His previous
experience includes his role as Partner for eBusiness transformation
in the management-consulting unit of Ernst + Young LLP, (acquired by
Capgemini) and as Senior Vice President , Strategy Consulting for
Mainspring, Inc. Between retail store, online, and
catalog channels, our customers are under immense pressure to compete
in crowded markets.com

retailers goods

GERS Retail Systems Announces New President + Chief Executive Officer; Industry leader tapped to head up leading provider of software for consumer-centric reta

"
"We are extremely excited that a person of Stewart Bloom's stature
and experience has joined GERS as CEO," said Dr. Romesh Wadhwani,
Chairman and CEO of Symphony Technology Group, GERS' parent company. By facilitating the real-time flow of
transactions and information across the entire retail organization,
our solutions enable retailers to consistently anticipate, understand,
and fulfill their customers' expectations for products that are
priced , located, and timed to provide the optimal shopping experience.
Manufacturers who recently signed with Transora include,
Constellation Brands, Energizer, Hallmark, Kellogg's, Perdue, and Solo
Cup Company."

About Transora

Transora is the leading consumer products community for
eCollaboration .

3 manufacturing

, a leading strategy and solutions consulting firm
with many clients in the consumer goods and retail industries that was
acquired by IBM.gers. Serving as an
integrated extension of a client's sales and marketing team, MarketStar
provides collaborative sell-through solutions for the retail channel . "Our growth confirms that global data
synchronization is on the rise.

manufacturing 3i

"His knowledge of and success in all aspects of retail technology and
solutions will be key to accelerating GERS' growing success with
retailers.marketstar.

business marketing

Business Editors/Software Writers/Retail Writers

SAN DIEGO ----GERS Retail Systems, a
leading provider of enterprise software solutions for consumer-centric
retailing, today announced the hiring of a new President + Chief
Executive Officer to lead the company. Most recently, he held the post
of Vice President, Technology Strategy for Capgemini, a global
professional services consulting company, where he served clients in
the Consumer Product and Retail industry segments."

About MarketStar
MarketStar designs and implements strategically focused retail sales and
marketing solutions for some of the world's leading companies .

3i goods

OGDEN, Utah, A new study conducted by MarketStar
shows that manufacturer sponsored product training activities significantly
impact retail sales associates' brand recommendations and product sales .

Transora Reports Banner Growth and Expanding Manufacturer Customer Base

Transora continues to increase the number of retailers and markets
synchronizing data, which enables its customers to maximize their
investment with Transora. Additionally, Transora's Data Pool
solution operates in a secure environment, certified through the
SysTrust standard. This alleviates an area of concern with our
customers knowing that their product information is securely
synchronized throughout the supply chain. Transora's Data Pool solution is widely recognized as
having the most advanced data synchronization suite, enabling the
elimination of costly data errors, increased supply chain
efficiencies, and the advancement of next-generation technologies.
Transora synchronizes data with retailers in 22 countries and has
offices in Chicago, Brazil, Mexico, France, and the United Kingdom.com

sourcing 3i

Bloom brings several years of experience in the technology,
software, and retail worlds to GERS.
According to Bloom, "GERS has an outstanding set of people and
capabilities, and a long track record in the industry built on a
top-quality customer portfolio.
MarketStar recently surveyed 934 retail storefronts to assess the
effectiveness of consumer electronic manufacturers ' in-store training efforts.
When the retailers were asked which in-store marketing activity had the
most impact on sell-through, 49 percent indicated that product training is the
most important activity that a manufacturer can provide.
MarketStar is part of Omnicom Group, the leading marketing communications
company in the world. Transora will continue to support the
advancement of global data synchronization and offer the most
comprehensive Data Pool solutions available on the market .transora.

marketing 3

Bloom has
joined the company with a focus on increasing GERS' customer value in
the market, expanding the footprint of the company, and setting the
stage for the next generation of growth. For more
information, please visit www.

Contact Information

Ryan Brock
VP, Strategy and Consulting
(917) 304-9822

Editorial Contact:
Tim Kennedy
Director, Corporate Marketing
801. Today, Transora is the Data Pool with the
most connections around the globe.

marketing management

We are intensely focused on maximizing the
shopping experience for their customers while helping to quickly
improve business performance at all levels of their business.

Business Editors

CHICAGO----

Hallmark Cards, Kellogg's, and Solo Cup Company are Among Industry
Leaders Choosing Transora as Their Data Pool Solution

Transora, the industry's leading Data Pool Solution, continues its
substantial growth due , in large part, to the addition of major
consumer product manufacturers to its customer base.

goods strategy

Stewart M."

About GERS Retail Systems

GERS Retail Systems is a leading supplier of software solutions
for consumer-centric retailing.
GERS solutions manage the merchandising life cycle, multi-channel
selling, planning, business intelligence, and supply chain
synchronization to create a great customer experience. In contrast, just 4 percent
indicated that they are no more likely to recommend a manufacturer 's products.com.622.
Companies are choosing Transora's solution due to its unmatched
functionality and continued enhancements, including the
synchronization of core, new product, and price + promotion data for
both manufacturers and retailers.

marketing consulting

Bloom will replace former GERS President and CEO James
Henderson, who led the company for six years during its transformation
into the industry's leading provider of retail software.
Of those surveyed, 86 percent of the store associates and managers said they
are more likely to recommend a manufacturer's products based on in-store
marketing efforts such as product training. In addition, almost
67 percent of retail sales associates indicated that training significantly
increases their own ability to sell the manufacturer's products. "It also shows the
continued need for manufacturers to build their brands through in-store
marketing efforts such as product training.com

Along with these key customer acquisitions, Transora continues to
enjoy a 100% record of customer renewals for data synchronization.

goods business

"These findings show that the recommendation of retail sales associates
for products that require at least a moderate level of consideration and
comparison is a critical factor in the brand purchase decision," said Ryan
Brock, VP of Strategy + Consulting for MarketStar.
For more information about Transora, please visit their Web site at:
www.

business manufacturing

We look forward to Stewart's demonstrated leadership in
taking GERS to the next level in the retail software industry.

Brand Focused Retail Training Shown to Have Significant Influence Over Product and Brand Recommendation

For more information call 1-800-877-8259 or visit
http://www.9716
tikennedy@marketstar.
"We have strong momentum continuing into 2005," said Bob Noe,
Transora's interim CEO. As more manufacturers and retailers
adopt, the CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) community will see a greater
return on investment.