Rim Semiconductor Company (fka RSMI)

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New Visual Entertainment Strengthens Executive Team with Senior
Level <NVEI.OB>

New Visual Entertainment Strengthens Executive Team with Senior-Level Appointments SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 2001-- Newly Appointed COO, CTO, and CFO Bring More Than 75 Years of Experience to Senior Management Team New Visual Entertainment Inc. (OTCBB:NVEI), a pioneer in the development of proprietary transmission technology, today announced the appointment of several top-level executives to the management team. New Visual Entertainment names Allan Blevins as chief operating officer, Mike Shepperd as chief technology officer, and Tom Sweeney as chief financial officer. Pursuant to New Visual Entertainment's acquisition of New Wheel Technology Inc. and the successful demonstration of its Cu@OCx technology now being brought to market by New Visual Entertainment, New Wheel Technology founder Allan Blevins was named COO of New Visual Entertainment. Having been president of New Wheel Technology since its inception in February of 2000, Blevins brings more than 32 years of experience in the telecommunication, network and telephony industries, and possesses a strong command of design, product management, manufacturing and marketing. Most recently Blevins served as director of new technologies at Arescom, and prior to that, as director of network development for Metricom. Michael Shepperd, also a founder of New Wheel Technology, was named as CTO of New Visual Entertainment. Along with Blevins, he developed the company's flagship Cu@OCx technology and has served as CTO of New Wheel Technology since the company's inception. His more than 24 years in systems design provide him with an acute understanding of telephony and telecommunications product design and manufacturing. Prior to New Wheel Technology, Shepperd owned and operated a consulting firm designing both software and hardware for technology companies. Shepperd and Blevins each hold issued patents in the field of transmission technology, and have both served on the ISDN standards committee for three years. Tom Sweeney joins the organization as CFO from Tatum CFO Partners LLP, where he is a partner. He possesses over 23 years of enterprise and financial management experience, working in "Big 5" public accounting and management consulting. Recently Sweeney served as CFO of Mitchell International, a provider of information software, print publications and business solutions for the insurance and automotive collision repair industries. He was brought on board for his experience forming and managing early stage technology companies. "Allan, Michael, and Tom will prove to be a driving force as we further develop and launch Cu@OCx technology," stated New Visual Entertainment CEO Ray Willenberg Jr. "The addition of such phenomenal technologists and managers, coupled with the unique expertise they each bear, will serve New Visual Entertainment well during this exciting and critical time." Sweeney replaces former CFO Jim Kesaris. Kesaris leaves New Visual Entertainment amicably for an opportunity with San Diego State University, where he will serve as CEO of the institution's $40 million service division. "Jim played an integral role in our growth to date, and we hate to see him go," said Willenberg. "We congratulate him on his new position with SDSU and wish him the best in all of his endeavors." About New Visual Entertainment Inc. New Visual Entertainment is pioneering the development of a proprietary broadband transmission technology with the mission to utilize existing copper telecommunications infrastructure to deliver high data content to the home or office at VDSL or fiber optic transfer rates. Through its New Wheel Technology Inc. subsidiary, New Visual Entertainment is developing this technology, which would allow the bundling of voice, video, and data over existing copper telephone wires, thus potentially eliminating the need for fiber optic cable to the home or office. Its initial development efforts include Very High Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL), and have demonstrated results exceeding industry standards. New Visual Entertainment's common stock is traded on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board under the symbol NVEI. --30--jf/sd* dw/sd CONTACT: New Visual Entertainment, San Diego Rich Wilson (Media contact), 619/692-0333 or John Howell (Investor contact), 619/692-0333 or Fleishman-Hillard for New Visual Entertainment Bridget Stachowski (Media contact), 619/237-7717 Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet with Hyperlinks to your home page. URL: http://www.businesswire.com





Excel - Greg