Going Strong for 26 Years Chaparral Communications Founder & CEO Robert Taggart at Top of Field

San Jose, CA – April 3, 2006 – As if bringing affordable satellite television reception to millions of households worldwide weren’t enough, Robert Taggart is also a multiple award-winner and recipient of ten U.S. Patents, six for his innovative antenna and television satellite dish designs. The founder and CEO of Chaparral Communications, a leading provider of products used in commercial and residential satellite reception systems worldwide, has contributed to the history of small satellite TV dish development like none other.

“Time has gone by so quickly. When James Janky and I first presented our idea at a conference in 1970 several people laughed because they did not believe it would work,” said Robert Taggart, CEO of San Jose-based Chaparral Communications. “It still amazes me that what we started at Stanford in the 1960’s under the guidance of visionary Professor Bruce Lusignan has influenced this market in such a historic and significant way. We showed that it was feasible.”

Over the past 26 years, Taggart and Chaparral Communications have been commended for the development of many innovative satellite television products and their impact on the world. In 1984, he received a Satellite Television Pioneer Award from the Satellite Television Trade Association. Chaparral has also received accolades for consistently delivering superior customer service to clients worldwide.

“The identification of your innovation as an item of potential utility and value to others beyond the aerospace field is a significant contribution to the benefits accruing to the nation from our national aerospace program. We look forward to publishing the further results of your creative ability,” stated NASA when honoring Taggart. He was later awarded a U.S. Patent for the antenna. Five more patents followed for a host of satellite television products; plus three Patents for inventions at Hewlett-Packard and one for a printer invention at a start-up company named Comprint.

Two of Taggart’s HP inventions were for the tiny magnetic card reader used in the HP 65 hand-held calculator introduced in 1974. His article on this was published in the HP Journal and was later included in Inventions of Opportunity, a book published by HP in 1983 with a forward written by Bill Hewlett who discusses "inventions that represent significant milestones in the technological history of the Hewlett-Packard Company."

Internationally recognized as an industry leader, Taggart has been featured in both national magazines and local business publications. He has been honored with a host of awards, including a recent ADDY® for innovative and multimedia design for an original, nine-minute Chaparral documentary called “Satellite Industry Pioneers.” Available for viewing at www.chaparral.com, the movie chronicles the development of the first-ever small satellite TV dish dating back to the late 1960s when Taggart and James Janky were graduate students at Stanford University. They were the original innovators responsible for making low-cost satellite TV reception possible.

Taggart earned his bachelors and masters degrees in engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. His graduate work was completed at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

Taggart is also involved in professional organizations, including membership with The Executive Committee (TEC), a worldwide organization of chief executive officers. He serves on the advisory boards for both the School of Engineering and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern. He is also on the Advisory Board for the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford.

Taggart, who is originally from New Jersey, met his wife Donna at Stanford; they have been married for 33 years. Their son David, 31, works for Chaparral in marketing, and has been involved in the business since he was five years old and the company was based in Taggart’s garage. David at age five is shown standing next to his Dad in the pioneering video.

To view the nine-minute documentary or for company information, visit www.chaparral.com or call 408.294.2900.

Chaparral Communications, Inc.

Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Chaparral Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of products used in commercial and residential satellite reception systems worldwide. Chaparral was founded in 1980 and is recognized for developing quality products, innovative designs, responsive customer service and leadership in the satellite reception system industry. Chaparral is privately held and products are manufactured in the United States, Mexico, China and Taiwan. For more information, visit www.chaparral.com or call 408.294.2900.