Source: PR Newswire (
click here to go to the source)
 |
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., June 24 (NECC) /PRNewswire/ -- American Computer Experience (ACE) the nation's leading advanced technology education compan for school aged children announced today that John J. Wilczak has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and President effective immediately. Wilczak, who has served the Company since April of 1998 as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors is the founder and former Chairman, CEO and President of MetaCreations Corporation (Nasdaq: MCRE). Co-Founders of ACE, James A. Beach, CEO, and Douglas P. Murphy, President and Chief Camper, will transition to Chairman and Vice Chairman and continue to be integral advisors and members of the Board of Directors. "John brings a deep passion and commitment to children's technology education. Since joining ACE he has continued to sustain and expand his numerous relationships within the technology and financial communities and has demonstrated exceptional leadership and business management skills," said Jim Beach, ACE Co-Founder and Chairman. "In the past 14 months since his involvement with ACE began as Executive Chairman, he has helped build a world-class management team and lead the Company's incredible 300% growth. We are extremely pleased he has committed to leading our Company."
Wilczak has a long involvement and intense commitment to educational initiatives for children. This interest in education and his considerable technology industry experience provides a solid foundation to drive the Company's world wide summer technology camp expansion and the introduction of ACE's Internet Division. ACEplanet.com -- ACE's first on-line distance learning offering and web community environment for kids is expected to commence educational content delivery and other children's and parent's services in July, 1999.
"I am pleased that Jim Beach and Doug Murphy invited me to lead ACE through these exciting times of rapid growth. Their vision of teaching school aged children critical thinking skills through the use of programming concepts delivered in a fun and relaxed university environment works," said Wilczak.
"Because of the ACE team's tireless efforts, our Company is now considered by many, the premier provider of advanced technology summer education programs for young people. Thousands of kids have received important life skills as a result of their involvement in the ACE program," he added.
A graduate of Brown University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Business, Wilczak began is career at the General Electric Company where he performed business and marketing strategy and implementation consulting services for the executive offices. He subsequently joined Touche Ross and Company as senior consultant in business and systems development and then served as the senior marketing executive for a NYSE-listed holding company before leaving to establish HSC Software, MetaCreations Corporation's predecessor.
As founder, CEO and Chairman of MetaCreations Corporation, Wilczak built one of the fastest growing companies in the visual computing software industry. Forbes Magazine identified Wilczak as one of the "30 technology execs to watch," and Fortune Magazine picked MetaCreations one of the 25 "Coolest Companies in the World."
Wilczak serves as a trustee of the University of California, Santa Barbara, Foundation where he has extensive involvement in the engineering, computer sciences and digital arts departments through charitable funding, consultation and by providing adjunct lectures on business strategy development, marketing and entrepreneurship. He also sits on the boards of Renal Technologies, a promising biomedical technology development company and ANTS Software.com, an Internet software technology development company.
For more information about ACE please visit our website --
www.computercamp.com or call Jessica Morrison, VP Corporate Communications at
805-566-6500 ext. 105 (email: Jessica@computercamp.com). For Registration,
Call 800-FUN-4-ACE.
