Tony van Marken Joins Clear Communications' Board of Directors; Former President/CEO of Architel Systems to Help Clear Expand into International Markets

Business Wire, Nov 8, 1999

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 8, 1999--

Clear Communications, a developer and supplier of service assurance solutions for telecommunications carriers, today announced that Tony van Marken, former president and CEO of Architel Systems Corporation, has accepted a seat on Clear's board of directors. Van Marken, a well-known and highly respected figure in the telecommunications industry, will also assist Clear in a consulting capacity, focusing on international market development and global alliance strategy. He is the founder and president of van Marken Consulting, Inc., which provides strategic advice to high-tech growth companies.

"Tony van Marken joins the Clear board at a critical time in our company's development as we broaden our customer base for our telecommunications service assurance software products into the fast-growing wireless carrier as well as new international markets," said Bob Copithorne, president and CEO of Clear. "His experience and expertise in using innovative telecommunications software and solutions to develop new markets, and in building a company's financial and market strengths to turn it into a publicly held industry leader, will be invaluable to Clear as it embarks on its next growth phase."

Van Marken, who also serves as a member of the board of directors of InfoInteractive, Inc., an Internet software firm based in Canada, and of IT Staffing Ltd., an Internet recruiting company, brings an impressive record of achievements to the Clear board. From 1994 through mid-1999, he helped Architel achieve a compound annual growth rate of 85 percent, while transforming the company into a leading supplier of service fulfillment software products to telecommunications service providers worldwide. As president and CEO, he led Architel through its initial public offering in 1996, fielded its successful expansion into the Canadian, U.S., European and Asian markets, and oversaw the acquisition of Accugraph Corporation in 1998. Today, Architel is recognized as an industry leader with more than 40 global telecommunications customers, including the largest and most technologically advanced and creative telecom service providers.

Prior to his tenure at Architel, van Marken was a consultant with Andersen Consulting for six years. During that time, he was a manager in the company's UK-based Telecommunications Industry Group, working with a variety of telecom service providers in Europe, helping them implement business and operational support systems (OSSs). Before this, van Marken worked in the software development field with a number of South African companies. He holds degrees in Computer Science and Economics.

"Clear Communications' well-developed suite of service assurance software applications address the growing need of telecom carriers for new OSSs, enabling them to dramatically expand the variety of services -- including wireless and broadband -- they can offer, while ensuring continually increasing levels of quality and manageability," van Marken said. "Clear is well- positioned as a technology leader to take advantage of multiple market opportunities that promote rapid growth over the next several years."

About Clear Communications

Clear Communications develops and supplies service assurance software solutions that are Year 2000-compliant to ensure network reliability, peak performance and improved efficiency for telecommunications service providers. The company's solutions help telecom customers identify and correct problems before they escalate into major outages. Clear's customer base includes many of the local exchange, interexchange, competitive local exchange and wireless carriers.

Clear's headquarters are located in the Chicago metropolitan area in Lincolnshire, IL. In addition, the company has a network of offices nationwide. For more information on Clear and its products and solutions, call 847-317-2500, or access the company via the Internet at: http://www.clear.com.