FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Jeanne Lazarus Metzger
April, 4 2000	703-524-2549
Richard Kroon Elected Chairman of National Venture Capital Association Board of Directors
ARLINGTON, VA - April 5, 2000 -- The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) today announced that its has elected Richard Kroon as chairman of its board of directors. Kroon, managing partner of the Sprout Group, joined the NVCA board in 1996 and has served as Chairman of NVCA's Political Action Committee. "Rick has been one of the board's consistent contributors during his 4-year tenure as NVCA director and, as chairman of NVCA's VenturePAC, has been a major force in strengthening our voice in Washington," said President Mark Heesen at NVCA's annual meeting in San Francisco. "We are happy that he will play such an important leadership role as we broaden our membership programs to better equip venture capitalists to help portfolio companies." Kroon began working with the Sprout Group in 1977, and has led its growth since 1981. He joined Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette in 1969, serving as a securities analyst for the electrical equipment industry; director of DLJ International, working in the firm's London office; and a member of the firm's Investment Banking Group. Prior to joining DLJ, he worked in the office of the comptroller of the U.S. Department of Defense. "Through its sponsorship of exciting new companies in the Internet, technology, telecommunications, and health industries, the venture capital industry is playing a significant role in a fundamental redefinition of the way the U.S. and world economies work, and in all-important job creation for millions of Americans," said Kroon. "The NVCA is blessed with unprecedented membership, leadership and financial resources at this pivotal time, and is well positioned to continue fostering thoughtful public policy, which is increasingly based on the excellent data-gathering and research undertaken by our organization." Rick currently serves on the board of directors of Quest Education and several private companies. He has previously served on a number of Sprout company boards, including E&B Marine, Foxmeyer, Norand and Revlon. Kroon holds a M.B.A. from Harvard Business School where he was a Baker Scholar, a member of the Century Club and graduated with high distinction. He earned a B.A. from Yale University where he graduated Magna cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and received Corning Travelling Fellowship. The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) represents more than 360 venture capital and private equity firms. NVCA's mission is to foster the understanding of the importance of venture capital to the vitality of the U.S. and global economies, to stimulate the flow of equity capital to emerging growth companies by representing the public policy interests of the venture capital and private equity communities at all levels of government, to maintain high professional standards, facilitate networking opportunities and to provide research data and professional development for its members.