ARI Bolsters Internet Software Development With Key Selection; New VP of Technology Development will Focus on Web-based Systems.

Business Editors

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 2000

ARI Network Services, Inc. (NASDAQ/NMS:ARIS), a leading provider of business-to-business Internet e-commerce solutions for equipment manufacturers with shared service and distribution networks, announced the appointment of Frederic G. Tillman to the newly created position of vice president of technology development.

In that post, Tillman will be responsible for development of software for ARI's CD-ROM and Web-based communications systems, electronic parts catalogs and electronic publishing tools. He will focus his efforts on Internet-related catalog and communication solutions.

Tillman joined ARI in September 1998 as part of ARI's acquisition of POWERCOM 2000, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he had been vice president of software development. While at POWERCOM, Tillman spearheaded the development of POWERCOM's catalog and communications products. Prior to joining POWERCOM in May 1998, Tillman was director of new product development for ADAC Healthcare Information Systems in Houston, Texas, a producer of client-server and web-based information systems for hospital laboratories and radiology centers. Before joining ADAC in 1990, he spent six years at General Dynamics Corporation as a software engineer.

He holds a master of business administration degree from Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas and a bachelor's degree in computer science from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.

"We are very fortunate to have a person of Fred's ability and experience become as part of our company's leadership team," said Brian E. Dearing, chairman and chief executive officer of ARI. "I believe we have a level of professionalism and experience in our management team that is unrivaled in our industry. Fred is already executing on his charter to bring all of our products and services into full flower on the web. We've already sold the new web products his team has developed to customers in our industries to extend and enhance our client-server offerings. Our strategy is to provide a smooth migration path for our customers as their own web strategies mature, by being a step ahead of them from a technology perspective. I'm confident that Fred's leadership will enable us to do just that."

ARI Network Services, Inc. is a leading provider of business-to-business Internet e-commerce solutions for equipment manufacturers with shared service and distribution networks. ARI currently serves over 20,000 dealers and more than 100 major manufacturers in 12 segments of the worldwide manufactured equipment market including outdoor power, recreation vehicle, floor maintenance, marine and construction. The Company's communications systems link the back end systems of manufacturers to the business systems of their independent dealers, distributors and service points, thereby providing a global pathway for product orders, warranty registrations and other transactions. ARI also provides software to publish and view electronic parts catalogs on CD-ROM and the World Wide Web. ARI currently operates three offices in the United States and has sales and service agents in Australia, England, France and Italy providing marketing and support of its dealer communications and electronic catalog products. Additional information on ARI is available on the Company's website at www.arinet.com(TM).