Experienced technology and automotive industry executive appointed to grow division

Seattle (April 1, 2002) - The Cobalt Group, the leading provider of e-business software and services to the automotive retail market, today announced it has named Howard Gardner vice president of professional services. In his new role, Gardner is responsible for growing Cobalt's professional services division, which provides strategic consulting and custom e-business technology solutions to many of the world's largest automotive manufacturers and dealer groups. Gardner reports to Cobalt's executive vice president and chief technology officer Rajan Krishnamurty.

"Howard Gardner is a deeply experienced executive with a wide range of business leadership, customer relationship, software engineering and product management expertise," said John Holt, president and CEO of The Cobalt Group. "Additionally, Howard brings a strong automotive industry background to this very important leadership role at Cobalt. Howard will play a key role in Cobalt's success going forward as we deepen our partnerships with our automotive manufacturer and dealer group clients."

Gardner brings more than 20 years of technology and automotive industry leadership experience to Cobalt including expertise developing and marketing software and Internet products. Prior to joining Cobalt, Gardner served as senior vice president and general manager of Hart Intercivic in Austin, Texas, for two years where he led a division providing enterprise workflow application software. Gardner spent three years at Reynolds & Reynolds as vice president of product management and software development for this $1 billion automotive information management company. Gardner also held executive positions at Spectravision in Richardson, Texas, and SRX, Inc. in Dallas, Texas.

Gardner holds a master of science degree in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University and a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Washington University.