Concerto Software and Aspect Communications Announce Combined Company to Be Named Aspect Software
August 18 2005 - 6:06PM
PR Newswire (US)
Companies Progress Toward Completing Merger WESTFORD, Mass. and SAN
JOSE, Calif., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Concerto
Software(R) and Aspect Communications today announced that upon
closing of their intended merger as announced on 5 July 2005, the
combined company will be named Aspect Software. With this merger,
Aspect -- known for its quality products, stability, and innovation
allowing customer service organizations to maximize their contact
center operations -- is joining forces with Concerto, the long-time
leader in enabling collections, customer service, and sales contact
center processes and recognized for its flexibility and
collaborative approach. Given the broad market awareness of the
Aspect brand, the name Aspect Software was selected to lead the new
company's growth in markets around the world. In addition, the
companies have passed several milestones along the path to approval
of the transaction. As announced this week, the most recent
milestone reached was the termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino
(HSR) antitrust merger review waiting period. The HSR Act prohibits
the closing of certain mergers and acquisitions prior to the
expiration or termination of any applicable waiting periods. Aspect
is finalizing its proxy statement for distribution to shareholders,
and the companies anticipate the deal will close in September. "We
are pleased with the progress we are making toward becoming one
company and are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for
the soon-to-be Aspect Software," said Jim Foy, President and CEO of
Concerto Software. "We are assembling an outstanding team and
believe the new company will be regarded as proven, focused, and
well-poised to both support current customers and meet the
industry's growing need for reduced complexity and increased
contact center capabilities." The executive team of the new
company, led by Foy, is expected to include individuals from both
companies' management teams. Specifically, Gary Barnett, current
CEO of Aspect, will be named Chief Technology Officer and Executive
Vice President of Worldwide Support Services. Barnett is one of the
founding engineers at Aspect and was instrumental in the
development of the company's first automatic call distributor
(ACD). He is a long-time customer advocate; dedicated to ensuring
that technology supports each of Aspect's customer's contact center
strategies and operational goals. "Concerto and Aspect coming
together truly supports our shared vision of applying technology to
help companies transform the way they interact with their
customers," said Barnett. "As Aspect Software, we will have great
insight into how the contact center has evolved over time, what
organizations need today to be competitive, and how to build
optimal systems for shaping the future of customer-company
interactions." For more information on the Concerto/Aspect merger
and how these two companies are forming the world's largest company
solely focused on contact center products and services, visit
http://www.concerto.com/mergerinfo and
http://www.aspect.com/leadership. About Concerto Software Concerto
Software, the founder of the contact center industry, is 100
percent focused on providing proven, innovative products and
services that enable key business processes including customer
service, collections, and sales and telemarketing for in-house and
outsourced contact centers. Each day, companies around the globe
conduct more than 50 million customer interactions using Concerto's
flexible, reliable solutions for automatic call distribution (ACD),
predictive dialing, workforce management, analytics, IVR, and
multi-channel contact. Headquartered in Westford, Mass., Concerto
has operations across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. For
more information, visit http://www.concerto.com/. About Aspect
Communications Aspect Communications Corporation is a leading
provider of contact center solutions and services that enable
businesses to manage and optimize customer communications. Aspect's
global customer base includes more than two-thirds of the Fortune
50 and leading corporations in a range of industries, including
transportation, financial services, insurance, telecommunications,
retail and outsourcing, as well as large government agencies. The
company's leadership is based on two decades of expertise. Aspect
is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with offices in countries
around the world. NOTE: Concerto Software is a registered trademark
of Concerto Software, Inc.; Aspect, the Aspect logo, and the
phrases and marks relating to other Aspect products and services
discussed in this press release constitute one or both of the
following: (1) registered trademarks and/or service marks of Aspect
Communications Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries or (2) intellectual property subject to protection under
common law principles. All other trademarks or tradenames are the
property of their respective owners. Certain statements contained
in this press release, including but not limited to, statements
regarding the consummation and benefits of the pending merger, are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities
and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are made under its safe-harbor
provisions. Such forward- looking statements include risks and
uncertainties; consequently, actual results may differ materially
from those expressed or implied thereby. Factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited
to: failure to satisfy any of the conditions to complete the
merger, including the obtaining of Aspect shareholder approval of
the transaction and obtaining of regulatory approvals; and failure
to complete the merger for any reason. The economic, political, and
other uncertainties caused in the United States and throughout
other regions of the world add to these challenges. Additional
risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those projected are discussed in Aspect's Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2004, and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June
30, 2005, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which reflect management's analysis
only as of the date hereof. Aspect undertakes no obligation to
publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-
looking statements that may be made to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events. Additional Information: Aspect has filed a
proxy statement and other documents regarding the proposed
transaction described in this document with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ
THE PROXY STATEMENT AND SUCH OTHER MATERIALS BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ASPECT AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. A
definitive proxy statement will be sent to shareholders of Aspect
seeking their approval of the transaction. Investors and
shareholders may obtain a free copy of the definitive proxy
statement (when available) and other documents filed by Aspect with
the SEC at the SEC's Web site at http://www.sec.gov/ . In addition
to the proxy statement, Aspect files annual, quarterly, and special
reports, proxy statements, and other information with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors and security holders
may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement and any other
documents filed by Aspect free of charge at the Securities and
Exchange Commission's Web site at http://www.sec.gov/ and directly
from Aspect by directing a request to Aspect Investor Relations at
408-325-2200. Aspect's directors and executive officers may be
deemed, under Securities and Exchange Commission rules, to be
participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Aspect
shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction.
Information about Aspect's directors and officers can be found in
Aspect's Proxy Statements and Annual Reports on Form 10-K filed
with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of
those persons may be obtained by reading the proxy statement and
other documents regarding the proposed transaction. DATASOURCE:
Aspect Communications Corporation CONTACT: Aleassa Schambers of
Concerto Software, +1-630-227-7969, or ; or Jennifer Stroud of
Aspect Communications, +1-615-473-8617, or Web site:
http://www.aspect.com/
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