Netscape VP departs AOL

A key Netscape executive has quietly left America Online amid numerous high-profile departures from Netscape's top ranks.

Lori Mirek left this summer after a brief tenure as senior vice president and general manager of Netscape Business Solutions for AOL, the company confirmed. Prior to AOL's acquisition of Netscape in March, Mirek was Netscape's senior vice president of marketing.

Mirek left to pursue other opportunities following a "little bit of a reorganization and reallocation of resources" in her division, an AOL representative said today. AOL declined to comment further, but a source close to the company said Mirek was not happy with the position that remained after the reorganization.

Mirek could not be reached for comment.

In the August reorganization, AOL moved Netscape Business Solutions, responsible for sales of Netscape's e-commerce products to AOL partners and other customers, from under the oversight of AOL Interactive Services chief operating officer Mayo Stuntz to that of Netcenter division head Jim Martin. Mirek was not replaced.

Mirek is hardly alone among Netscape executives who have left AOL or scaled back their duties significantly since the acquisition. Just last week, key Netscape executive Barry Ariko said he was stepping down from his role as deputy general manager representing AOL and Netscape in the Sun-AOL alliance, but that he would remain at AOL for the time being.

After acquiring Netscape in March, AOL trumpeted the roles that Mirek, Ariko, Netscape cofounder Marc Andreessen, and Netcenter general manager Mike Homer would play in the new organization. In a statement, AOL said Mirek would have "significant responsibilities in the Interactive Services Group."

Six months later, Mirek is gone, Ariko has given up his position, Marc Andreessen has relinquished his title as AOL's chief technology officer, and Homer has stepped aside as general manager of Netcenter. In addition to these developments, a substantial exodus followed the merger.