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Republican Heavyweight Jumps into the Ring for SpeakOut.com
Rich Galen brings wit, wisdom and political Internet expertise to web venture

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- May 17, 2000 -- Rich Galen, who has spent a career at the leading edge of politics, business and international consulting, today joined SpeakOut.com in a wide ranging capacity that will focus on business and product development and original content.

Galen will serve as Vice President for National Affairs for SpeakOut.com, reporting directly to the CEO and responsible for political and media strategy for the non-partisan Internet activism portal. In addition, Galen will help to guide the company as it expands its offerings from issues-based news and activism to a broader range of popular culture content.

In the political world, Galen served as press secretary to Dan Quayle when the former Vice President was a Congressman and a U.S. Senator; and to Newt Gingrich when Gingrich was House Republican Whip. Rich was also the executive director of GOPAC, the highly respected Republican training and message organization. Immediately preceding his GOPAC assignment, Rich was a partner in the public affairs firm, The DCS Group, based on Capitol Hill.

In the Internet world, Galen is currently the publisher of Mullings.com, an e-mail and web page political cyber-column which is read by over 225,000 people per month and is widely quoted by political leaders and in print, radio, and television outlets.

Galen’s political experience, writing talents, and visibility on television and in print is expected to have an immediate impact on the activism communities at SpeakOut.com which have been growing in popularity each week since the website was officially launched in February, 2000.

"We are thrilled to have Rich Galen joining our team," said Ron Howard, Chairman and CEO of SpeakOut.com. "With 'Mullings,' Rich has proven to be a true Internet visionary. I have enjoyed his commentary and writing for a long time, and admire the many successes he has enjoyed in the political and business worlds," Howard added.

At SpeakOut, Galen will work alongside Joshua King, a longtime aide in the Clinton White House and Democratic campaign veteran, who has worked in a similar capacity for SpeakOut since its founding.

After moving with his family to Dallas, Texas in 1991, Mr. Galen was brought back to Washington in 1996 to be the Communications Director for the Political Office of Speaker Newt Gingrich. In that role, he had principal responsibility for coordinating the Republican political message among the House and Senate leadership, as well as with outside groups, business leaders, and activists.

Rich also has extensive non-US experience. At the time of the dissolution of the Communist governments in Eastern Europe, he was one of a select number of Americans sent over to help build a political infrastructure. He spent a significant amount of time in Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, and what as then Czechoslovakia.

In 1992, Mr. Galen went to work for Electronic Data Systems as the Director of Marketing for EDS' Centers of Service unit which had an annual turnover of approximately $1.1 Billion. After approximately six months, Mr. Galen was chosen to lead a new organization known as the Emerging Markets Group. In that role, he designed and implemented a plan to help EDS expand its service offerings into new geographic areas in which no business was currently being conducted.

In January 1996, Mr. Galen was asked to return to Washington to join the team which was tasked to design and implement the program which retained Republican control of the House.

In Washington, DC, Mr. Galen is an often quoted source for many of the major American news outlets. He has maintained excellent contacts with all of the networks, major daily newspapers, major news weeklies as well as the Associated Press and Reuters wire services.

Mr. Galen has had articles and op-ed pieces published in most major newspapers and has been a contributing editor to "Campaign and Elections" magazine.

Mr. Galen has been a frequent guest on television shows on CNN, CNBC, and MSNBC. He has also appeared on the "Today" show, on "Good Morning America," on "Nightline" and on "Larry King Live." He has also appeared with Geraldo Rivera, Chris Matthews, Brian Williams, and many others.

Mr. Galen has been married for 28 years. He and his wife, Susan, live in Old Town Alexandria Virginia. They have one son, Reed, who is also involved in politics.

About SpeakOut.com

Based in Washington, DC, SpeakOut.com (www.speakout.com) is a new Internet activism Web site whose primary mission is to enhance the democratic process by enabling citizens access to non-partisan, independent content and providing an effective medium for transmitting their opinions to the decision makers of Washington and beyond.

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