May 04, 2000 10:50
MBTI/AgriMall.com Announces New Management Team and
Relocation
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 2000--MBT International, Inc. (OTC pink sheets: MBTI), owner of
AgriMall.com, the world's premier Internet web site dedicated to E-commerce and auctions for the
agricultural, farm equipment, livestock and horse industries, has announced the formation of a new
management team.
The executive management group includes:
Volkan Akman, Vice President, Business Development, Chemical & Fertilizer Division, has close to 15
years experience in the global agricultural industry. His responsibilities have included launching various
crop protection products, seeds and fertilizers and establishing dealer networks. He has held executive
management positions with companies in Germany and the United States that encompassed sales force
supervision, account management, and client administration. Mr. Akman is a graduate of the University
of Leeds with a BSc in Engineering, and the University of Dublin where he obtained his MSc and PhD in
Statistics. Mr. Akman's responsibility will be to establish AgriMall.com's chemical and fertilizer division
on the web utilizing convenient, confidential and cost effective business-to-business transactions.
Natasha Abramova, Public Relations and Events Coordinator, is a graduate of the Moscow State
University with a degree in Philosophy and postgraduate work in Latin American Studies. Ms. Abramova
gained technical and coordination experience as PR and events manager for the IBS Group of
Companies, the largest IT solution providers in Eastern Europe and as Marketing Communications
Manager for Dell PC in the former Soviet Union. She emigrated to Canada in 1999, and joined the
International Sales division of Puredata where she was responsible for establishing partnerships and
developing networking and computer telephony products in Europe and Latin America. Ms. Abramova's
responsibilities with AgriMall.com will be to determine and coordinate participation in agricultural trade
shows and events.
John Brinkman, Vice President, Business Development, Feed Division, has more than 20 years
experience in Canada's agricultural industry. His most recent position was Feed Division Manager for
Norfolk Co-Operative Co. Ltd, where he was responsible for the preparation of business, marketing and
production. He has also held management positions with Minor Bros. Farm Supply, the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture and Food, Scotsburn Co-Operative and Upjohn of Canada. For close to 15 years, he
farmed 200 acres of cash crops and livestock. A graduate of the University of Guelph he has a BSc in
Agriculture. Mr. Brinkman's responsibility will be to expand AgriMall.com's feed division on the web
utilizing an effective and efficient broker network that provides convenient and cost effective
business-to-business transactions.
Patrick D. Daley, Director, Investor Relations and Public Relations, has more than 30 years experience
in all areas of corporate communications including speechwriting, planning, information management,
feature and news writing, organization and research. Prior to joining AgriMall.com he was owner and
publisher of a community newspaper and magazine publishing company. During his career he has
written and produced several industrial movie scripts, annual reports and prospectuses. A graduate of
Carleton University with a BA, his primary functions with AgriMall.com will be to ensure effective investor
relations, work with all other members of the executive group in preparing the company for its Initial
Public Offering, and produce quality internal and external communication programs.
Elida Detfurth, Chief Technology Officer, is a graduate of the University of Buenos Aires with a Bachelor
of Science and a Bachelor of Education. Ms. Detfurth most recently was leading her own consulting firm
specializing in systems development and integration, technology infrastructure, design and
implementation, e-commerce and Internet solutions. Through her company she proposed and
implemented innovative IT solutions for large Fortune 500 customers, contributing to significant increases
in service revenues. Her previous experience includes executive positions with IBM Global Services and
with Bell Sygma. She has held IT management and technical positions with Oracle Corporation and with
Dow Jones. Her responsibility with AgriMall.com will be to guide the company's technological expansion
and ensure AgriMall's dominance within the Internet agricultural sector.
Harris Hunter, CA, Chief Financial Officer, brings close to 25 years of diverse experience in various areas
of financial management to AgriMall.com. He has been the Director of Finance for three major
companies in the manufacturing and distribution in roto-molded plastics, electrical power, outdoor
lighting products and property management. Mr. Harris has also held executive positions with Paja
Group, and Standard Optical. A member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, he was
most recently involved as Director of Finance for a group of companies, one of which just completed a
dissolution/reverse takeover with an emerging and newly venture financed e-commerce company. Mr.
Harris will direct the company's primary financial functions including administration, reporting and
compliance.
Barry Laughren, Chief Operating Officer & Vice President, Sales, has been instrumental in
AgriMall.com's development since its founding. An acknowledged furniture designer, manufacturer and
retailer, Mr. Laughren used his experience during the 1970's to form one of western Canada's most
successful furniture franchising businesses, expanding into equally effective franchise operations for
window coverings. While with AgriMall.com he has directed its transition from a geographic-based
business into the Internet era. Mr. Laughren will oversee the company's continuing development of its
sales force in anticipation of growing demand for the company's products and services.
Robert A. Masson, Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions and General Counsel, is a business lawyer
with 20 years experience. Mr. Masson spent 13 years in the agri-food sector with St. Lawrence Starch
Company as its General Counsel before joining Chubb Security as its General Counsel for North
America. He has a broad spectrum of corporate and commercial legal experience, with particular
emphasis on acquisitions, mergers, partnerships, strategic alliances, joint ventures and technology
licensing. His experience also includes asset valuations, risk management and land development. Mr.
Masson obtained his law degree from the University of Toronto. With AgriMall.com he will oversee all
legal aspects that relate to the company, along with managing the company's growth through its
mergers and acquisition division.
Bryan A. MacDonald, Vice President, Broker Operations, has been involved for close to 15 years with
every aspect of sales management including retail, national accounts, corporate sales, and national
sales training. Prior to joining AgriMall.com, he was Vice President, Franchise Operations with one of
the world's fastest growing Internet franchise companies. Mr. MacDonalds's primary function with
AgriMall.com will be management of broker recruitment, network support, sales training and development
of marketing strategies to not only maintain broker competitiveness, but to also ensure ongoing
success.
The company's recently appointed executive management team is developing a sound, aggressive, and
competitive business plan for 2000 and beyond. It is a road map for the future, and the template against
which MBTI/AgriMall.com will measure the introduction and progress of each project the company
undertakes.
"I may be biased," notes Andrew McKinnon, Company CEO, "but I truly believe we have assembled one
of the strongest and most versatile management teams of any that exists today within the .com
community."
The Company also announced that it is in the process of relocating its AgriMall.com head office from
Langley, B.C. to Toronto. The move involves the hiring in Toronto of approximately 90 people including
management, technical and administration support staff.
Mr. McKinnon commented further, "We will still maintain some of our operations in Langley, particularly
those that lend themselves to our western-based products including auctions, farm equipment and our
local broker network. At the same time we are also aware of the tremendous amount of farm businesses
based in eastern Canada, and made the decision that, from a competitive position, we had to be located
where there is such a large piece of the action."
The major departments and operations initially being located in Toronto include technology; executive
management of the broker network; the feed, chemical and fertilizer divisions; trade show planning and
coordination; finance; administration; marketing and sales; legal, executive management, investor
relations and public relations. "Our move to Toronto centered on a number of vital requirements," said
McKinnon. "We were looking for a large and extremely versatile labor pool to draw from for present and
future employees, a strong financial infrastructure, and a world-class reputation for technological
innovation. Toronto met all the criteria."
The company expects to finalize all aspects of its move within the next 10 to 21 days.
About MBTI/AgriMall.com
MBTI/AgriMall.com is engaged in the development of industry-specific Internet portal sites, which
encompass auctions, broker-assisted buy and sell programs, searchable databases and graphic-intense
display or products. With more than 50 percent of North America's ranchers and farmers now online, the
agriculture industry is widely viewed as one of the top five eBusiness markets. The company currently
has more than 400,000 users. MBTI, along with its full ownership of AgriMall.com (www.agrimall.com), is
also the parent company of HorseNet.com (www.horsenet.com), BookStable.com
(www.bookstable.com), and LifeatHome.com (www.lifeathome.com), a vertical portal targeted at the
home improvement and real estate markets.
MBTI/AgriMall.com has formed an alliance with Navidec (NASDAQ:NVDC), a leading provider of
eBusiness solutions and services. Navidec is developing a cutting edge eBusiness solution for
AgriMall.com. MBTI/AgriMall.com has an agreement to work with EchoStar Communications Corporation
(NASDAQ:DISH), North America's fastest- growing direct broadcast satellite (DBS) provider with more
than 4 million customers. The alliance will entail the programming and online purchasing capabilities of
MBTI/AgriMall.com being offered over a high-speed interactive channel. The company has also signed
agreements with Triplus, a Trimac Company, to handle the freight component of certain sales
transactions, and InfoSpace (NASDAQ:INSP) for Internet content distribution.
This news release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from those projected in the
forward-looking statements. The Company may experience significant fluctuations in future operating
results due to a number of economic, competitive and other factors, including among other things, the
size and timing of customer contracts, new or increased competition, changes in market demand, and
seasonality of purchases of the Company's products and services. These factors and others could cause
operating results to vary significantly from those in prior periods, and those projected in forward-looking
statements.
CONTACT: Phoenix Alliance
Phil Huss, 970/259-7241
Email: phoenixalliance@frontier.net |
