Stephen Rizzone Joins Larta Board
October 27, 2003

Larta's Board Selection Committee announced the appointment of Stephen R. Rizzone to the organization's Board of Directors. Rizzone was Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ortel Corporation, a leading developer of optoelectronic components for cable TV networks. Ortel was acquired by Lucent Technologies in March, 2000. The total value of the transaction was over $3 billion.

Since selling Ortel to Lucent, Rizzone has served as chairman, advisor, or investor to a variety of optics, semiconductor and wireless products companies. In several cases, he has assisted investors in selling companies to firms such as Intel and Broadcom.

"We are thrilled to have Steve on our board," said Rohit Shukla, Larta's President and Chief Executive Officer. "His experience running Ortel, and his considerable scientific and business knowledge, as well as his connections to industry leaders and investment professionals will enhance Larta's effectiveness."

Shukla also emphasized that Larta's current board selection efforts were part of an overall evolution of the organization. "Finding the right board members is part of our transition from a primarily publicly-funded institution to more of a service-based organization," explained Shukla.

Ortel is based in Alhambra, California. The company originally targeted defense and intelligence clients but expanded to include cable and telecommunications companies. Ortel has 550 employees, with operations in several U.S. and international locations.

cFour Partners assisted in the selection process, recommending Mr. Rizzone to the Larta Board of Directors. cFour Partners/ITP Worldwide® is an international retained executive search firm providing companies with top-tier, senior-level executive talent.

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