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 Press ReleaseKiva Systems CEO Mick Mountz Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2008 Award Winner in New EnglandMick Mountz earns recognition for delivering breakthrough efficiency improvements in warehouse automation Woburn, MA - June 26, 2008 -Kiva Systems, a developer of breakthrough picking, sortation and shipping systems for distribution center automation, today announced its founder and CEO Mick Mountz received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2008 Award in the Emerging Business category for the New England region. According to Ernst & Young LLP, the award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic, growing businesses. Mountz was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a gala event at the Westin Boston Waterfront on Tuesday, June 24, 2008. “In 2003, we set out to create a game-changing system that could revolutionize the retail fulfillment supply chain, and I am grateful for the strong validation this prestigious Ernst & Young award provides,” said Mr. Mountz. “For large retail and e-commerce operations, efficient fulfillment is synonymous with competitive advantage, and we are continually energized by the excitement we hear from our customers who report unprecedented productivity, cycle time and order accuracy metrics.” Mountz conceived of Kiva Systems in the early 2000’s while he was working to develop next-generation order fulfillment strategies for Webvan and discovered that no automation solution could provide him with a system that would take the cost of fulfilling orders low enough to make the business model work. In less than five years, Mountz has demonstrated that the Kiva approach can deliver the cost efficiencies that e-commerce demands. The Kiva Mobile Fulfillment System (MFS) has been adopted by a growing installed base of top U.S. retailers and e-commerce companies such as Staples at multiple sites, Zappos.com and Walgreens, the world’s largest split-case order picking operator. In June, the company announced that it had shattered time-to-value benchmarks for automated distribution center system installation as it deployed the Kiva MFS for Zappos.com in just four months from their purchase. Earlier this year Kiva shipped its 1,000th robot, an event that is not only a milestone in the context of commercial robotics, but also validates the technical architecture, scalability and operational effectiveness of this massively-parallel material handling approach. “Ernst & Young is pleased to honor outstanding business leaders such as Kiva Systems founder and CEO Mick Mountz,” said Bryan Pearce, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Partner for New England. “Winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year award build leading businesses and contribute a great deal to the communities around them. Their success helps our area grow stronger.” SponsorsFounded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards are pleased to have the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America as national sponsors. In New England, local sponsors include Boston Magazine, J. Robert Scott, MARSH, Bowne, Curran & Connors, Scherzer International, UK Trade & Investment, ADP, Accounting Management Solutions, and Boston Private Bank & Trust Company. About Kiva SystemsKiva Systems, Inc. uses game-changing automation technology for distribution centers that helps companies simplify operations and reduce costs, while increasing strategic flexibility. Using hundreds of autonomous mobile robots and sophisticated control software, the Kiva Mobile Fulfillment System enables extremely fast cycle times with reduced labor requirements, from receiving to picking to shipping—all without conveyor. The result is a building that is quick and low-cost to set up, inexpensive to operate and easy to change. For more information on Kiva Systems and its solutions, please visit www.kivasystems.com. About Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The YearErnst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award makes a difference through the unique way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries. About Ernst & YoungErnst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 130,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve potential. For more information, please visit www.ey.com. Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited.
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