Management track to feature keynote presentations from technology and management experts -- ANSYS, Inc., a global innovator of simulation software and technologies designed to optimize product development processes, plans to introduce a management track during its 2004 International ANSYS Conference, May 24-26. The management track will bring together leading experts from venerable companies in various industries, including biomedical, consumer products and aerospace, to present best practices for leveraging computer modeling, simulation tools and product development processes. Additionally, technology and management experts, Stefan H. Thomke of Harvard Business School and Dr. Jonathan Cagan of Carnegie Mellon University, will open each of the two half-day sessions with keynote addresses that discuss the importance of product innovation and how to avoid mistakes late in the design process. "The management track is designed to offer conference attendees insight into the future of engineering design simulation and analysis directly from experts in the field," said Jim Cashman, president and CEO at ANSYS. "The industry leaders presenting at the 2004 International ANSYS Conference bring a valuable perspective on CAE simulation and how it can help management achieve their business goals." New to the conference this year, the management track offers attendees -- including managers, process-owners and decision-makers -- an opportunity to benchmark their current product development vision and capabilities. Additionally, attendees will learn about effective metrics and measurement systems for simulation return on investment as well as the advantages of ANSYS and how the integration of its solutions offers an unprecedented level of capability. Other benefits of attending the 2004 International ANSYS Conference include the general and technical sessions. During the general session, Jim Cashman, ANSYS president and CEO, will greet conference attendees with a welcome address. Keynote speaker, Brad Butterworth of Team Alinghi, will discuss how the America's Cup winner is using ANSYS' integrated simulation solutions to defend its title in the 2007 competition. In addition, ANSYS will present its Technology Roadmap, the company's successful, ongoing strategy for integrating the power of the entire ANSYS, Inc. family of products into the ultimate engineering simulation solution. Other presenters include Larry Larder, director of engineering services for Herman Miller, Inc.; Jorivaldo Medeiros, technical consultant for PETROBRAS; Bruce Toal, director of marketing and solutions, High Performance Technical Computing Division at Hewlett-Packard Company; Tom Curry, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at LMS International; Shawn Underwood, director of product marketing at Silicon Graphics, Inc. and Paresh Pattani, director of HPC & Workstation Applications at Intel Corporation. The technical sessions portion offers attendees more than 125 industry- focused presentations from professionals in various industries including aerospace, automotive, transportation, biomechanics, civil engineering, CFD, computers, software, consumer products, education, electrical/electronics, machinery, government, MEMS, meshing, power and chemical. Visit www.ansys.com/conf_2004 to learn more about the conference activities. For more information regarding the management tracks or any other sessions at the 2004 International ANSYS Conference, please contact Kelly Wall of ANSYS, Inc. at: kelly.wall@ansys.com or 724.514.3076. Management Track Speakers Stefan H. Thomke, associate professor at Harvard Business School, will discuss how computer modeling and simulation and other new technologies are lifting constraints on product development. Jonathan Cagan, Ph.D., P.E. professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, will discuss how companies can build breakthrough products that merge style and technology. Thomke's presentation, Experimenting Early-and-Often for Breakthrough Results, looks at the experimentation processes involved in creating new products and improving upon existing ones. Drawing from extensive and diversified research in areas such as automotive, aerospace, semicon, banking and chemicals, he will explain software implementation processes that help identify potential problems before design decisions are made and executed. Thomke also will discuss ways to integrate computer simulations into existing innovation systems and how to avoid wasteful mistakes late in the design process, addressing efficient and flexible research & development and the overall value it creates for customers. In his presentation, Organizing for Innovation: Integrating Teams, Technologies and Customer Value, Cagan will provide insight into emerging trends in both consumer and industrial markets and identify the key factors associated with successful product innovation. Offering a unique approach to creating tomorrow's great products, he will discuss the Product Opportunity Gaps that can lead to new markets and explains how to approach products and markets that are not yet clearly defined. Cagan will explain how to build breakthrough products that will reward both customers and creators, bridging the gap from strategic planning and brand management to product development. ANSYS, Inc., founded in 1970, develops and globally markets engineering simulation software and technologies widely used by engineers and designers across a broad spectrum of industries. ANSYS focuses on the development of open and flexible solutions that enable users to analyze designs directly on the desktop, providing a common platform for fast, efficient and cost- conscious product development, from design concept to final-stage testing and validation. Headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, with more than 25 strategic sales locations throughout the world, ANSYS, Inc. employs approximately 550 people and distributes its products through a network of channel partners in 40 countries. Visit www.ansys.com for more information.