"Masking" out non alpha characters from a string

I am comparing to columns of data from MS Project using Excel. In one column are the resource names for the project tasks. In addition to the names are the designations for % utilized. So the column's data will look like this:
John Jones[15%],Mary Smith, Fred Arguello[240%].

I want to compare this column with another resource names column which will never have utilization values - only the names.

In order to do that I need to "mask" the non alpha characters out of the first string.

Any thoughts on how this can be accomplished?

-denise

That will only get the first one. I could use VBA but if there is a single pass command that would take non alpha and make is a space then I can just put a Trim in front of it.

Thank you for your quick response though!

Maybe Ctrl+H
replace what [
with (nothing)

same for ]

Example:

Cell 1 contains: Mary Jones[85%], Max Smith, John James[125%]
Cell 2 contains: Mary Jones, Max Smith, John James

For purposes of what I am doing, I want Excel to see them as equal.
They would not be equal if any of the names were different.

So, I am looking for a way to pass the Cell 1 data through a filter/mask that will convert anything non-alpha to space then I can put Trim in front of it. (or something comparable)

i.e, Trim(Cell1,"aaaa,aaaa,aaaa")

Similar to the way you define numeric formatting (##.#) etc.

That won't work in an equation....

If(Cell2=Trim(Cell1,"aaaa,aaaa,aaa"),x,y) etc.