Harvard Business School Club Selects Ten Finalists for First Annual Entrepreneur of the Year Award Conference on Feb 18.

Astronet, Bayside Motion, Biztravel, CD Radio, ITXC, RCN Communications, TheStreet.com, Starmedia, Wit Capital, Vantage Custom Classics and make it into the finalist round.

February 9, 1999, New York, NY -- Today the Harvard Business School Club of Greater New York (HBSC/NY) announced the ten finalists in their first annual "Entrepreneur of the Year" award competition. The Entrepreneur of the Year 1998 Award winner, and two semi-finalists will be announced at an exhibition, conference and dinner, at the Plaza Hotel on February 18, 1999. Greg Maffei, CFO of Microsoft will be the keynote speaker. Harvard Business School Professor Myra Hart, one of the original founders of Staples, will also address the audience.

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The finalists in attendance are as follows:

Ms. Eugenie Diserio Founder Astronet Mr. Avi Telyas Co-founder Bayside Motion Group Mr. John Williams President Biztravel.com Mr. David Margolese Chairman and CEO CD Radio, Inc. Ms. Mary Evslin Co-founder IXTC Mr. David McCourt Chairman and CEO RCN Communications Mr. Fernando Espuelas Chairman and CEO Starmedia Mr. James Cramer Co-founder TheStreet.com, Inc Mr. Robert Lessin Chairman and CEO Wit Capital Corporation Mr. Ira Neaman President Vantage Custom Classics

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HBSC/NY received hundreds of applications for the award spanning the types of business concentrated in the tri-state area: internet/new media, telecommunications, manufacturing, health care, professional/business services and entertainment. Applicants did not have to be Harvard alumni to qualify.

"The HBSC/NY Entrepreneur of the Year award competition differs from other similar programs through its linkage to the world’s foremost business school which fosters its objectivity; we are not tied to a specific publication or trade group." says Al Sharif, President of Globe Trends, Inc. and HBSC/NY. "We received many applications from impressive entrepreneurs in the tri-state area and were able to identify ten outstanding finalists."

"This award conference is pioneering because it extends the Harvard Business School’s commitment to entrepreneurship and education into the tri-state business community", said Ron Gerber, President of Gerber & Company, LLC, Executive Vice President of HBSCNY and Event Chairperson. "Together with vice-chairpersons Debra Sito and Suzanna DeBaca, we endeavored to bring together entrepreneurial stars with the venture capital and corporate communities. In addition to tremendous learning opportunities, we believe that many business relationships will emerge as a direct result of the event."

The HBSCNY has also recognized five entrepreneurs as "Early Stage Honor Roll" recipients. By virtue of the age of the companies they are running, these young entrepreneurs do not have the same track record of accomplishments as the ten finalists, but nonetheless exhibit a strong sense of entrepreneurial spirit, vision and execution. The early stage honor roll entrepreneurs are:

Mr. Ari Sonesh President and CEO CosmoCom Mr. Jeremy Kagan President and CEO EZCD.com Ms. Cynthia Ekberg Tsai Chairman and CEO Healthquest I, LLC Ms. Debra Larsen Co-founder, CEO Techspace Ms. Dena Marei Trakes President Show News

As part of the event, the fifteen entrepreneurs and their companies named above will stage an mini-exhibition for the attendees which include venture capital firms, high level corporate decision makers and the media. After the exhibition, Harvard Business School professors will preside over a session with written case studies about three chosen semi-finalists. Finally, at the awards dinner in the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza, the HBSC/NY Entrepreneur of the Year (1998) will be announced.

Also providing their support and the attendance of their senior executives, are the founding sponsors of the HBSC/NY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards:

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Fleet Financial Group
Morgan Stanley Dean Witter
Heidrick & Struggles, Inc.
Doubleclick

"Our Global Technology Industry Group has a strong interest in furthering entrepreneurship," said Rich Kalenka, partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers. "The right mix of entrepreneurship, capital

and unique products or services typify companies with extraordinary potential - which are an important component of our business. So, we're happy to support this inaugural event, and to celebrate the accomplishments of entrepreneurs."

A number of senior executives from sponsor Fleet Financial Group will be in attendance, including Richard Silverman, Vice Chairman, and Mark Wheeler, President, of Fleet Bank N.A. Ms. Joie Gregor, Managing Partner of the New York City office of sponsor Heidrick & Struggles, Inc. will be in attendance with her colleagues. Kevin O’Connor, Chairman, CEO and Doubleclick founder, will be there as well.

For any further information related to this press release, please contact one of the three event organizers: Ron Gerber at 516-455-4770 or rgerber@gerbercompany.com, Suzanna Debaca at 212-908-9834 or smdeb@aol.com or Debra Sito at 212-647-5724 or dsito@mba1992.hbs.edu

Harvard Business School Club of Greater New York

The Harvard Business School Club of Greater New York (HBSC/NY) is the world's largest HBS Alumni Association - and one of the premier business associations in the New York area. With close to 10,000 HBS alumni in the NYC Metro region, it can call upon the expertise of business leaders across a wide range of fields and functions. The HBSC/NY seeks to further the professional development of its members, affiliates and guests with an extensive array of programs, services and opportunities addressing the major business trends in New York, the United States and the World.