[Tn-talk] James Gashel to Work Full-time on Flagship ReadingTechnology

[H. Field]

James Gashel to Work Full-time on Flagship Reading Technology


Named Vice President of Marketing at K-NFB Reading Technology




Baltimore, Maryland (April 9, 2007): The National Federation of the 
Blind
(NFB) announced today that James Gashel, the organization's Executive
Director for Strategic Initiatives, will leave that position in July
following the NFB national convention, while remaining in other 
leadership
roles he holds in the organization.  Effective April 1, Mr. Gashel 
became
Vice President of Marketing of K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc., a 
company
formed by the Federation and inventor Ray Kurzweil to develop and 
market the
Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader and other 
technologies to
assist persons who cannot read print.  The Kurzweil-National 
Federation of
the Blind Reader is the first handheld reading machine for the blind, 
able
to convert words on the printed page into synthesized speech in 
seconds.



Mr. Gashel has served as NFB Executive Director for Strategic 
Initiatives
since May 2004.  In addition to the development of the 
Kurzweil-National
Federation of the Blind Reader, he oversaw the continuing growth of 
the
NFB-NEWSLINE® electronic newspaper service and the Federation's 
Governmental
Affairs and Public Relations offices.  Prior to May 2004, Mr. Gashel 
served
as the Federation's Director of Governmental Affairs for thirty years. 
John
G. Paré Jr., who now serves as NFB Director of Public Relations, will 
fill
Mr. Gashel's current position.  As Director of Public Relations, Mr. 
Paré
has handled the NFB national publicity campaign for the 
Kurzweil-National
Federation of the Blind Reader and represented the NFB on Good Morning
America with Diane Sawyer.  Mr. Paré previously served as NFB Director 
of
Sponsored Technology Programs and was responsible for substantially
expanding the NFB-NEWSLINE® service.  He also worked for over sixteen 
years
in the technology industry, moving from engineer to technical advisor 
and
finally to national sales manager.






"James Gashel has been instrumental in the development of the
Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader since its inception," 
said
Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind.  "From 
a
strategic perspective, it makes sense for him to participate directly 
in the
further development of this technology, and in getting it into the 
hands of
as many blind people as possible.  We will miss seeing Jim around the 
office
here in Baltimore, but he will be continuing the work of advancing
technology for the blind in another capacity.  We are fortunate to 
have so
much talent in the organization that the work he did here will 
continue with
no interruption under John Paré."




"I knew from the moment I was offered the job as Director of 
Governmental
Affairs for the NFB in late 1973 that I was probably starting a 
lifelong
career," said Mr. Gashel.  "My career of working with the blind of 
America
has been wonderful so far, and it is by no means ending, even though 
my job
title and place of employment are changing.  Working on new technology 
that
will improve the lives of blind people is something about which I am 
very
passionate, and I look forward to working directly with Ray Kurzweil 
and his
dedicated team to see that reading technology for the blind continues 
to
improve while at the same time becoming more portable, inexpensive, 
and
user-friendly."



John G. Paré Jr.
Director of Public Relations
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland  21230
Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, ext. 2371
Cell phone:  (410) 913-3912
Fax:  (410) 685-5653
Email:  jpare at nfb.org