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.
Currently powering 100 marketplaces and more than 60,000 buyers and sellers,
eScout enables its members to take advantage of a wide range of managed
hardware and software solutions that help maximize the business power of the
Internet. At present, eScout has grown to more than 16,000 member
companies, including 15 percent of the nation`s banks, and is signing an
average of more than 200 new members each week.
Featured in media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, CNNfn, and
National Public Radio, Kemper has been recognized as a leader in B2B
e-commerce. He is a graduate of Northwestern University in Chicago where he
earned his Bachelor of Arts in American History.
About Dennis Jones
A widely recognized information technology visionary and business leader,
Dennis Jones joined Commerce One as chief operating officer and vice
chairman in April of 2001, and was appointed to his current position in
June, 2001. As vice chairman of the board of directors, president, and
chief operating officer of Commerce One, Jones is responsible for the
company`s administrative, engineering, finance, and marketing divisions. He
also oversees strategic accounts, marketplace management, marketplace
services, and strategy consulting.
Prior to joining Commerce One, Jones most recently served as president and
chief executive officer of Accel-KKR, a company that invests in businesses
and helps them leverage their physical and online assets. However, Jones is
best known for his 25 years at FedEx Corporation, culminating in his role as
executive vice president of information technology and chief information
officer.
During his tenure at FedEx, Jones built a world-class technology
organization with more than 5,000 professionals worldwide and an annual
budget approaching $2 billion. Under his guidance, in 1994, FedEx introduced
online package tracking, making it the first major corporation to do
business on the Web. Two years later, Jones led FedEx in another first -
developing the technology to process shipping transactions online.
Under Jones` leadership, FedEx received many honors, including consistent
recognition by ComputerWorld as one of the "Best Places to Work." In
acknowledgement of Jones` lasting contributions to the company, FedEx named
the centerpiece building of its World Technology Center campus in
Collierville, Tenn. "Dennis H. Jones Hall."
Jones currently serves on the board of directors of webMethods, Inc., and
Avantgo. He holds an M.S. in accounting and finance from Memphis State
University and is a certified public accountant with the State of Tennessee.
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