Avid Emphasizes Customer Advocacy with Addition of Two Key Executives

 

 

 

 

Long-time Avid Users Bring Customer Perspective and Industry Experience to Company's Senior Management Team

TEWKSBURY, MA--(February 28, 2000)--Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID), an international, industry-leading provider of digital editing and finishing tools for information and entertainment applications, announced two new appointments to its senior management team. Rob Kobrin, a long-time Avid customer and internationally recognized motion picture and television editor, will join Avid as the Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing. Mike Rockwell, previously the Chief Architect of Software Engineering at Digidesign, a division of Avid, has been named Chief Technology Officer.

"We are committed to ensuring that our product decisions and directions are in sync with our customers' needs," said David Krall, Avid's President and Chief Operating Officer. "As experienced Avid users with extensive industry exposure, Rob and Mike have the perspective necessary to meet the needs of the customers with whom they so closely identify. This insight and first-hand knowledge of our customers' issues will be invaluable in our quest to provide information and services that will help our customers grow their businesses."

Mr. Kobrin has been a consultant to Avid since 1993 and has worked closely with many different teams at Avid, from engineering to marketing. Most recently, he served as an advisor to Avid's Strategy Team, which was formed in October 1999. In his new role, he will be responsible for defining marketing and customer requirements for all of Avid's professional digital editing and publishing products on all platforms.

With more than 25 years of industry-related experience, Mr. Kobrin is an accomplished editor, writer, director and producer. He has owned two small businesses, a New York production company and LA-based Avid rental business, and has extensive experience in all aspects of post-production. He has cut nine theatrical features and was one of the first beta-testers of the Avid Model One and the Film Composer® system. Mr. Kobrin was also closely involved with the launch and development of Open Media Framework® (OMF®) and has been a long-standing advocate of interoperability and efficient workflow processes.

Mr. Rockwell joined Avid in November 1999 from Digidesign, where he was the Chief Architect for Software Engineering for three years. In this role, he was the technical lead for Digidesign's flagship product, Pro Tools®. As a member of the Marketing and Product Planning Team at Digidesign, he was instrumental in helping double the company?s revenue over the past three years. In his new role at Avid, he will be responsible for determining and shaping the technical strategy across Avid's product lines.

Mr. Rockwell began his career as a freelance recording engineer, working on projects such as "The Wonder Years," "Cadillac Man" and "Cocktail." He was also the founder and president of an independent software business and A/V production company that created a number of software utilities that were licensed to Digidesign. Upon joining Digidesign, Mr. Rockwell held several positions prior to being appointed Chief Architect of Software Engineering, including Director of Application Development and General Manger of the Multi-Media Products Group.

Avid Technology, Inc. is an international, industry-leading provider of digital audio and video tools for information and entertainment applications. The company?s products are used by a variety of customers worldwide including film, television and interactive content producers, TV news broadcasters, corporate communicators, and consumers. For more information, visit Avid's website at www.avid.com