DALLAS, Nov. 15, 2000 (PRIMEZONE) - (PHOTO AVAILABLE) Veteran media executive Bob Kelly has joined Wieck Photo DataBase, Inc., a cutting-edge Internet media service company, as a regional sales manager, the company announced Wednesday.
Kelly will be responsible for creating new markets and expanding business in the Dallas area for Wieck, a pioneer in delivering high-resolution digital photographs and other files for some of the world's largest companies to an international network of media outlets.
"Bob has the ideal combination of experiences to help us expand our photo, video and text services," company President Jim Wieck said. "He has worked with large news organizations as well as imaging and computer companies.
"On a professional level, I am delighted to have Bob bring his unique expertise to our company," Wieck added. "Bob and I have known each other for more than 20 years, since our days working for United Press International, so I'm equally delighted on a personal level to have him join our operation."
After leaving the news agency, where he served as vice president of communications responsible for UPI's worldwide communications network, Kelly went on to form Media Imaging Technologies (MITC) in the mid-1980s.
MITC designed, manufactured and sold photo-related products such as photograph transmitters, receivers and digital darkrooms, to an international client base of newspapers, wire services, and satellite weather networks. After successfully building its international markets, MITC sold its assets to Sandia Imaging Systems.
Kelly most recently worked for BancTec Corp., an international company that provides technical support for customers of the world's largest computer manufacturers, including Dell and Compaq. Kelly was responsible for a nationwide project to decentralize BancTec's logistics operations.
Kelly is a past member of the American Newspaper Publishers Association Telecommunications Committee and was honored with its "Distinguished Service" award. He attended the University of Cincinnati where he majored in electronic engineering and minored in business.
About Wieck Photo DataBase
Wieck Photo DataBase was founded as a partnership in late 1990 by two United Press International veterans: Jim Wieck and Travis Hughs, who is chairman of the company. They soon enlisted Marge Boatright, also a former executive with the wire service, and Tim Roberts, a former freelance photographer for the company, to help develop the new service.
With the New York Times News Service as its first client, Wieck Photo DataBase began operations in the spring of 1991, distributing analog formatted images to the news service's clients.
Within six months, the company was processing and distributing digital images through a bulletin board system and then moved to Web distribution in the mid-1990s using its unique ImageLink service.
ImageLink allows companies to give the media access to high-resolution photographs without having to produce costly hard-copy press kits.
The Wieck Photo DataBase processes files and then loads them into its database, which is linked to the appropriate Web sites with media-only access. Members of the media have free access to those sites where they can preview files online and download them without charge in a ready-to-publish format. Wieck also designs, manages and maintains corporate media Web sites.
Among Wieck's clients are DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors.
NOTE: A photo is available, in digital form and without charge, from Wieck Photo Database at 972/392-0888 or www.wieckphoto.com, or with the release in the "Today's News" Section of PrimeZone's Website, www.primezone.com.