Press Release  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, February 21, 2003

Contact: Director of Administration Kate Eckhaus keckhaus@aer.com AER inc. www.aer.com 131 Hartwell Ave Lexington, MA 02421 781/761.2288

Lexington, Massachusetts – With over 27 years experience in Information Technology, the last 16 years in weather information services, Maria A. Pirone joins AER having held management positions in both marketing and technical development. She is actively involved in technology transfer of research to commercial products and services, and has been charged with building new business initiatives to expand AER's presence in new markets.

Ms. Pirone was recently appointed to the Science Steering Committee for the US Weather Research Program (USWRP) and was selected to represent the private sector as a delegate to the US Permanent Representative of the WMO during the 2003 Conference of Women in Meteorology in Geneva. In 2001, she was appointed to a National Academies of Science (NAS) committee reviewing the Public-Private Partnership in support of Weather and Climate Services, she is President of the Commercial Weather Services Association (industry trade association) and Chair of the Private Sector Board for AMS in addition to other industry related committees and boards. In 2000, Ms. Pirone served as Private Sector advisor to the US Permanent Representative (General Kelly) at the 52nd Executive Council session in Geneva. She has been actively engaged in discussions on the Public-Private partnership roles for a more unified global weather community since 1997 having presented at numerous conferences and workshops. Ms. Pirone has B.S. and MBA degrees from Suffolk University.

Founded in 1977, Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER), Inc. is a world-renowned research and development company for cutting-edge technology. AER's expertise ranges from weather and climate prediction to remote sensing, air quality, and risk assessment for a diversity of clients including NASA, NOAA, Department of Energy, and the Hong Kong Government. With top minds in research and industry experts in Energy and Utilities, Finance, and Government, AER's applications have fundamentally impacted the way businesses, researchers, and national governments interpret the Earth around us. In addition to its Lexington, MA headquarters, AER has offices in San Francisco, CA, and Omaha, NE.