PITTSBURGH -- Laurel Networks(R), Inc. today announced the appointment of Thomas Schmitt to the position of vice president for Europe, Middle East and Africa operations. Mr. Schmitt will lead Laurel's EMEA sales and support groups with offices based in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and the UK.

Mr. Schmitt has nearly 20 years of sales management experience, most recently as the director of business development for Juniper Networks. While at Juniper, he was instrumental in setting up and managing the sales operations for Central and Eastern Europe. Prior to Juniper, Mr. Schmitt held various sales roles at Cisco Systems and StrataCom (acquired by Cisco Systems in 1996).

"With competition heating up in Western Europe and new broadband networks rolling out in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, we see a significant opportunity for Laurel's broadband services routers. Thomas' experience, comprehensive understanding of the EMEA market, and strong relationships in the region make him the ideal leader for our European operation," said Jon Bierman, VP of worldwide sales for Laurel Networks. "In a few short months Thomas has created a top-notch team of sales and systems engineer professionals, expanding our presence from the UK into Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Scandinavia."

Other additions to Laurel Networks' EMEA sales team include: Marco Berkheij, sales director for Northern Europe, and Uwe Wagner, sales engineer. Mr. Berkheij's 20 years of sales experience includes stints at Alcatel and RedBack Networks. Mr. Wagner has over 16 years of experience with firms like Juniper Networks and Cisco Systems.

Laurel Networks Inc.