AudioEye Announces New Advisory Board Members

TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- AudioEye®, Inc. (OTCQB: AEYE) ("AudioEye" or the "Company"), creator of the Audio Internet™ patented audio browsing and automated publishing technology platform, today announced that Joyce Bender, and Bernie Kossar have joined the Company's Advisory Board.

"We are very excited to welcome Joyce, and Bernie to our Advisory Board," stated Paul Arena, Executive Chairman of AudioEye, Inc.  "These are great names to have associated with us as we grow our business.  Each of these individuals has extensive experience and credibility within their spheres of influence."

Ms. Joyce Bender

Joyce A. Bender is the founder and CEO of Bender Consulting Services, Inc., a firm that recruits and hires people with disabilities in the public and private sectors who are trained in engineering, information technology, finance/accounting, human resources, and general business.  In 2001, Joyce also incorporated Bender Consulting Services of Canada, Inc., a company that focuses on creating competitive employment opportunities for Canadians with disabilities.  Bender Consulting is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA and operates in 19 states in the U.S. and two provinces in Canada. 

Accomplishments

In 2003, Joyce was selected as a Bush Administration New Freedom Initiative Award winner.  Received from Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao, this award was given to those who have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in furthering the employment objectives of President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative.  In 1999, Joyce was selected President Clinton as the President's Award winner.  This is the highest honor awarded by the President of the United States to an American who furthers the employment and empowerment of people with disabilities. 

In 2008, Joyce was selected by the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh as a Tribute to Women Awardee in the Entrepreneur category for her work in empowering women and girls to reach their personal and professional goals.  She was also honored with the Diamond Award from the Pittsburgh Business Times for her leadership style, relationship with employees, and contributions to the community.

Bender Consulting was also the recipient of the 2013 Justice for All (JFA) Corporate Award sponsored by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).  The JFA Corporate Award is given to a business that demonstrates a commitment to promoting the rights of people with disabilities.  In September 2002, Bender Consulting received the Employer of the Year Award from the National Epilepsy Foundation.  The company also received the 1999 Employer of the Year Award from hireAbility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the 1997 Power of Work Award from Goodwill Industries; and was selected as the 1996 Small Employer of the Year by the Pennsylvania Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.  In 2002, Bender Consulting of Canada received the Diversity in the Workplace Award from the Canadian Paraplegic Association of Ontario.

Joyce is the 2007 recipient of ACHIEVA's Sattler Humanitarian Award, the highest honor ACHIEVA bestows.  She also received the 2005 UCP of Pittsburgh's Gertrude Labowitz Lifetime Achievement Award, which is given to an individual or organization in recognition of their outstanding record of enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities.  Joyce has received the 2000 James F. Compton Humanitarian Award for her efforts in improving the quality of life for people with disabilities by removing barriers to employment and creating other employment opportunities.  Additionally, she was named one of Pennsylvania's 50 Best Women in Business in 1998 and was selected as a 1996 Carlow University Woman of Spirit.

Background

Joyce began her career in 1979 as a search consultant, and in 1988 founded Bender and Associates International, Inc., an executive search firm specializing in technology and management search assignments.  In 1985, Joyce had a life-threatening accident due to epilepsy, resulting in a cerebral hemorrhage that required subsequent brain surgery.  Against all odds, Joyce recovered from this accident, which left her with a 60 percent hearing loss in one ear and a realization that she suffered from epilepsy.  As a result of her personal experience, she developed a passion for helping people with disabilities, establishing Bender Consulting Services, Inc. in September 1995 and Bender Consulting Services of Canada, Inc. in October 2001.

Affiliations

Joyce is the immediate past-chair of the board of the American Association of People with Disabilities and the former chair of the national Epilepsy Foundation board of directors.  Joyce is serves on the boards of the 2013 Geneva College Advancement Board, the Epilepsy Foundation of Western and Central Pennsylvania, Variety the Children's Charity of Pittsburgh, and Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania. Additionally, she is on the Board of Advisors for the Homeless Children's Education Fund and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Carlow University. She is the host of "Disability Matters with Joyce Bender", a radio show that airs on www.voice.voiceamerica.com, and speaks throughout the United States and Canada.

Mr. Bernie Kossar

Mr. Kossar, who has extensive senior level business experience, is the founder of Millennium Partners, LLC, an investment partnership.

For the past twenty years Mr. Kossar has been a principal of Millenium Partners, LLC.  From 1988 to 1994, Mr. Kossar was the founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of OW Office Warehouse, which was acquired by the Office Max Division of K-Mart Corporation in 1994.  Previously, he was the founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of HQ Home Quarters, which Mr. Kossar purchased from NYSE-listed W.R. Grace and later sold to Hechinger's.  From 1982 to 1988, Mr. Kossar served as a Senior Vice President in W.R. Grace's retail group, which had eight operating subsidiaries with combined annual sales in excess of $1.5 billion.  During 1981, Mr. Kossar was President and COO of Regal Accessories and Special Advisor to the Chairman and CEO of Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company.  Prior thereto (1978 to 1980), he was President and COO of Vornado, a NYSE-listed company engaged in retail and real estate activities.  From 1965 to 1978, Mr. Kossar was President and COO of Franklin Stores, a NYSE-listed company that operated 278 retail apparel and discount department stores throughout the United States.  He practiced law with the firm of Van Buren, Schreiber & Kaplan from 1960 to 1965.  Mr. Kossar previously served on the Boards of Directors of Natures Elements International, Netmatics, Grace Venture Fund and Cereus Technology Partners.

Mr. Kossar currently serves as a Trustee of Syracuse University, Chairman of the Advisory Board and guest lecturer at the Syracuse University Whitman School of Management, and a member of the Advisory Board at the Syracuse University College of Law.  He is a member of the Board of the Tel-Aviv Foundation - American Committee. 

About AudioEye, Inc.

Incorporated in 2005, AudioEye focuses on working to improve the mobility, usability and accessibility of all Internet-based content through the development, sale, licensing and use of its proprietary accessibility technologies.  The Audio Internet® is a technology that utilizes patented architecture to deliver a fully accessible audio equivalent of a visual or mobile website in a compliant format that can be navigated, utilized, interacted with and transacted from, without the use of a monitor or mouse, by individuals with visual impairments. For individuals with hearing impairments, Audio Internet® provides captioning for websites, and the challenges of reaching those with other impairments are also addressed by the technology platform.

Complete with an ever-growing suite of utilities tailored to the needs of different disabled users, the AudioEye® Audio Internet® Accessibility Platform is a fully scalable cloud-based solution designed and developed to meet the needs and compliance mandates for an ever-growing demographic.

AudioEye's common stock trades on the OTCQB under the symbol "AEYE". Please visit www.audioeye.com for more information.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements contained within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding the Company's expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in the Company's Form 10-K and other reports filed with the SEC. AudioEye, Inc. is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE AudioEye, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.audioeye.com