
Steve Lee has been named Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development for Franklin
Telecom.
Lee brings a rich background of brand development, product innovation and intensive growth
marketing in transactions and technology-based businesses.
Since 1992, he has been Managing Partner of Steve Lee & Associates, an e-commerce, technology
and financial services consulting firm specializing in strategic alliance formation, global expansion
strategies and marketing - with offices in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley. Prior to this, he was a
Senior Manager in the Wall Street practice of Big-5 accounting and consulting firm Deloitte &
Touche. He also served as an EVP in both the investment banking and call center units of Japanese
conglomerate Temporary Center. Lee held investment banking and capital management positions in
New York, Connecticut and London with Scientific Capital Management and MacMillan.
Frank Peters, Franklin's CEO said, ``Steve brings direct experience from e-commerce firms
including Microsoft, VISA, Prodigy, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Citibank, Nynex, Discover
Brokerage, Bell South, EDS, American Express, CyberCash, Sprint, Wingspan.com, Vodafone and
others.' He formulated the launch strategy and led the marketing implementation for one of the
leading online brokerages (Discover). He also generated very substantial revenues for an
international joint-venture call center operation by developing marketing alliances among Northern
Telecom, NTT, Sumitomo Bank and Fujitsu to deliver card-based long distance services. Lee led
the strategic alliance and co-marketing program for a major financial services firm generating millions
of new accounts and almost half a billion dollars in revenue. He authored Microsoft's competitive
response to Lotus Notes and developed the marketing strategy to exploit the firm's success in selling
application suites.
Lee was educated at the London School of Economics. He holds a BS in Economic/Physics, a
MBA and a MA in International Economics.
Frank Peters, Chairman and CEO of Franklin Telecom welcomed Lee's addition to FCM
leadership: ``We are delighted to have attracted a technology and transactions marketing veteran
with a substantive track record in corporate strategy, alliance building and global growth. Steve's
Wall Street experience and his proven ability to integrate marketing, finance and technology
disciplines will be critical as he leverages Franklin's Voice-over-the-Internet patents and technology
and builds and exploits our competitive advantages.'
``I'm looking forward to expanding this leading edge, VoIP equipment manufacturer and service
provider's installed base, infrastructure and distribution channels,' said Lee upon his appointment.
``As we exploit Franklin's competitive position, consolidate its image, and capitalize on its
developing brand, we also anticipate establishing FCM as the US gateway for international VoIP
networks and the global Voice Portal. We're at one of the most potent crossroads of
telecommunications, the Internet and convergence. The economic and market forces at work on
VoIP are going to propel extraordinary changes and world class growth. FCM will be positioned to
lead and profit from that expansion.'
Lee is responsible for marketing, advertising, promotions and strategic planning at Franklin Telecom.
He will select and manage the firm's investor relations and advertising vendors.
About Franklin Telecom
The primary business of Franklin Telecom is the design and manufacturing of communications
devices, including hardware and software solutions that enable superior quality Voice over IP
applications. Franklin's telecom subsidiary FNet provides Voice over Internet Protocol global Telco
services.
Certain statements in this press release constitute ``forward-looking statements' within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be
materially different from any future results, performance or achievements, expressed or implied by
such forward-looking statements.
For additional information about the Company, visit the Officer's Message page at Franklin's Web
Site: www.ftel.com - for Internet Telephony & Franklin's Next Generation Telephone Equipment.
www.fnet.net - for Internet Telephony Next Generation Telephone Service. www.franklin.net - for
Internet Services, E-Commerce and Access. |
