"Carl's track record of business performance has been very impressive," said Emmet B. Keeffe III, chief executive officer and co-founder of iRise. "Autodesk has driven the transformation of the design software industry from computer-aided design (CAD) to market-leading 3D digital prototyping tools, which is very much what we're about at iRise. Carl's experience is going to be invaluable as we transform the $500 billion global software industry from paper-based specifications to visual simulations."

"iRise is bringing computer-aided design to business software in the same way that Autodesk first introduced 2D and 3D design software to the world of manufacturing," said Bass. "Already, iRise has made inroads into providing Fortune® 1000 organizations with visual blueprints from which they can build their business applications and speed time to market. I look forward to collaborating with them on their vision."

Prior to his role as CEO, Bass was Autodesk's chief operating officer, responsible for worldwide sales, marketing and product development. Autodesk® products serve the manufacturing, building, construction, infrastructure, and media and entertainment industries. Earlier roles included chief strategy officer and executive vice president of emerging business, chief technology officer and the head of several different business units.

When Autodesk spun off its Buzzsaw division as a separate start-up, Bass left to be its chairman, CEO and president. He returned to Autodesk when Buzzsaw was acquired by the company. Bass co-founded Ithaca Software, the developers of HOOPS® technology, which was acquired by Autodesk in 1993.

Bass also serves on the Board of Directors of Autodesk and has previously served on the boards of Serena Software and PowerLight. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Cornell University.

iRise's Board of Directors consists of Maurice Martin, president, chief operating officer and founder of iRise; Emmet B. Keeffe III, CEO and co-founder of iRise; Peter Chung, executive director of Morgan Stanley Venture Partners; and Brooke Seawell, venture partner at New Enterprise Associates.

About iRise
iRise® is dedicated to bridging the communication gap between customers, business and IT by improving the process of defining software.  Over 100 corporations such as Wachovia, SunTrust Bank, Sprint/Nextel and CompuCredit use the iRise application definition platform to get business and IT on the same page – the first time. Visual, interactive application simulations accelerate the delivery of innovative business applications, cut IT costs and reduce the risks associated with outsourced development.  Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., iRise is backed by Morgan Stanley Venture Partners and has sales offices across North America.

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iRise is a registered trademark of iRise. All other companies and products mentioned are trademarks and property of their respective owners.