Ektron Achieves Gold Certified Partner Status In Microsoft Partner Program

Ektron Inc., an innovator in Web content management software, today announced it has attained Gold Certified status in the Microsoft Partner Program with competencies in ISV/Software and Business Process and Integration Solutions, recognizing the company's expertise and impact in the technology marketplace. As a Gold Certified Partner, Ektron has demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and proven its ability to meet customers' needs. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training and support, giving them competitive advantages in the marketplace.

Ektron provides Web content management solutions that are affordable for any organization and simple enough for anyone to use, yet offer web design and development professionals all the tools they need to rapidly create, deploy and manage interactive web, intranet and extranet sites in one software platform. With Ektron CMS400.NET, companies can develop richer sites to communicate better with visitors, build community and generate more repeat visits that lead to increased business through their online channels. Ektron CMS400.NET was one of the first content management applications to be designated Microsoft .NET Connected, and its technology uses or integrates with other Microsoft technologies, including Windows Servers, Microsoft Office, SharePoint Portal Server, SQL Server, Visual Studio and ASP.NET 2.0.

"As a software company building on Microsoft technologies, Microsoft certifications are an important part of Ektron's unique selling proposition, and our team has worked hard to increase its status from Certified to Gold Certified," said Ed Rogers, chief operating officer, Ektron. "We committed to Microsoft technologies and the .NET platform long ago and were among the first content management vendors to develop a pure .NET solution. We've stuck with it - leveraging efficiency, security, interoperability and flexibility - to provide our customers with a complete web content management solution, and we're reaping our reward as the demand for native .NET Web applications is sharply rising."

Allison Watson, vice president of the Worldwide Partner Sales and Marketing Group at Microsoft Corp., said, "Customers are looking for partner companies that can bridge the gap between their business demands and technology capabilities. They need to trust in someone that can act as an expert adviser for their long-term strategic technology plans. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners, which have certified expertise and direct training and support from Microsoft, can build a positive customer experience with our technologies. Today, Microsoft recognizes Ektron as a new Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for demonstrating its expertise in providing customer satisfaction with Microsoft products and technology."

To reach Gold Certified status, Ektron had to declare its Microsoft Competencies. Microsoft Competencies are designed to help differentiate a partner's capabilities with specific Microsoft technologies to customers looking for a particular type of solution. Each competency has a unique set of requirements and benefits, formulated to accurately represent the specific skills and services that partners bring to the technology industry.

The Microsoft ISV/Software Solutions Competency recognizes the skill and focus partners bring to a particular solution set. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners that have obtained this competency have a successful record of developing and marketing packed software based on Microsoft technologies.

The Microsoft Business Process and Integration Competency is designed for Microsoft Certified and Gold Certified Partners with proven proficiency in implementing and deploying server-based portals for driving Internet commerce and business applications using Microsoft tools and software. Delivering the high levels of reliability and availability required of business-to-customer websites requires not only great technology but also the competency to plan, deploy, support and migrate those solutions. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners enrolled in this competency have demonstrated knowledge of, and experience with, the deployment of Internet-based solutions and infrastructure using Microsoft tools and software.

"Solutions Competencies are an important way for Microsoft to better enable ISVs to meet customer needs," said Sanjay Parthasarathy, corporate vice president of the Platform Strategy & Partner Group at Microsoft. "They allow ISVs to keep and win customers with their deep knowledge of solutions-based Microsoft platform technologies. Microsoft has a long history of working closely with ISV partners to help deliver compelling solutions and applications to our mutual customers, and the Solutions Competencies are an important step in continuing to enhance vital relationships with ISVs worldwide."

Ted Kummert, corporate vice president of the Business Process and Integration Division at Microsoft added, "Partners play a critical role in delivering solutions to our customers that complement their applications and services. The value of Solutions Competencies is that they allow Microsoft to deliver resources and training to partners, enabling them to better meet the needs of their customers."

The Microsoft Partner Program was launched in December 2003 and represents Microsoft's ongoing commitment to the success of partners worldwide. The program offers a single, integrated partnering framework that recognizes partner expertise, rewards the total impact that partners have in the technology marketplace and delivers more value to help partners' businesses be successful.

About Ektron
Ektron is a market and technology leader in cost-effective Web content management and authoring tools. The company's innovative software solution, Ektron CMS400.NET, gives medium to large organizations all the tools they need to rapidly create, deploy and manage their Web sites, extranets and intranets in a single application. Non-technical users can easily author and publish content, documents, images and forms, while Web masters and developers have the features they need to ensure consistent look-and-feel and optimize site operation. Using Ektron CMS400.NET's advanced registration capabilities, organizations offer their site visitors more personalized, interactive communication that keeps them coming back. Ektron is headquartered in Amherst, N.H., and has more than 15,000 customer implementations worldwide, including Unilever, Intel and Pfizer. For more information, visit www.ektron.com.