FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Press Relations
Baxter Planning Systems, Inc.
PR@bybaxter.com
(512) 323-5959 ext. 123
Logistics Veteran Ray Thurston Named Chairman of Baxter Planning
Systems
AUSTIN, TX - (September 26, 2000) - Baxter Planning Systems today announced
the appointment of Ray Thurston as the company's new chairman in conjunction
with his significant financial investment. With four decades of experience,
Thurston is considered one of the leading global authorities on supply chain
management. Baxter Planning Systems is the market leader in Web-based service
parts and logistics planning solutions.
"We anticipate that putting Ray at the helm of the company will skyrocket Baxter
to a new level," says Greg Baxter, president and CEO of Baxter Planning Systems. "Ray's
vision expanded traditional courier services into the supply chain logistics
marketplace that we work in today. His leadership and industry knowledge provide
an incredibly valuable resource and competitive advantage for Baxter."
Delivering results is Thurston's trademark. He began his career at 13 as a
bicycle courier for his father's delivery business. After working through the
ranks, Thurston founded his own same-day air courier company, SonicAir, in
1976. Under Thurston's leadership, SonicAir evolved into a full-service supply
chain logistics company that was acquired by United Parcel Service in 1995.
In 1996 Thurston was named CEO of the UPS Logistics Group. During his tenure
with UPSLG the company more than doubled in revenue, which set the stage for
its current leadership position in the industry.
According to Thurston, "Planning software is off the radar screen for most
supply chain companies and with less than one percent penetration, Baxter has
the opportunity to revolutionize the supply chain management process. I began
working with Greg while I was at SonicAir and he makes his customers look like
heroes. I know that together we will create an environment for companies to
achieve excellence."
Baxter projects that it is not unusual for his company to save customers upwards
of 70 percent of inventory investment, realize hundreds of millions of dollars
in savings and still achieve 2-hour customer service levels of 99 percent.
About Baxter Planning Systems, Inc.
Headquartered in Austin, TX, Baxter Planning Systems pioneered the development
of Web- and ASP-based planning and forecasting solutions for the service parts
logistics industry. The software development and consulting company develops
solutions for the high-tech, aerospace, medical equipment, and automotive markets.
With systems installed in Fortune 500 companies across the United States and
worldwide, Baxter customers regularly achieve extraordinary levels of service
parts inventory optimization. For more information on Baxter, or to access
Prophet via the Internet, visit
www.bybaxter.com.
