BEDFORD, Mass., Jan. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Aware, Inc. (Nasdaq: AWRE), a leading technology innovator and software supplier to the telecommunications and biometrics industries, today announced that on January 5, 2011 its Board of Directors had appointed John S. Stafford, Jr. and John S. Stafford, III to the Aware Board of Directors.

Mr. Stafford, Jr. was appointed a Class III Director and will serve on the Board's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Stafford, Jr. had previously been a director of Aware from 1988 to 1998.

Mr. Stafford, III was appointed a Class II Director and will serve on the Board's Compensation Committee.

Earlier today Aware filed a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission announcing the appointments of Mr. Stafford, Jr. and Mr. Stafford, III to its Board of Directors.

On September 24, 2010, Aware announced that it was considering a spin-off of its patent licensing operations. Aware is currently reviewing strategic options with respect to its patent licensing operations, including a potential spin-off.

About Aware

Aware is a leading technology and supplier for the telecommunications and biometrics industries. Aware has pioneered innovations at telecommunications standards-setting organizations for DSL and networking. Telecom equipment vendors and phone companies use Aware's DSL test and diagnostics modules and Dr. DSL^® software to provision and troubleshoot DSL circuits globally. Aware is also a veteran of the biometrics industry, providing biometric and imaging software components used in government systems worldwide since 1992. Aware's interoperable, standard-compliant, field-proven imaging products are used in a number of applications, from border management to criminal justice to medical imaging. Aware is a publicly held company (Nasdaq: AWRE) based in Bedford, Massachusetts. www.aware.com

Safe Harbor Warning

Portions of this release contain certain "forward-looking statements" including, but not limited to, statements regarding the form and timing of any transaction relating to the patent licensing operations. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainty and changes in circumstances, which may cause actual results, performance or actions taken by Aware to differ materially from anticipated results, performance or actions. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature are forward-looking and the words "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "plan," and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Aware wishes to caution you that there are factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results indicated by such statements. General factors include, but are not limited to: our business is subject to rapid technological change; we face intense competition from a wide range of competitors; current economic conditions, including the credit crisis affecting the financial markets; our intellectual property is subject to limited protection; our ability to obtain or enforce patents could be affected by new laws, regulations or rules; and our business may be affected by government regulations. Further, there can be no assurance as to whether Aware will engage in any strategic transaction concerning its patent licensing operations, the form that any such transaction might take, or the timing of any such transaction. Aware 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. We refer you to the documents Aware files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically the section titled Risk Factors in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, the interim reports filed on Form 10-Q for subsequent quarterly periods, and other reports and filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Aware and Dr. DSL are trademarks or registered trademarks of Aware, Inc.
Any other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Aware, Inc.