Meridian Systems® Attains Gold Certified Partner Status in Microsoft Partner Program
FOLSOM, Calif. (December 14, 2004) — Meridian Systems, an enterprise solution provider for optimizing the plan, build and operate phases of real estate, construction and other infrastructure programs, announces it has earned the highest level of Microsoft's Partner Program status available for independent software vendors. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training and support, giving them a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
"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," said Allison Watson, vice president of the Worldwide Partner Sales and Marketing Group at Microsoft Corp. "Today, Microsoft recognizes Meridian Systems as a new Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for demonstrating its expertise in providing customer satisfaction with Microsoft products and technology."
Meridian reached the status of Gold Certified Partner for independent software vendors by demonstrating increased levels of developer certification, VeriTest, Inc. certified testing, and by providing completed customer reference projects that were independently verified by Microsoft . In the process of this certification, Meridian achieved competency in Information Worker Productivity Solutions.
Designed to provide additional benefit and support to partners specializing in collaboration, portals and other productivity solutions, the Information Worker Productivity Solutions Competency is utilized by Gold Certified Partners that provide their customers with solutions built on familiar programs that enable them to better manage, prioritize and collaborate on increasing volumes of information. Partners that have obtained the Information Worker Competency can help their customers realize increased service revenues and new market opportunities.
"Partners play a critical role in delivering solutions and applications to customers with the Microsoft Office System," said Jeff Raikes, group vice president of Productivity and Business Services at Microsoft. "The value of Solutions Competencies is that they enable Microsoft to deliver resources and training to partners that are meeting their customer needs. And for partners, the opportunity to highlight their expertise to customers is tremendous in the growing IW solution market."
Through the Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Program, Meridian now has in-depth access to a variety of exclusive resources and early product information. These resources include priority access to a support team of Microsoft certified systems engineers; non-disclosure evaluation of new products and technologies; stronger sales, marketing and partner account management; as well as planning tools and events to maintain currency on the latest Microsoft product developments and their future direction.
"Our continued partnership with Microsoft affords Meridian's customers access to global development, sales and support resources," said Mark Breunig, Meridian senior director of Business Development. "Our partnership with Microsoft and its global partner network of value added resellers and system integrators will substantially increase Meridian's reach into the global Infrastructure Lifecycle Management (ILM) marketplace."
Gold Partner Certification is just a part of Meridian's on-going relationship with Microsoft. Meridian first became a Microsoft partner in 1998 and uses the Microsoft SQL Server as the technology foundation of its flagship project management solution, Prolog® Application Suite. Meridian's newest offering, Proliance®, combines project and program management with facility management to provide a complete infrastructure lifecycle management solution, while offering unparalleled scalability and integration using the Microsoft .NET platform and XML/Web Services technologies. Proliance also holds Microsoft .NET Connected Certification and integrates with Microsoft Office 2003, SQL Server 2003 SP3, SharePoint Portal Servers, and BizTalk 2004 Enterprise Servers. Through independent testing by VeriTest, Proliance recently earned the Microsoft Certification for Windows Server 2003, recognizing Proliance as a solution that is secure, scalable and manageable, and that runs reliably on the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems.
About Meridian Systems
Meridian Systems provides enterprise solutions that optimize the Plan, Build and Operate phases of real estate, construction and other physical infrastructure initiatives. Meridian solutions are used by more than 8,500 of today's large building owners, government agencies, and engineering and construction firms to improve top line revenue growth while reducing their capital construction costs. Meridian uniquely provides both traditional software and hosted ASP solutions, and ranks as a market share leader in project management software among general contractors with over $100 million in revenue*. Meridian has an impressive track record of revenue growth over its 11-year history, and has been repeatedly recognized as a Constructech Hottest Technology company. Meridian is headquartered in Folsom, Calif. For more information, call Meridian at 1-800-850-2660, or go to www.meridiansystems.com.
*Statistics excerpted from CFMA's 2004 Information Technology Survey for the Construction Industry, fourth edition with the permission of the Construction Financial Management Association, Princeton, NJ, 609-452-8000.
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