Global Trading Web Association Announces Election of Sandy Kemper as Chairman; Dennis Jones Elected President

For Immediate Release

For More Information, contact:
Sara Thezan
eScout
(816) 448-4811

New leadership marks organization`s aggressive focus on accelerating B2B growth, interoperability, technical and electronic transaction standards

July 23, 2001, San Francisco, Calif. -- The Global Trading Web Association (GTWA), the world`s largest independent membership organization of electronic marketplaces and electronic exchanges, through the action of the Global Trading Web Council today announced the election of Sandy Kemper, founder and CEO of eScout, to the Chairmanship. The Council also elected Dennis Jones, President and COO of Commerce One, as its President.

The GTWA represents the largest independent, electronic trading network of buyers and suppliers in the world. Its 44 members provide electronic trading services for more than 250,000 companies in over 100 countries throughout the world. With systems hosted in 33 countries, including the United States, Asia and Europe, GTWA members offer a variety of trading services such as representation of suppliers to large numbers of buyers, transaction processing services and other logistical and commerce-clearing services.

Newly elected Chairman Kemper commented, "The members of the GTWA constitute the largest and most vigorous electronic trading network in the world. The GTWA currently links electronic markets in more than 100 countries and continues to grow. The future of new economy trading is openness. Our goals will be to drive interoperable standards and trading practices that create inclusion and open the cost, speed and communication advantages of electronic trading to every business in the world -- large or small."

Jones stressed the urgency felt by GTWA members to open their markets to all electronic traders. "Marketplaces have to become a success over the next year," he said. "With the coming of new technologies that improve document flow and as businesses look for ways to tighten supply and distribution channels, the GTWA will provide leadership to the global business-to-business marketplace. While the GTWA began as a Commerce One initiative, the time has come for the organization to stand on its own feet and put the customer first. This means interoperability with other platforms and other ways of conducting market-based electronic trading." Jones went on to say, "A proprietary environment is a dead environment."

Kemper, whose company eScout now includes over 16,000 businesses with more than 60,000 suppliers and buyers, stated, "The GTWA represents the true potential of business-to-business electronic commerce. By connecting trading partners -- big and small, global and local -- across the GTW network of marketplaces, we are leading the way towards ubiquitous e-commerce."

Both Kemper and Jones assert that the focus of their leadership will be on interoperability - creating software, hardware and business solutions that enable members of the GTWA to connect their systems to one another. Jones noted, "When we achieve our goal of full interoperation, a member in Taiwan can accept product orders through a member in the United Kingdom or South Korea, or anywhere we operate. Companies that want to supply their products throughout the world will find the GTWA gives them full exposure and operational effectiveness on a worldwide basis for the cost of a single relationship and a single technology."

In a statement about moving the GTWA forward, Kemper emphasized a commitment to membership growth. "We have opened our organization to marketplaces and trading exchanges throughout the world, regardless of the underlying technology. By adding new members we gain more buyers and suppliers, but more importantly, we gain leverage in the debate over technical standards, trading policy and the adoption of supportive technologies. We will be the organization through which the real trade players in the globalized economy get their say."

Jones added, "Our members have collectively been capitalized at more than $10 billion dollars, almost all of which has been spent on advance hardware, software and infrastructure. We intend to use our collective clout to make sure that the continuing evolution of global trading technology represents the best interests of the buyers and sellers that participate in our marketplaces."

Kemper concluded, "We are entering the second era of expansion in business-to-business electronic commerce. The technologists drove the first era; customers will drive the future. I think it`s fair to say both Dennis and I relish the challenge of transforming the GTWA into an organization dedicated to promoting best practices, interoperability, integrity and informed, educated buyers and suppliers in an efficient, open global market."

About the Global Trading Web Association (GTWA)

The Global Trading Web Association (GTWA) is an independent, non-profit industry membership organization devoted to facilitating the continued growth and promoting the role of business-to-business e-commerce. The GTWA and its consortium of independent merchant sites and electronic exchanges work to accelerate the movement of global Internet trade; and together, they constitute a global network of buyers and suppliers. A leading authority on the issues that influence the forward progress of international B2B e-commerce, the GTWA acts as an industry voice in debates on electronic transaction standards and technical standards affecting exchange-based trading and education, and also is a significant participant in legislation and regulatory processes. For further information on GTWA and its members, contact Michelle Hoeft, 505-955-8485, or mailto:michelle@presencesantafe.com.

About Sandy Kemper

Kemper is founder and chief executive officer of eScout, a leading e-business solutions provider for mainstream companies. Prior to founding eScout, Kemper spent more than 10 years at UMB Bank where he served most recently as Chairman and CEO, as well as President and CEO of UMB Financial Corporation, an $8 billion bank holding company.

A fifth-generation banker, Kemper created eScout to help community and regional banks maintain a central role in the lives of their commercial customers. eScout began in 1998 as a business offering of UMB, but recognizing its potential to stand alone, Kemper obtained $25 million in private funding and established it as an independent entity in February 2000.