Business Services Industry

James Lee Sorenson Receives Entrepreneurial Achievement Award from the University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business

Business Wire, Oct 8, 2003

Business Editors

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2003

James Lee Sorenson, CEO at Sorenson Media(R), was honored by the University of Utah as the first recipient of the David Eccles School of Business Entrepreneurial Achievement Award. Specifically, the award honors alumni for their abilities in demonstrating spirit, achievement and initiative in the creation of a startup enterprise.

"James Lee Sorenson provides a compelling example to our students of the hard work and vision necessary to become an entrepreneur," said Jack Brittain, dean at the David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah. "Mr. Sorenson is deserving of this award and clearly proves that opportunities abound for those willing to pursue them."

"With such a qualified field of alumni from the University of Utah, I am truly grateful to be selected as the first to receive the Entrepreneurial Achievement Award," said Sorenson. "The University of Utah's faculty and facilities provided me an outstanding foundation to learn and develop entrepreneurial skills."

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Sorenson Media is a leading video compression technology company whose innovative encoding and decoding tools have significantly improved the video quality played in both the Apple(R) QuickTime(R) and Macromedia(R) Flash(TM) media players. Additionally, Sorenson Media developed the SVXvideo communications processor, reference designs and software for the first affordable, easy-to-use videophone for the mass market, which is now produced by D-Link.

Recently, Sorenson Media has garnered attention for its innovative video relay service for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Sorenson VRS enables deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to effectively and naturally communicate with the hearing world. Using the Sorenson VP-100(TM) videophone appliance connected to a TV, or a personal computer equipped with a Web camera and Sorenson EnVision(R) SL video relay software or Microsoft(R) NetMeeting(R), both deaf and hard-of-hearing users are able to place calls to family, friends or business associates through an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter. Under Sorenson's leadership, Sorenson Media is experiencing an annual growth rate of more than 600 percent.

In addition to being CEO at Sorenson Media, Sorenson is also vice chair at Sorenson Development Inc., chair of the board at DataChem Laboratories and CEO at Sorenson Medical. He also leads the development of high-image business parks and major mixed-use developments including Rosecrest and Jordanelle Ridge. His latest project is Sorenson Capital, a venture fund that focuses on small to middle-sized, generally underserved markets.

The University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business, recognized Sorenson and his contributions at a luncheon ceremony held on Friday, Sept. 26, 2003, at the David Eccles School of Business.

About David Eccles School of Business

The David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah offers degree programs leading to a bachelor's degree, master's degree, and Ph.D. There are six undergraduate majors in accounting, finance, management, marketing, information systems and business administration. Students earning an MBA may choose one of nine emphases, ranging from finance and financial accounting to entrepreneurship & emerging business. The school awards Ph.D degrees in accounting, finance, management and marketing. The David Eccles School of Business was one of the first business schools to be accredited by the AACSB in 1936. It is one of only 382 business schools in the country that has achieved the highest standard of national accreditation by the AACSB, and it is one of only 391 worldwide.

About the University of Utah

With a rich 151-year history, the University of Utah's mission of teaching, research, and service lives through its people and purposes. From its beautiful campus in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, the university reaches out to its diverse student body from all 29 Utah counties, all 50 states and 102 countries with top-rated academic departments, competitive athletics, wide-ranging cultural offerings and innovative medical programs.

About Sorenson Media

Sorenson Media (www.sorenson.com and www.sorensonvrs.com) is the recognized technology leader in video services, video compression, and video communication to improve the quality of communication over the Internet. The company's products and services include the industry's highest-quality video relay service, award-winning video compression solutions, and the market-leading broadband Internet videophone technology.