Accent Optical Technologies, Inc. Hires Experienced Executives to Round Out Management Team.

Business Editors, High-Tech Writers

BEND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2001

VP and General Manager of the Semiconductor Technology Group,

VP of Operations, VP Business Development and General Counsel

Accent Optical Technologies, Inc., a maker of process control and measurement tools for the optoelectronic, wireless and silicon semiconductor industries, today announced the addition of three industry veterans to key management positions: Gregory Kaiser to Vice President and General Manager of the Semiconductor Technology Group; Bruce Crawford to Vice President of Operations; and Mark Thierfelder to Vice President Business Development and General Counsel.

Accent, which recently secured $15.9 million in funding, has recruited talented individuals from the industry's leading corporations to strengthen its leadership and expand into new markets in the optoelectronics, wireless and silicon semiconductor industry.

"We were fortunate to attract employees of this caliber. With an average of 20 years in the industry, the Accent team just got even stronger," said Bruce Rhine, President, Chairman and CEO of Accent Optical Technologies, Inc. "Having such experienced players in these key positions will be a great asset to our organization."

Gregory Kaiser is based in Switzerland and is responsible for products serving the global silicon metrology markets. Prior to joining Accent, he held management positions at Obsidian, Inc., Lam Research, Carborundum and Texas Instruments. Kaiser has a B.S. in Ceramic Science and Engineering, with honors, from Pennsylvania State University, holds multiple relevant patents and has authored several publications in his field.

Bruce Crawford, based in Mountain View, California, will head up worldwide operations. His responsibilities will include materials, outsourcing, facilities, service and manufacturing. Previously, Crawford served as Vice President of Operations at Obsidian, Inc., a semiconductor capital equipment company; Vice President of Manufacturing at Asyst Technologies, a provider of integrated automation solutions for the semiconductor industry; and in various senior management positions at LSI Logic and Seagate Technology.

Mark Thierfelder, Vice President Business Development and General Counsel, will be based in Bend, Oregon and New York City. He is responsible for intellectual property, legal affairs, business development, and mergers and acquisitions. Thierfelder is also a partner in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group at O'Melveny & Myers LLP in New York City. Since joining O'Melveny in 1992, he has represented companies, financial institutions, private investors and other clients in complex merger, acquisition and financing transactions, as well as general corporate matters. Thierfelder holds an A.B. in Political Science from Duke University and a J.D. with Honors from Rutgers School of Law.

Accent Optical Technologies, Inc. (www.accentopto.com) is a leading supplier of optoelectronic and silicon process control systems. The company's legacy dates backs over 300 years to its optical instrument manufacturing roots in York, England. It serves leading manufacturers of laser diodes,VCSELs, HBTs and high electron mobility transistors and supplies optical CD measurement, thin film characterization and optical lithography feedback control systems to leading silicon device manufacturers. Accent Optical Technologies, Inc. a privately held company headquartered in Bend, Oregon, operates in 19 countries with more than 250 employees, including over 70 technologists.

Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this news release include forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These include statements relating to our ability to reach our expansion goals and penetrate markets. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to materially differ from those projected. Our business is subject to several risks, including, but not limited to, the cyclicality in the industries in which we participate, fluctuations in our operating results, rapid technological change and market acceptance of our products, as well as, general market conditions. We assume no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events.