Barry Allen and Jonathan Kraft Join CMGI Board of Directors.

Business/Technology Editors

ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 9, 2001

CMGI, Inc. (Nasdaq: CMGI), the Internet operating and development company, today announced that Barry K. Allen and Jonathan A. Kraft have been elected to the company's Board of Directors.

Barry Allen, a longtime telecommunications executive with more than two decades of experience at Baby Bell companies, is President of Allen Enterprises, LLC, a private equity and management company he founded in August 2000. He also is a founding board member and investor in the First Business Bank- Milwaukee; a partner in Investor Properties, Inc., of Indianapolis; an advisor to and investor in Baird Capital Partners, III; and, he has initiated the Allen Investment Group, which focuses on professional ownership of small businesses. Allen's 25-year telecommunications career includes significant operations, marketing, finance and strategic planning experience in a succession of Baby Bell companies, up through and including President of the merged SBC/Ameritech. He spent 11 years, beginning in 1974, with Indiana Bell and joined Wisconsin Bell in 1985. In 1987 he was appointed President and CEO of Ameritech Publishing, Inc., which he left in 1989 after being appointed President and CEO of Wisconsin Bell, Inc. In 1993 he was named President and CEO of Illinois Bell, Inc. Later in 1993, Allen was named President and Chief Operating Officer of Marquette Electronics. He returned to Ameritech in 1995 as senior vice president. In 1997, he was appointed executive vice president and held that position until the completion of the SBC/Ameritech merger in October 1999. He was then appointed President and served in that role until his retirement in July 2000.

Allen received a BA from the University of Kentucky and an MBA, with honors, from Boston University. Allen serves on the board of directors for Harley Davidson, Inc., Cobalt, Inc. and Fiduciary Management, Inc.

"As we continue to implement strategies consistent with our growth as an operating company, CMGI is certain to benefit from the insight and experience found in Barry's background," said CMGI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Wetherell. "In addition to his significant telecommunications career, Barry's background as an investor, financier and supporter of small businesses will be valuable in our dynamic mix of operating companies and venture practice."

Jonathan Kraft is President and Chief Operating Officer of The Kraft Group, a private holding company comprised of companies involved in the paper and packaging industries, sports and entertainment and private equity investing. The Group's holdings include the Rand-Whitney Group, International Forest Products Corporation, the New England Patriots National Football League franchise and Foxboro Stadium. The Kraft Group currently is undertaking the construction of the privately financed stadium, CMGI Field - an investment which represents the largest private investment in a sports facility in the United States. Kraft also is Vice Chairman of the New England Patriots.

Kraft, a graduate of Williams College, received his MBA from Harvard Business School. He serves on the board of directors for several organizations including the New England Israeli Chamber of Commerce, the Massachusetts Sports Council and the Genesis Fund, and he also serves on the board of trustees for the Belmont Hill School. In addition, he is a member of the board of directors of Carmel Container Systems, Ltd., Israel's largest packaging company.

"Jonathan is a leader who keenly understands the role of technology at the junction where business, sports, entertainment and media meet," Wetherell said. "Having seen the implementation of his work with many of our companies, I'm certain that his diverse experience will be invaluable to the CMGI leadership team."

CMGI also announced that Robert J. Ranalli has resigned from the CMGI Board to accommodate outside commitments. "Bob's contributions to CMGI are many and I'm grateful for his thoughtful commitment during key stages of our corporate development," Wetherell said.

About CMGI and @Ventures

CMGI, Inc. (Nasdaq: CMGI) is a diversified Internet operating and development company. CMGI's assets include majority-owned subsidiaries and investments made through its venture capital affiliate, @Ventures. Principal subsidiaries include search-leader AltaVista Company (www.altavista.com), e-auction concern uBid (www.ubid.com) and its fulfillment sibling SalesLink, and interactive marketing company Engage, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENGA). CMGI's corporate headquarters are located in Andover, Massachusetts. For additional information, see http://www.cmgi.com and http://www.ventures.com.