New Leadership for Etak; Selmeier Appointed President and COO.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 15, 2001

Etak Inc., a unit of Tele Atlas and the premier provider of digital map databases and real-time traffic information, Monday announced the appointment of Richard J. Selmeier as president and chief operating officer (COO).

Selmeier, who has been instrumental in building several San Francisco Bay Area firms, will be in charge of all North American operations for the wholly owned subsidiary of Tele Atlas N.V. of the Netherlands -- the world leader in digital mapping.

"Etak's real-time capabilities and proprietary technology make this the moment to impact the digital mapping space in a significant way," said Selmeier. "With the strength of Tele Atlas behind us, Etak is well positioned to meet the growing demand in geographic information systems (GIS), fleet management and location-based services, including vehicle navigation, telematics and wireless."

Selmeier, with more than 30 years of marketing, sales and operating management experience, will report to Alain De Taeye, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Tele Atlas. The new COO replaces George Bremser, Jr., interim president and CEO following the acquisition of Etak last year. Bremser, a member of the board for 12 years, remains on the board and continues to provide counsel to executive management.

Prior to joining Etak, Selmeier consulted as vice president/general manager of Decision Support Services and vice president of marketing and business development for CustomerLinx Corp., an interactive customer relationship management (e-CRM) services provider. He has also held key marketing, business development and operating management positions with Procter & Gamble, Foote, Cone and Belding Advertising, American Express Co. and Sandaro Industries, where he served as CEO.

"Dick Selmeier's exceptional operational management skills and proven sales and marketing track record for Fortune 500 firms further strengthens our management team," noted De Taeye. "He brings the right tools to help us break new ground as the provider of intelligent digital maps that enable the development of location-based applications and products."

About Etak, A Unit of Tele Atlas

Etak Inc., with headquarters in Menlo Park, is the premier U.S. provider of high-quality digital maps, real-time traffic information and advanced map technology used in a wide variety of business and consumer applications. In May 2000, Etak became a wholly owned subsidiary of Tele Atlas.

Together, Tele Atlas and Etak comprise the largest digital mapping company in the world with more than 1,200 employees and a digital map database that spans the globe. For more information on Etak or Tele Atlas products and services, visit http://www.etak.com or http://www.teleatlas.com.