ArsDigita Taps Ex-Journalist to Fuel Growth of D.C. Healthcare Practice; Healthcare Organizations Realize the Benefits of Developing Web Services in Partnership with ArsDigita.

Business/Technology Editors

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 1, 2000

ArsDigita Corporation, the worldwide leader in software solutions for collaborative commerce, today announced it has named Rich James its Director of Client Services as part of the firm's expansion of its Washington, D.C.-based healthcare division. ArsDigita's flagship product, the ArsDigita Community System (ACS), is an open-source application suite for building and supporting collaborative commerce Web services.

James, who has more than 15 years of journalism and communications experience, will focus on expanding business opportunities in the healthcare sector, in particular pharmaceutical companies and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). James will help current healthcare customers maximize their technology investment, as well as educate prospective customers on the benefits of building Web services in partnership with ArsDigita.

"We're pleased to have Rich join our rapidly expanding healthcare team," said ArsDigita vice president Harry Greenspun, M.D. "His experience in news reporting, academic medicine, and most recently in health care communications makes him a valuable addition to the ArsDigita team."

ArsDigita's healthcare division develops Web services for private and public sector clients which:

-- Support the development of new drugs and medical devices.

-- Build brand loyalty in products.

-- Facilitate collaboration, communication, and education among healthcare organizations and consumers.

Current ArsDigita healthcare clients include Clinsights, an e-health company focused on providing Internet-based outsourced marketing services to the medical technology industry, and Lifespire.com (http://www.lifespire.com), an interactive care service for the cancer community.

Before joining ArsDigita, James served as a vice president of Matthews Media Group (MMG), of Rockville, Md., a firm that specializes in recruiting participants for clinical trials sponsored by major pharmaceutical companies and NIH. At MMG, James played a key role in generating new business in the pharmaceutical sector and was directly responsible for the success of several clinical trial recruitment campaigns.

Prior to MMG, James spent five years in communications at The George Washington University Medical Center, most recently as director of its public relations office. As director, James was responsible for advertising, publications, community relations and media relations for one of the nation's oldest academic medical centers in the United States.

From 1985-94, James worked as a journalist on Capitol Hill for Potomac Radio, an independent news bureau that provided radio coverage for more than 200 media outlets nationwide. His news reports aired on CBS Radio, National Public Radio, AP Radio, and others.

About ArsDigita

ArsDigita Corporation is the worldwide leader in software solutions for collaborative commerce. Some of the world's largest organizations rely on the ArsDigita Community System (ACS), the company's open-source, freely distributed suite of applications, to drive their online success. Web sites and technologies incorporating the company's software include Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HWP), Siemens, America Online (NYSE:AOL), Oracle Corporation (Nasdaq:ORCL), Away.com and Environmental Defense. Privately held, ArsDigita has grown to seven offices in the United States, Europe and the Far East, with annualized revenues of over $30 million. For further information visit http://arsdigita.com.