Ken Kaplan

KEN KAPLAN has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of
Microware Systems Corporation since he co-founded the software company
in 1977. Microware develops real-time operating system software and
development tools for advanced consumer, communications, and
industrial products. Since that time, Mr. Kaplan has led the evolution
of Microware from a three-person company to a public company employing
more than 175 people with operations around the world. Mr. Kaplan, a
native of Chicago, conceived the idea of Microware while working on a
research project at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. After
attending Drake, he was instrumental in helping major corporations
develop early embedded applications of microprocessors. Mr. Kaplan
developed the first commercial standardized software on low-cost,
read-only-memory (ROM) chips and has positioned Microware as the
leading developer and of system software. Today, Microware’s system
software can be found in everything from medical instrumental and
factory automation systems to consumer electronics products such as
cellular telephones, pagers, Internet-ready televisions and digital
television products. Mr. Kaplan is the recipient of the 1996
Entrepreneur of the Year from Ernst & Young and NASDAQ. He also serves
on the Board of Trustees from Drake University and Buena Vista
University in Storm Lake, Iowa.