SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Atrica Inc., poised to be the leading provider of Optical Ethernet equipment for the $15 billion Metro networking market, today announced that Andy Ludwick, the co-founder of SynOptics Communications and former chief executive officer of Bay Networks, has joined the company's board of directors. Ludwick has more than 20 years of experience in the networking industry and has been integral to the success of several key vendors in the networking space. In 1985, Ludwick co-founded SynOptics Communications, the market leader in the LAN hub business and developer of the technology that enabled high-speed networks to be built on copper twisted pair wiring. "Atrica has emerged as a leader in the Metro market by being first to deliver true, carrier-class Optical Ethernet technology and by building a world-class management and investment team," said Vivek Ragavan, president and CEO of Atrica. "With his experience in the networking and communications industry, Andy Ludwick is an ideal addition to Atrica's board of directors and we look forward to his participation." Atrica Inc.