ORANGE, Calif., July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PPOL, Inc.
(OTC Bulletin Board: PPLC) today announced the addition of Robert Brasch, 66,
Naota Hamaguchi, 44, Lowell Hattori, 66, and Yoshikazu Ohashi, 63, to the
Board of Directors of PPOL, Inc. These additions bring the total number of
directors to seven, with a four-member independent majority. This is an
important move that aligns the Company's corporate governance practices into
compliance with national stock exchange guidelines and in general conforms the
Board to best corporate governance practices.
PPOL's Board of Directors
Mr. Robert Brasch has over 30 years of business and banking experience. He
began his career in banking and in 1983 became the founding president and CEO
of World Trade Bank. In 1987 Mr. Brasch founded Pacific Partners, Inc. where
he continues today as its President to identify and develop new business
opportunities for Asian companies in the United States and for American
companies in Asia, particularly focusing on strategic alliances between
Japanese and American companies. Mr. Brasch is a graduate of Columbia
University and is fluent in English, German and Japanese.
Mr. Naota Hamaguchi is Founder, President and CEO of JCI, an international
consulting firm with offices in Tokyo, Japan and Dallas Texas, specializing in
assisting companies conduct business, primarily in Japan and the U.S., and
startups expanding their business on a global business. He has also assisted
15 startups go public in the US and Japan. Prior to forming JCI in July,
1992, he was associated with Price Waterhouse for two years and KPMG Peat
Marwick for eight years in Dallas, Texas where he assisted Japanese companies
doing business in the US. He serves as Board member on various non-profit
organizations dedicated to promoting business and friendship between the US
and Japan. Mr. Hamaguchi received his Masters degree from the University of
Texas in Management and Administrative Sciences and his BBS from Soka
University.
Mr. Lowell Hattori is the Founder and Principle of Hattori & Associates
which provides international trade and business consultation to firms seeking
diversification into overseas markets. Mr. Hattori is a CPA with in depth
knowledge in financial, planning and operational matters gained in his public
accounting and private industry experiences. Mr. Hattori led Fortin
Industries, Inc. into the U.K, France and Tokyo after which Westinghouse
Electric Corporation acquired the company due to its success. Mr. Hattori was
also a Director of the Japanese Practice Unit of Price Waterhouse where his
main function was business development of Japanese companies in the United
States. Mr. Hattori earned an MBA from UCLA and holds a BS degree from
Widener University.
Mr. Nobuo Takada joined Daiwa Securities in 1970 as a staff analyst in the
Research department and has held various positions in research, corporate
finance, trading and information systems at Daiwa Securities offices in Kyoto,
Tokyo, and Geneva, Switzerland. In 1992, Mr. Takada founded Aston Holdings,
an investment firm in Tokyo, Japan. In 1996, Mr. Takada formed Boston
Advisory Services, an investment advisory firm in Tokyo, Japan, where he
currently serves as its CEO. Mr. Takada is the CEO of Leo Global Fund, which
holds approximately 36% of PPOL's common shares. Mr. Takada holds an MBA from
Indiana University and a B.S. in Economics from Doshisha University.
Mr. Yoshihiro Aota has been the President and a director of AJOL since
1994 and is a driving force behind AJOL's membership growth in the Acube
community. Prior to AJOL, Mr. Aota worked for Forval Corporation which is the
majority shareholder in PPOL, Inc. While at Forval Corporation, Mr. Aota
directed Forval's business strategy, PC business and NW business. Prior to
Forval Corporation, Mr. Aota was in charge of business planning and
administration of Katena Corporation, a Japanese Corporation. Mr. Aota holds
a Bachelor of Science degree from Tokyo University.
"We are pleased with the quality of independent board members that have
joined the Company at this important period as we begin execution of our new
growth strategy and prepare to launch our first partnered technology in
Japan," said Nobuo Takada, chairman and chief executive officer. "Messrs.
Brasch, Hamaguchi, Hattori, and Ohashi, bring significant business experience
to PPOL and their support will be key to our future growth."
About PPOL
PPOL, Inc. is a California-based holding company whose primary asset is
AJOL of Tokyo, Japan. AJOL actively promotes the interactions of the members
of organization, Acube, which is sponsored by AJOL through conferences and
speaking engagements conducted by AJOL's President and CEO, Yoshihiro Aota. In
addition, through their own interactions, Acube members spread the word about
MOJICO hardware and drive growth of related services. Many members serve as
MOJICO hardware distributors of Acube and MOJICO hardware and develop
membership businesses featuring interaction and distribution of related
products and services among all members. Through the use of AJOL's MOJICO
hardware, members can network and communicate using hand-written Japanese
characters, including Kanji whose full meaning cannot be adequately
communicated through the present fonts of a computer. Members across Japan use
the service to find other subscribers and to establish interpersonal
relationships, and access other services such as insurance unique to Acube,
mail order purchases, the handling of partner-affiliated services, event
planning, as well as products and services offered under AJOL's Kamome brand.
In April 2004, PPOL announced its new strategy to grow the Company through the
early stage identification of proven and promising low-cost target U.S.- and
European-developed technologies that it can be quickly introduced into Japan
thereby creating a significant lead over competitors. Via PPOL's network in
Japan, software products can be localized and sold with local support provided
either by PPOL staff or its marketing partners.
Certain information contained herein includes information that is forward-
looking. The matters referred to in forward-looking statements may be
affected by the risks and uncertainties involved in the Company's business.
These forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the
cautionary statements contained in the Company's Securities and Exchange
Commission filings. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers are
urged to consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements
and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking
statements. The forward-looking statements included herein are only made as of
the date of this news release, and PPOL undertakes no obligation to publicly
update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or
circumstances, except as required under applicable laws.
Investor Relations Contacts:
Ina McGuinness/Zachary Bryant
zbryant@lhai.com
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates
(310) 691-7100
SOURCE PPOL, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.ppolusa.com
CONTACT:
Ina McGuinness, or Zachary Bryant,
zbryant@lhai.com, both of Lippert-Heilshorn & Associates,
+1-310-691-7100, for PPOL, Inc.
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