Concerto and Aspect announce new company.

Concerto Software and Aspect Communications has announced that upon closing of their intended merger as announced on 5 July 2005, the combined company will be named Aspect Software. With this merger, Aspect--known for its quality products, stability, and innovation allowing customer service organizations to maximize their contact center operations--is joining forces with Concerto, the longtime leader in enabling collections, customer service, and sales contact center processes and recognized for its flexibility and collaborative approach. Given the broad market awareness of the Aspect brand, the name Aspect Software was selected to lead the new company's growth in markets around the world.

In addition, the companies have passed several milestones along the path to approval of the transaction. As announced this week, the most recent milestone reached was the termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) antitrust merger review waiting period. The HSR Act prohibits the closing of certain mergers and acquisitions prior to the expiration or termination of any applicable waiting periods. Aspect is finalizing its proxy statement for distribution to shareholders, and the companies anticipate the deal will close in September.

"We are pleased with the progress we are making toward becoming one company and are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for the soon-tobe Aspect Software," said Jim Foy, President and CEO of Concerto Software. "We are assembling an outstanding team and believe the new company will be regarded as proven, focused, and well-poised to both support current customers and meet the industry's growing need for reduced complexity and increased contact center capabilities."

The executive team of the new company, led by Foy, is expected to include individuals from both companies' management teams. Specifically, Gary Barnett, current CEO of Aspect, will be named Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Worldwide Support Services. Barnett is one of the founding engineers at Aspect and was instrumental in the development of the company's first automatic call distributor (ACD). He is a long-time customer advocate, dedicated to ensuring that technology supports each of Aspect's customer's contact center strategies and operational goals.

"Concerto and Aspect coming together truly supports our shared vision of applying technology to help companies transform the way they interact with their customers," said Barnett. "As Aspect Software, we will have great insight into how the contact center has evolved over time, what organizations need today to be competitive, and how to build optimal systems for shaping the future of customer-company interactions."