Mike Stevens, Former eBay and NBA Marketer, Joins Notara, Pioneer in B-to-B Web-based Collaborative Solutions.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 10, 2000

Mike Stevens, who served as General Manager of eBay's fast-growing sports unit and was also Vice President for Marketing at the NBA, has joined Notara as Chief Marketing Officer.

Stevens has deep Internet experience, first-hand knowledge of brand marketing, and a track record of successful business building - all of which make him an ideal fit for Notara, which is a pioneer in developing and hosting web-based collaborative solutions for consumer brand companies and their licensing, sponsorship, and promotional partners.

Notara's software enables consumer brand companies and their partners to streamline marketing administrative processes, accelerate product speed to market, and improve financial control. Notara's software is already in use at seven major corporations, including Levi's, Gatorade, the two leading NASCAR race teams, and Moon Crescent Studios.

Notara's initial targets will be consumer brands in packaged goods; sports, entertainment, and media; durables; and soft goods categories. Within these categories, marketing activities represent a huge opportunity for Notara. As an example, worldwide consumer brand licensing is worth $150 billion, while worldwide sponsorship fees paid by corporations total $22 billion annually.

While at eBay, Stevens was General Manager for Sports, one of the company's first major business category units. Under Stevens, the unit's revenues grew 490%, as $500 million in sports-related merchandise traded hands among eBay users. He led successful efforts to expand the types and amounts of sports merchandise available for auction. Stevens also made the sports section of the e-bay site easier to use for the consumer.

Before joining eBay, Stevens spent nearly 10 years at the NBA, most recently as Vice President, Marketing Partnerships, of NBA Properties, Inc. There, he led the NBA's more than $300 million corporate sponsorship and media business, overseeing and enhancing the brand equity of NBA, WNBA, and USA basketball properties. During that time, he grew total sponsorship contracts by 333% working extensively with global brand marketers such as Adidas, American Express, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Gatorade, McDonald's, Nike and Reebok. Stevens also served as Director and Group Manager of sponsor programs.

Stevens says that Notara's software would have significantly improved the performance of his group at the NBA: "Coming from the same side of the desk as our clients, I understand the tremendous potential of Notara to improve business performance. Any aggressive marketing organization can use Notara to streamline and optimize complex processes, exert greater financial control, and open the door to new revenue opportunities. Notara represents a new, smarter way of doing business that takes advantage of the Internet; and it is the first software to answer the wish list of the chief marketing officer."

"For Mike Stevens to leave eBay and come here at a time when the financial markets are doubting the viability of b-to-b Internet companies speaks volumes about the early success and potential of Notara," said Jordan M. Harris, Founder and CEO of Notara. "Mike understands the issues our clients face every day and he understands how Internet software can dramatically change how people work together."

Stevens' former boss at the NBA, David Schreff, recently joined Notara as President, bringing 20-plus years of executive and marketing experience to the company. Says Schreff of Stevens: "He is going to help accelerate the already fast-paced momentum we've built at Notara. He identifies with our clients and knows what they need to be successful. That kind of experience is what b-to-b Internet companies need if they are going to generate sustained levels of profitability."

About Notara

Notara is the leading provider of Web-based collaborative solutions for consumer brand companies and their licensing, sponsorship, and marketing partners. Launched in January 2000, Notara is backed by leading venture capital firms including Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, RRE Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, Nassau Capital, Sumitomo Corporation and the UK-based Protege Group. The company has offices in New York, Stratford (CT), Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit and London. For additional information visit www.notara.com