A&R Names Lisa Auslen and Ron Kalb as New Partners to Head Lifestyle Mobility and Lifestyle-Enhancing Technology Practices.

Business Editors and Technology Writers

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 2000

A&R Partners, a top technology PR firm, today announced the appointments of Lisa Auslen and Ron Kalb as agency partners. Both partners will participate in business development and overall agency direction, as well as provide strategic counsel and program management for clients such as Agilent Technologies, Replay TV, Vindigo, and Be, Inc. Auslen, who recently celebrated her tenth anniversary at A&R, and Kalb, a twenty-year PR veteran, bring extensive expertise spanning media relations, message development, branding, media training, and crisis communications to the agency.

"One of A&R's founding principles is to grow an expert organization of senior talent to set agency directions and guide the positioning and visibility efforts of every client," said Bob Angus, managing partner and founder of A&R. "Our priority is to recognize that talent and grow the partners from within. Both Lisa and Ron bring a great combination of creativity and pragmatic strategy to their client agendas, as well as inspiring the team dedication that continues to drive the agency's success."

Auslen leads the agency's lifestyle mobility and alternative computing practices, with clients such as Internet appliance software leader Be Inc. and Vindigo, a new company creating resource-rich software for mobile devices. Since joining A&R in 1990, Auslen has helped to build the agency's client and employee base, expanding A&R's leadership in the mobile and wireless computing markets. Auslen has also been active in the Internet music delivery market, running campaigns championing intellectual property rights issues. She has orchestrated national product launches, press conferences, and special events featuring nationally recognized talent.

Kalb held senior management positions at PR agency giants Burson-Marsteller, where he headed the firm's Bay Area technology practice, and Porter Novelli, where he ran the San Francisco office. During more than a decade with these firms, Kalb's clients included Genentech, Hewlett-Packard, Revo, Sprint and Syntex. He also served as deputy director of public affairs for Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, spending six years honing the organization's media outreach and crisis-response strategies. Kalb is a strong proponent of telling a company's story with simplicity, clarity and honesty. He is an accomplished writer, editor and educator who has trained public relations professionals on media relations, effective writing and product positioning. At A&R, Kalb runs the agency's Lifestyle-Enhancing Technology practice, managing PR programs for ReplayTV, Inc. and Agilent Technologies.

About A&R Partners

One of the top ranked public relations agencies in Silicon Valley, A&R Partners is an experienced team of communications professionals and creative thinkers who work with technology companies to raise visibility, build momentum and increase market advantage. The agency's clients are among the industry's most innovative and closely watched companies, from ground-breaking start-ups to the world's leading corporations. A&R represents clients in Internet and network technologies, mobile and alternative computing, e-business software, graphics and imaging, lifestyle enhancing technology and e-commerce markets.

A&R employees serve as media advocates, bringing editorial integrity and expertise to help clients influence the critical issues affecting their industries. The agency's voice is widely recognized for its clarity and influence among market opinion leaders. For more information, contact A&R at 650/762-2800 or on the Web at www.arpartners.com.