Executive Suite: Doug Spreng to Leave 3Com; Jef Graham to Lead Client Access Business Unit - Company Operations

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, March 8, 1999

After seven years at 3Com, Doug Spreng, senior vice president of 3Com's Client Access business unit, will leave the company on June 1, the start of 3Com's new fiscal year. Effective immediately, leadership of the Client Access business unit -- 3Com's network interface card (NIC), PC card and modem businesses -- will transition to Jef Graham, currently vice president and general manager of the company's Mobile Communications division. Spreng will move to 3Com's executive offices to work on several strategic initiatives, including enhancing 3Com's client access business strategy, overseeing the company's recent entry into the Storage Area Networking market and aiding in the expansion of 3Com's OEM business.

"Under Doug's direction, 3Com's broad range of desktop, server and mobile network interface card business grew fivefold and doubled its worldwide market share position," said Bruce Claflin, 3Com's president and chief operating officer. "Additionally, over the past year, Doug has spearheaded tremendous process improvements in our traditional modem operations and significantly grown our business in both modems and NICs with top-tier PC OEMs. While we understand Doug's desire to explore new opportunities, we will miss his leadership and competitive spirit."

"I'm extremely proud of the team we have built in the Client Access business unit and the results we've achieved over the past seven years," said Spreng. "Given that we have an outstanding successor in Jef Graham, it's now time for me to pursue new challenges and move on to the next phase of my career."

Spreng recruited Jef Graham, a former Hewlett-Packard colleague, to 3Com in 1995 as vice president and general manager of 3Com's PC Card business, and vice president of marketing for the company's NIC business. Jef has over 20 years of experience in global hardware and software product development, systems marketing, and integration services business management for computer and networking companies. Responding to the enormous growth of mobile PCs, Graham and his team leveraged 3Com's networking expertise and renowned manufacturing and distribution capabilities to grow 3Com's worldwide PC card business dramatically.

Today, 3Com commands a leading share of both the worldwide modem and LAN PC card markets. Additionally, the 3Com 56K Cellular-capable Modem PC Card recently won the prestigious Network Computing "Editor's Choice" award while the 3Com Megahertz 56K Global Modem PC Card garnered the "Editor's Choice" award from PC Magazine as well as PC Computing's "Best Award" and "MVP Award." FMI: http://www.3com.com.