NORCROSS, GA, Nov. 29, 1999 (PRIMEZONE) -- Internet Commerce Systems, Inc. (ICS), today announced the election of Dr. Ray A. Goldberg to the Company's Board of Directors. The ICS Board also appointed Richard J. Alt as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Alt has served as the company's president since its founding and will continue to hold that post.
From 1970 to 1997 Dr. Goldberg was the Moffett Professor of Agriculture and Business and head of the Agribusiness Program. Since July 1, 1997, as emeritus professor, he has chaired the Agribusiness Senior Management Seminars at Harvard Business School and currently teaches a course on Agribusiness and Food Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.
Mr. Alt said, "Ray Goldberg has a truly unique understanding of the global food industry. It is to that industry that ICS is bringing dramatically improved efficiencies through Internet-based integration of information from the manufacturer right to the retail store. Dr. Goldberg's perspective on the industry ICS serves will give us an invaluable insights into the present needs and future trends of the food supply chain," Mr. Alt said.
Dr. Goldberg is the author, co-author or editor of 23 books and over 110 articles on positioning firms and institutions in the global value-added food system, and has authored or supervised the development of more than 1,000 case studies on the global food system.
He is coordinator of the Joint Business, Scientific, Public Policy, Consumer Policy Technology Committee of the U.S. Food System which meets annually at Harvard Business School. He is an Honorary Professor at the Royal Agricultural College in England.
His most recent publications involve strategies for private, public, and cooperative managers to position their organization in a changing global food system. He is also conducting research on the revolutions in biology, logistics, packaging and information systems that effect global agribusiness managers.
He has served as a director of more than 40 major agribusiness firms, farm cooperatives and technology firms, and has advised a number of financial institutions on agribusiness investments. He currently serves as a Director of Smithfield Foods, Inc., RDO Farm Equipment Co., Daymon Associates, Veritec and Producers Network.
He was a founder and first president of the International Agribusiness Management Association, and has served as advisor and consultant to numerous government agencies and private firms. He is a member of the Science Advisory Board of the IFT/FDA Research Contract, and is Chairman of the Advisory Panel for a World Bank Guide to Developing Agricultural Markets and Agro-Enterprises.
A native of North Dakota, Dr. Goldberg received his A.B. from Harvard University in 1948, his MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration in 1950 and his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Minnesota in 1952.
About ICS FoodOne
ICS FoodOne enables all participants in the food industry supply chain to communicate and interact in real time using a single system and common language via the Internet. ICS FoodOne is dedicated to increasing speed-to-shelf; building incremental volume through complete electronic retail coverage; and improving efficiencies across the entire supply chain. Currently ICS FoodOne links more than 1,450 retail supermarkets and 300 convenience stores. Headquartered in Norcross, GA, ICS is on the Web at www.icsfoodone.com
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CONTACTS:
Auerbach & Co. Public Relations
Alexander Auerbach
800-871-2583 or auerbach@aapr.com
ICS, Inc.
Richard J. Alt, President/CEO
480-596-9522 or 770-662-8033