CEO Larry Warnock comes to Phurnace from Austin-based software company, Vignette Corp., where he was chief marketing officer. Warnock has more than 23 years of experience in startup and established technology companies.

"The board is extremely pleased to welcome Larry as our new CEO," says Phil Rawlins, member of Phurnace's board of directors. "Larry's experience, energy, and passion made him the right choice."

Warnock holds a B.B.A in Marketing from Texas A&M University and is a guest lecturer at McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, and the Acton Entrepreneurial MBA program of Hardin-Simmons University.

Phurnace is a startup founded in 2007 that manufactures Java management software. The company is currently a resident in the Austin Technology Incubator, a division of the IC2 Institute of the University of Texas at Austin. Phurnace received a seed investment from Lonestar Capital to validate the market and release the first product and has received provisional patents for its technology. Phurnace is seeking additional funding to help it expand.

Phurnace leaders say the company plans to expand marketing and sales as well as extend the product portfolio.