Business Network Consulting Earns Microsoft® Designation and Nominated for Technology Excellence Award

April 24, 2006 - Business Network Consulting (BNC) recently received the Microsoft Small Business Specialist designation, which is held by only four other Microsoft Gold Certified Partner organizations in the Denver metro area.

“Receiving this new designation will enable us to further reach the small to medium sized business (SMB) market in Colorado,” stated Joe Kelly, founder and president of BNC. “We serve a market segment traditionally underserved by larger IT firms. This designation allows us to focus and identify the needs of the market to further serve our customers.”

To attain this new designation, BNC demonstrated expertise in planning and building solutions for small businesses. The competency-like designation, which is part of the Microsoft® Partner Program, was developed in response to input from customers and partners that expressed a need to build easier connections that enable small-business customers to quickly and easily identify technology partners best suited to support them. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners are the highest level solution partners who have tested and passed Microsoft expertise training. The program helps business identify companies who have proven experience with Microsoft products and solutions.

“Small businesses are looking for partner companies that understand their unique business needs,” said Steve Guggenheimer, vice president of small business for the Small and Midmarket Solutions & Partner Group at Microsoft. “With resources like the Small Business Specialist Community and the partner locator tool on the Microsoft Small Business Center Web site, it will be much easier for Denver’s small businesses to identify local partners that are best able to address their specific needs. We are confident this offering will help BNC reach its full potential by creating more visibility, opportunity and demand in the local small-business segment.”

Additionally, BNC was one of 56 companies nominated for the 6th annual CSIA Apex Awards, one of the largest annual technology award events in the nation.

“The nominated companies represent the leaders of Colorado’s IT market,” said Paul Bauer, chair of the CSIA 2006 Apex Awards and clinical professor, Daniels School at the University of Denver. “It’s important to recognize the achievements made in our state, as well as the people behind the successes. These nominees – as well as the guests – represent the innovation and business success of technology in Colorado,” he said.

“The Colorado technology market continues to intensify, and we are seeing continual proof points that our companies here in Colorado are becoming more and more globally successful,” said Su Hawk, president of CSIA. “The companies who were nominated this year represent a broad spectrum of IT products and services, showing the innovation, intensity and inspiration that embodies why our industry is so strong,” she said.

About BNC
Founded in 1997, Business Network Consulting (BNC) is the largest provider of outsourced computer and network support for small to medium-sized businesses in Colorado. Locally owned and operated, BNC supplements corporate IT departments for special projects with experts to help businesses produce innovative and goal-driven IT solutions. BNC supports over 350 companies equating to over 10,000 systems across the state.