AuthenTec (NASDAQ:AUTH), the world's leading provider of smart fingerprint sensors and solutions, announced today that Greg Kerr has joined the Company as Vice President of Software Development. Mr. Kerr was previously Vice President of Engineering with Sonic Solutions, Inc., where he was instrumental in the development of products including Roxio™ Easy Media Creator for the PC and Roxio™ Toast for Apple, as well as software products for the cell phone market. Mr. Kerr will oversee all aspects of AuthenTec’s software development, including touch-powered smart sensor features and the continued expansion of its new TrueSuite™ client applications.

“Greg brings a wealth of software development and leadership to his new role at AuthenTec, and we are excited about the impact he will have as we continue our transition from a component supplier to a complete solutions provider for our customers and end users,” said Scott Moody, AuthenTec Chairman and CEO. “Greg has a proven track record of cultivating innovation while leading large and geographically dispersed teams of engineers and software developers. His teams have been responsible for the creation and launch of several commercially successful products which have become ubiquitous in today’s PCs and mobile devices. We believe that Greg will also bring a discipline and ability to guide our software development processes and functions.”

“AuthenTec is a well respected company with innovative technologies and tremendous potential, and I’m very pleased to join the AuthenTec team as it broadens its focus to that of a complete solutions provider,” said Kerr. “I look forward to leading the software development team at AuthenTec as we continue to add new features and functions to smart sensors and security applications, further accelerating the adoption of AuthenTec products in a variety of new PCs, netbooks, smartphones and other products.”

As VP of Software Development, Mr. Kerr will be responsible for overseeing AuthenTec’s software team and for managing software development lifecycles from concept, through product design and development, quality assurance and release. AuthenTec has the broadest portfolio of silicon fingerprint sensors on the market today, and is expanding its offering to include new smart sensors, software, and client applications that increase Power of Touch™ touch-based functionality while simplifying the user experience.

Mr. Kerr is very familiar with helping companies to grow and expand. He helped Sonic Solutions to grow from less than 100 employees when he joined the company in 2001 to over 1,000 employees, including 400 in his group.

Upon completion of studies at the University of Illinois (Physical Chemistry) in 1990, Mr. Kerr founded his own company in Germany, ASTARTE GmbH. ASTARTE developed the original Toast software for Apple and was eventually sold to Adaptec, Inc.

About AuthenTec

AuthenTec brings multiple touch-powered features including navigation, personalization, convenience and security to nearly 50 million PCs and peripherals, cell phones and other products. The Company’s newest generation of smart sensors, software and TrueSuite™ client applications give users secure one-touch access to their favorite websites, online social networks and digital identity. AuthenTec has the broadest product and patent portfolio in the industry today, and helps enable the Power of Touch^® for millions of people at home, at work or on the move. For more information, visit www.authentec.com or follow us at twitter.com/authentecnews.