EXHIBIT 99.1






FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                       NEWS
January 10, 2001                                         OTC-VARL

                   VARI-L COMPANY ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT
          OF RICK DUTKIEWICZ AS PERMANENT CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

DENVER, Colorado -- Vari-L Company, Inc. (OTC-VARL), a leading provider of
advanced components for the wireless telecommunications industry, today
announced the appointment of Richard P. Dutkiewicz as permanent chief
financial officer.  Dutkiewicz is scheduled to join Vari-L on January 22,
replacing Kriss Andrews, who has been acting as interim chief financial
officer since August.  Andrews plans to remain with the Company for
several weeks to ensure a smooth transition.

Dutkiewicz has 22 years of diversified financial management, bank,
investment bank and investor relations experience with companies such as
United Technologies, MicroLithics, Tetrad and Coleman Natural Products.
In addition, he is a former audit manager and management computer audit
specialist with KPMG, LLP, although his association with KPMG predates
KPMG's current engagement with Vari-L by 16 years.

"Rick Dutkiewicz brings to Vari-L a wealth of experience that is ideally
suited to his new role at the Company," said Pete Pappas, CEO.  "His
background in microelectronics and particular strengths in financial
management and analysis, cost accounting, auditing, SEC reporting,
investor relations and banking were key to our decision to select him over
several hundred applicants.  We expect him to play an important role on
the senior management team in moving Vari-L forward and building investor
confidence and shareholder value."

Immediately prior to joining Vari-L, Dutkiewicz was vice president of
finance, chief financial officer, treasurer and secretary of Coleman
Natural Products, Inc., a leading domestic supplier of natural beef.
Prior assignments include director of finance and administration with
MicroLithics Corporation, a designer and developer of multilevel
interconnect boards, standard electronic modules and systems used in
defense electronics applications; and various finance and related
positions with medical device manufacturer Tetrad Corporation and
semiconductor maker United Technologies Microelectronics Center, a
division United Technologies Corporation.

Dutkiewicz is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago with a BBA in
Accounting.  He is currently a member of Financial Executives
International (FEI) and the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants.  He is also a member of the board of directors of
CareerLab.com, and is a former treasurer and board member of Evergreen
Mountain School.

Through its headquarters in Denver, Vari-L designs, manufactures and
markets wireless communications components that generate or process radio
frequency (RF) and microwave frequency signals.  Vari-L's patented
products are used in commercial infrastructure equipment (including
cellular/paging/PCS base stations and repeaters, fixed terminal point to
point/multi-point data radios including LMDS/MMDS), consumer subscriber
products (advanced cellular/PCS/satellite handsets, web-enabled smart
phones, 2-way pagers, wireless PDAs, home networking), and
military/aerospace platforms (satellite communications/telemetry, missile
guidance, electronic warfare, electronic countermeasures, battlefield
communications).  Vari-L serves a diverse customer base of the world's
leading technology companies, including Adaptive Broadband, Agilent
Technologies, Digital Microwave, Ericsson, Glenayre Technologies (Wireless
Access), Harris, Hughes, Lockheed Martin, Lucent Technologies, Microwave
Data Systems, Mitsubishi, Motorola, NEC, NeoPoint, Netro, Newbridge
Networks, Nokia, Northrop Grumman, Novatel Wireless, Raytheon, Samsung and
Siemens.

Some of the statements contained in this news release are forward-looking
statements. The accuracy of these statements cannot be guaranteed as they
are subject to a variety of risks, including but not limited to the
success of the products into which the Company's products are integrated,
governmental action relating to wireless communications licensing and
regulation, the accuracy of the Company's internal projections as to the
demand for certain types of technological innovation, competitive products
and pricing, the success of new product development efforts, the timely
release for production and the delivery of products under existing
contracts, the outcome of pending and threatened litigation and regulatory
actions, the success and timeliness of the Company's efforts to restate
its prior financial statements, future economic conditions generally, as
well as other factors.

                                 CONTACTS:

Vari-L Company, Inc.              Pfeiffer Public Relations, Inc.
Pete Pappas, CEO                                     Jay Pfeiffer
303/371-1560                                         303/393-7044
                                               Jay@pfeifferpr.com