Foundry Networks completes reorganization of engineering, sales, and marketing management

August 26, 2004

4 Min Read

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Foundry Networks®, Inc. (Nasdaq: FDRY - News) a performance and total solutions leader for end-to-end switching and routing, today announced that it has completed a wide-ranging reorganization of engineering, sales and marketing management, begun in mid-June of this year. The reorganization positions the company to achieve its long-term goals for growing its worldwide enterprise and service provider switching and routing business through quicker time-to-market and increased development into new strategic sectors for Foundry.

Foundry's new organizational structure leverages two solution-driven business units -- one focused on Layer 2/3 switching and routing solutions, and another dedicated to strengthening the company's offerings in Layer 4-7 web switching, load balancing and security. Each business unit will focus on market strategy and the continued development of innovative products with the best performance, availability, scalability and security for critical network infrastructures. In particular, the Layer 4-7 business unit will work to strengthen Foundry's Layer 4-7 position and introduce new product offerings in the network security arena, while the Layer 2/3 business unit will continue to broaden Foundry's market reach and product innovations in high-performance, price-leading switching and routing for all aspects of enterprise, Metro and internet edge applications.

The Layer 2/3 switching and routing solutions business unit will be headed by Ken Cheng, Vice President and General Manager, who joined Foundry in 1998. Mr. Cheng's previous positions at Foundry include Vice President of Software Development, Vice President of Marketing and Vice President/General Manager of the enterprise business unit. Mr. Cheng has more than 20 years of technology industry experience, including a tenure as COO of Digital Generation Systems, Director of Routing R&D at Network Equipment Technologies, and as a member of the technical research staff at Bell Northern Research of Northern Telecom.

The Layer 4-7 networking and security business unit will be headed by Vice President and General Manager Robert Schiff, who joined Foundry in 2003 as Director of Product Marketing. Mr. Schiff has more than 20 years of technology industry experience including tenures at Lantern Communications, FORE Systems (Marconi Corporation plc), Network Equipment Technologies and Nortel.

Chandra Kopparapu, noted author and evangelist on Layer 4-7 networking who joined Foundry in 1999, has been selected to head Foundry's new business unit in India. Foundry recently formed an alliance with leading reseller D-Link to market Foundry's complete line of networking solutions and services to the Indian market.

The reorganization includes the appointment of John Burger as Vice President of Hardware Engineering, where he will lead the design and development of new Foundry network architectures, silicon and systems. Mr. Burger joined Foundry in 1999 as Director of Hardware Engineering. He has more than 25 years of engineering management and technology development experience including tenures with Silicon Graphics and Convergent Technologies.

Benjamin Taft has been appointed to the new post of Vice President of Marketing Communications. Mr. Taft joined Foundry in 1999 as Director of Sales Operations, from Cisco Systems.

Other recent management changes include the appointment of two regional vice presidents within the Americas sales organization, reporting to Woody Akin, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales: Ken Kiser, who joined Foundry in 2002, has been appointed Vice President of Sales for the Mid Atlantic and Northeast U.S. and Canada, and Patrick Ferguson, who joined Foundry in 2001, was appointed Vice President of Sales for the Southeast U.S. and Latin America.

To further strengthen account penetration, Worldwide System Engineering has two new appointed leaders: Mark Danckert has been named Vice President of International Systems Engineering, and Chuck Jones has been named Vice President of Americas Systems Engineering, both reporting to Mr. Akin.

"Foundry remains focused on market and product expansion for long-term growth. This new organization and executive leadership positions us well for the future, allowing more market focus and product innovation. Our financial strength has allowed us to hire and expand both products and markets while remaining profitable. We have already seen tangible benefits from the new organization, with increased customer engagements and quicker time-to-market," said Bobby Johnson, Foundry's Chairman and CEO.

Foundry Networks Inc.

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