Pat's knowledge of the information technology industry will bring a fresh perspective to driving change at Kodak. During her career at Lucent, Russo also served as Chairman of Lucent Venture Partners, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital fund that invested in more than 25 emerging technology companies. Most recently, Russo was named Chairman of the Board of Avaya Inc., one of the largest providers of communications systems for businesses. She joins Kodak on April 16. I believe these assets are equally relevant to the emerging digital imaging industry.
Pictures are the ultimate information form and clearly the most powerful.
I see an exciting opportunity to help accelerate Kodak's execution of its digital strategy and position the company as a leader in the new markets created as imaging and information management technologies converge. Kodak's position as the largest producer of traditional photographic products and services will be the foundation of our efforts to become the leading provider of digital imaging products and services, supporting a host of new ways in which images will enrich commercial transactions. Russo will continue to serve as non-executive Chairman of Avaya. She also serves on the board of Schering Plough Corporation. In 1998 and 1999, Russo was named to Fortune magazine's list of the Fifty Most Powerful Women in American Business.