Lyris Ranked One of Fastest Growing Companies in Bay Area

Revenue growth propels email software company into top ranking despite slow economy

Berkeley, CA - 10 October 2003 - Lyris Technologies, an email software and services company, announced today that it was selected by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Top 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. Lyris was one of only six ranked companies reporting greater than 25% profitability.

Countering the downbeat trends confronting most of the technology sector in recent years, Lyris achieved a robust revenue growth rate of 86.5% for the 2000-2002 reporting period. Lyris was ranked #40 for revenue growth, and was one of eight companies profiled in detail in the publication.

Reporter Susan Smith Hendrickson traced Lyris' growth to its reputation for solid reliability. "That reputation attracted the heavy hitters who needed reliability the most: the giant media and publishing companies," wrote Smith Hendrickson. More than 4,000 businesses have chosen Lyris ListManager, the company's best-selling email marketing software.

Declining to take on external investors, company founder and CEO John Buckman grew the company independently while facing off against venture capital-funded competitors. "When the dot-coms began to fizzle," the article notes, "Lyris' competitors were dying out and Lyris was the one offering new and better (and proven) features."

"2003 looks to be another great year for us," reveals Buckman. "Revenue is up again — more than 40% over 2002" and we're maintaining our very solid profitability. The next awards for fastest growing companies ought to see Lyris in an even stronger position than we were this year."

The ranking appeared in the San Francisco Business Times' "2003 Fast 100" special issue published October 3-9.