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Walker Ameriphone Names New President

Walker Ameriphone Names New President

10.15.03 - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Walker Ameriphone, a division of Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT), has named international business and technology executive Carsten Trads as its president, according to Ken Kannappan, CEO of Plantronics.

Walker Ameriphone is the nation's leading manufacturer of products for the hearing loss community. This includes Clarity® Power™ telephones, which use advanced technology to make phone conversations easier to understand for the millions of Americans with mild to moderate hearing loss.

Trads formerly served as president of GN ReSound's North American operation, a manufacturer of hearing aids and audiological measurement equipment. He also acted as a member of the global management group within GN ReSound.

"Carsten is a seasoned global leader who brings highly specific knowledge about the hearing loss population to Walker Ameriphone," said Kannappan. "We anticipate that Carsten will be a catalyst for Walker Ameriphone's future growth as we offer evolving technology that responds to the needs of this burgeoning community. Walker Ameriphone also commends the hard work and leadership of interim president Michael Hartberger, who has successfully guided our company through a period of rapid expansion."

As president, Trads will direct the strategic and financial direction of Walker Ameriphone's global initiatives, overseeing all aspects of the company's daily operations, product development and sales and marketing.

"Carsten brings an exceptional track record of executing strategic sales and marketing plans and driving strong business results," added Kannappan. "We are delighted that he will bring these skills, plus his sound leadership and vision, to Walker Ameriphone."

Trads joined GN Resound in 1994, serving as a senior vice president at its headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. In this position, he was a member of the executive management committee and led the sales and marketing organization.

From 1991 to 1994, Trads was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Dancall Radio, a manufacturer of cell phones and cordless phones with annual revenue of $75 million. The company is now owned by Flextronics, a Singapore-based company producing a wide range of electronics. From 1985 to 1991, Trads held management positions in the distribution and marketing divisions of Bang & Olufsen, a global manufacturer of consumer electronics with annual revenues of $500 million.

"The market for communication equipment for the hearing impaired is rapidly expanding and much of the potential has remained untapped," said Trads. "I think the strength of Walker Ameriphone's patented Clarity Power technologies, combined with the resources of Plantronics, creates a substantial growth opportunity in this industry."

About Walker Ameriphone
Walker Ameriphone, a Division of Plantronics Inc. (NYSE:PLT), is a leading manufacturer of amplified telephone products, delivering telecommunications solutions for the hearing impaired, special needs, handset and test set markets. A frontrunner in amplifying sound, Walker's solutions are found in consumer telephone products and custom applications requiring a superior sound experience. As more people begin to address their hearing needs, Walker will continue to provide effective solutions that are simple and easy to use. The company began in 1969 as a telecommunications manufacturer and was acquired in 1986 by Plantronics, a leading provider of headsets to the business community and consumers worldwide.

About Plantronics
Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) introduced the first lightweight communications headset in 1962 and is recognized as the world leader in communications headsets.

Already the number one supplier of communications headsets in the call center market, Plantronics has expanded into the office, residential, mobile/cellular and computer audio market segments. The publicly held company, headquartered in Santa Cruz, CA, was founded in 1961 and maintains offices in 19 countries with more than 2,200 employees.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the statements above concerning future growth in market opportunities and the success of the Walker Division of Plantronics, Inc. in meeting those market opportunities.

Those statements are based on current information and expectations and there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by any such statements. These risks include, but are not limited to: the overall level of demand for the company's products; the actions of existing and/or new competitors, especially with regard to pricing and promotional programs; continuity of component supply at costs consistent with the company's plans; and the success of the company's new product development efforts. Walker, a Division of Plantronics, Inc., and Plantronics, Inc. disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this release.