Partner Press Release
Ingram Micro Supports RosettaNet for Adoption of Common Electronic Business Interfaces; Loans Two Executives to the Industry Group

For Release June 7, 1998

Santa Ana -- Ingram Micro Inc., the world's leading wholesale distributor of technology products and services, today announced its support of RosettaNet, a global initiative to adopt common business interfaces created to advance information technology (IT) supply chain interaction worldwide. Ingram Micro has played a key role in the formation of the group, and is loaning two of its executives to RosettaNet. "Many technology providers have developed their own product standards over time. If we can agree, as an industry, how we describe products and share information, it will result in easier business transactions and increased efficiency in the supply chain," said Jerre L. Stead, chairman and chief executive officer of Ingram Micro Inc. "We look forward to working with our competitors and partners to accomplish this common goal because it will be of great benefit to our resellers and their end-user customers." Ingram Micro is loaning two of its key electronic commerce experts to RosettaNet for two years. Fadi Chehadé, Ingram Micro's vice president, global electronic business, will serve as RosettaNet's chief executive officer. Linda York, Ingram Micro's director of global electronic business, will serve as the group's vice president, operations. Chehadé and York will work out of RosettaNet's newly-established headquarters in Southern California. "The lack of global, open and common electronic business interfaces has hampered the IT industry's ability to truly leverage the efficiencies brought about by the Internet," said Chehadé. "RosettaNet addresses that head-on with a cadre of industry participants committed to make it happen quickly and pervasively."