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KT Venture Group--The Corporate Venture Capital Partner of KLA-Tencor--Appoints Advisory Board
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SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 15, 2003-KT Venture Group, LLC, the investment partner of KLA-Tencor Corp. (NASDAQ: KLAC), today announced it has formed an advisory board to augment its efforts in identifying promising start-ups in the semiconductor and related high-technology microelectronics industries. Industry veterans Burt McMurtry, Dean Morton and Peter Wolken have been appointed members of the advisory board.

"We are extremely fortunate to have Burt, Dean and Peter on our team. Their extensive expertise and experience in venture capital (VC) and the semiconductor industry will prove invaluable in our efforts to foster the growth and success of tomorrow's pioneers in high technology," said Robert Lee, general partner and founding member of the KT Venture Group.

Established in late 2000, KT Venture Group employs a unique VC model that leverages its affiliation with KLA-Tencor and combines the benefits of a corporate VC fund with the flexibility and independent decision-making advantages of private VC structures. Adhering to a rigorous and extensive selection process, KT Venture Group is responsible for exploring and investing in early- to mid-stage start-up companies in the semiconductor manufacturing and services sectors, as well as other related emerging microelectronics markets in which KLA-Tencor's technology and expertise in process control and yield management can provide unique value. The fund is actively seeking new investment opportunities to add to its current portfolio.

Advisory Board Members

Burt McMurtry has been a Silicon Valley VC investor since 1969. He co-founded several VC partnerships, including Institutional Venture Associates (IVA) and Technology Venture Investors (TVI). His venture firms have backed such companies as KLA-Tencor, Adaptec, Altera, Compaq, Intuit, Linear Technology Corporation and Microsoft. McMurtry also serves as a trustee of Rice University, Stanford University and the Carnegie Institution of Washington. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Rice University, as well as a master's degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

Dean Morton was executive vice president, chief operating officer and a director of Hewlett-Packard prior to his retirement in 1992. Morton, who recently retired from KLA-Tencor's board of directors, is currently a member of the board of directors of BEA Systems, Inc., Cepheid, The Clorox Company, Pharsight Corporation, and a number of private companies. He is also chairman of the Center for Excellence in Nonprofits, which provides the nonprofit community with in-depth leadership development and continuous improvement programs. Morton earned a bachelor's degree in electronics from Kansas State University and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard University.

Peter Wolken has been a successful venture capitalist for more than 20 years. In 1982, he founded Associated Venture Investors (AVI), which specializes in seed and early-stage investments in high-technology companies positioned for high-growth segments of the information technology market. Wolken also has more than 20 years of experience working in the electronics industry for such firms as RCA, General Electric, Beckman Instruments, Electroglas, and Etec Systems (now an Applied Materials company). He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and a graduate degree in marketing from the American Graduate School for International Management. Wolken currently serves on the board of directors of Extreme Networks, Inc. and LGC Wireless.

About KT Venture Group, LLC: KT Venture Group is the investment partner of KLA-Tencor, a leader of process control and yield management solutions. Headquartered in San Jose, the venture capital group was the first of its kind established by a company within the semiconductor equipment sector. The group combines the private VC-like structure and execution with unique corporate VC benefits.

About KLA-Tencor: KLA-Tencor is the world leader in yield management and process control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing and related industries. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company has sales and service offices around the world. An S&P 500 company, KLA-Tencor is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol KLAC.

Contact:
Meggan Powers
Director Corporate Communications

 

 

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