Bob Machlin, Former Cascade & Ascend Executive, Joins Catena Networks as President & CEO.

Business Editors

REDWOOD SHORES, Ca.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 18, 2000

World Class Management Team formed to Create the New Access

Architecture for the Converged Public Network

Catena Networks today announced that Bob Machlin, former Vice President of Marketing for Cascade Communications, and more recently, Vice President of Marketing for Ascend Communications, joined as President and Chief Executive Officer.

At Ascend Communications, Machlin helped the company become the worldwide leader in Remote Access, Frame Relay and ATM wide area networking (WAN) solutions for service providers globally. As a key member of the executive management team, he helped grow revenues from $1.2 billion to over $2.4 billion and the company's market value from $4 billion to $24 billion at the time of the Lucent acquisition - the largest telecom equipment merger in history.

Prior to Ascend, Machlin was Vice President of Marketing and an Executive Officer of Cascade Communications, which was the fastest growing company in networking history. Here Machlin helped grow Cascade's market share from near non-existence to the number one position worldwide in frame relay and ATM, overtaking market leader Cisco/Stratacom.

"It is a great honor to join Catena's world class management and development teams," said Bob Machlin. "Now, combining the resources and experience of our top quality investment team with our management and development teams, the company can execute on its vision to create the new access architecture for the converged public network." [Note: see separate announcement on $30.2M second round funding.]

Other members of the Catena executive management team include:

-- Jim Hjartarson - Founder, Senior Vice President of Engineering

and Chief Technology Officer. Prior to Catena, Jim was

Vice-President and General Manager at Cadence Design Systems 

where he co-founded the design center in Ottawa. Prior to

Cadence, Jim spent 16 years at Nortel and Bell Northern Research

in several engineering management positions, including Director

of Director of Global Loop and Access Technology.

-- Dr. Andrew Deczky - Founder, Vice President of Technology and

Chief Scientist. Dr. Deczky has more than 25 years of industry

experience. Prior to Catena, Dr. Deczky spent 2 years at Cadence

Design Systems as Director, Broadband Technology. Prior to

Cadence, Dr. Deczky had a 23-year career at Nortel Networks/BNR,

culminating in the role of Senior Manager, Access Systems

Technology. During his tenure there he pioneered the application

of DSP technology into numerous communications systems.

-- Andy Weirich - Founder and Vice President of System Architecture.

Andy has more than 17 years of industry experience. Before

Catena, Weirich spent 2 years at Cadence Design Systems as

Director, Broadband Product Development. Prior to Cadence,

Weirich spent 15 years at Nortel Networks/BNR, culminating in the

role of Senior Manager, Broadband Data Access Development where

he had responsibility in delivering a variety of telecom systems

from DSP to optical amplifiers for OC48 and OC192 optical

transport systems, DSP-based line peripherals, cable data modems,

and Nortel's 1 Meg modem.

-- Mark Feeley - Founder and Vice President of System Development.

Mark brings with him over 19 years of industry experience. Prior

to Catena, Feeley was of Group Director, Broadband New Business

Opportunities at Cadence Design Systems. He also spent 14 years

at Nortel Networks/BNR including Senior Manager, Network ASIC IC

development where he was responsible for digital, DSP, mixed

signal, analog and RF IC's for a variety of access products,

including SLICs, AFEs, codecs, cable and DSL modems, DSPs,

processors, and RF tuners.

-- Jonathan Boocock - Founder and Vice President of Line Circuit

Development. Jonathan brings over 12 years of industry

experience. Before Catena, Boocock spent 2 years at Cadence

Design Systems as Director, Broadband Product Development, where

he was responsible for an MCNS cable modem and ADSL modems. Prior

to Cadence, Boocock had 10 years experience at Nortel

Networks/BNR, culminating in the role of Senior Manager,

Broadband Access Development where he delivered the World Line

Card (Nortel's highest volume line card) and the Cornerstone

Voice cable telephony product.

-- Rick DeGabrielle - Vice President of Sales. Prior to Catena, Rick

was Vice President of Sales at AccessLan Communications and

Director of Western of Sales for Cascade Communications, the

world leader in Frame Relay and ATM switches (acquired by Ascend

Communications in 1997). He brings over 15 years experience in

the telecommunications industry developing strong customer

relationships with many service providers, including ILECs, IXCs,

CLECs and ISPs.

-- Gary Bolton - Vice President of Product Marketing. Prior to

Catena, Gary was Director of Product Management for Nortel

Networks where he drove market adoption of Nortel's data access

initiatives, including ADSL, G.Lite, 1-Meg Modem, Hybrid Fiber

Coax and integrated voice and data strategies.

-- Jennifer Kaufield is Director of Finance & Administration for

Catena. Prior to joining Catena, Kaufield was Manager of

Financial Services at Placer Dome, a mining company, as well as

an entrepreneur in the computer and retail industries.

Separately, Catena announced a $30 Million second round of financing (see announcement) from a world class investment group, including Morgenthaler Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Chase Capital Partners, Worldview Technology Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, BCE (Bell Canada Enterprises) Capital, and Stanford University.

About Catena

About Catena Networks (www.catenanet.com)

Catena is a venture financed company with headquarters in Redwood Shores, California and an R&D facility in Kanata, Ontario Canada. The company's vision is to create the new access architecture for the converged public network and in the process make broadband access as ubiquitous as plain old telephone service (POTS).