IBM today announced the winners of its 10th annual IBM Beacon Awards, recognizing Business Partners for their technical excellence and innovative solutions based on IBM products and services.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

The IBM PartnerWorld Beacon Awards recognize IBM Business Partners for their technical excellence and innovative solutions based on IBM products and services. Beacon winners were selected by leading industry journalists, analysts, and IBM executives for the 21 award areas as leaders who focus on deep skills and solutions.

Awarded annually since 2000, the Beacon Awards recognize an elite group of IBM Business Partners who have delivered unique and innovative solutions that have raised the standard for business excellence and customer satisfaction. Each of the winning solutions delivers maximum client value and provides an innovative approach to solving business challenges. Winners and finalists receive benefits that provide industry recognition, increased visibility with prospects other partners and inside IBM, and promotional support for their firm and solutions.

This year IBM added several new Beacon awards to recognize the integral role that IBM Business Partners play in the emerging markets and creating solutions that enable a Smarter Planet.

"The IBM Beacon Awards recognize an elite group of IBM Business Partners that have delivered unique, innovative solutions which set new standards for business excellence and customer satisfaction," said Rich Hume, general manager, IBM Global Business Partners. "Their commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, combined with their specialized skills in IBM technology, enables these Business Partners to lead the way in delivering winning solutions for organizations worldwide."

Selected from hundreds of nominations from around the world, the winners will be honored at a Beacon Award recognition dinner in Rome during IBM's Information On Demand conference. This year's Beacon Award winners are:

  --  Outstanding Infrastructure Services Solutions in Major Markets: Arrow
      Enterprise Computing Solutions (US)
  --  Outstanding Service Management Solution sponsored by Tivoli: ESM
      Technology (US)
  --  Cloud Computing Innovation: KLG Systel (India)
  --  Outstanding Virtualization and Consolidation Solution: I.R.I.S. ICT
      (Belgium)
  --  Outstanding Software Delivery in Product and Service Innovation with
      Rational: Sogeti Group (France)
  --  Outstanding Enterprise Application Solution by an ISV: FIS (US)
  --  Outstanding Contributor on My developerWorks to Drive a Smarter
      Planet: GoMidjets (Israel)
  --  Outstanding IBM Storage Solution for Major Markets: Mark III Systems
      (US)
  --  Outstanding IBM Storage Solution for Growth Markets: On Line Brasil
      Informatica (Brazil)
  --  Outstanding Performance in the Midmarket: iEnterprises   (US)
  --  Outstanding Business Analytics Innovation Award: Fritz & Macziol
      Software und Computer vertrieb GmbH (Germany)
  --  Outstanding Information Management Innovation Award: Thunderhead (US)
  --  Outstanding Business Agility Solution sponsored by WebSphere:
      CrossView (US)
  --  Outstanding Innovative Collaboration Solution Award sponsored by Lotus
      Software: Genus Technologies (US)
  --  Outstanding System x and BladeCenter Solution: AutoCont CZ a.s. (Czech
      Republic)
  --  Outstanding Power Systems Solution for Major Markets: Logicalis (US)
  --  Outstanding Power Systems Solution for Growth Markets: Metro Systems
      Corporation PCL (Thailand)
  --  Outstanding Smarter Planet Industry Solution by an ISV: HealthSprint
      Networks Pvt. (India)
  --  Outstanding Teaming with IBM Global Technology Services: Fritz &
      Macziol Software und Computer vertrieb GmbH (Germany)
  --  Excellence in Delivering New IBM System z Solutions for a Smarter
      Planet: Vicom Infinity (US)
  --  Overall Technical Vitality--Global Award: Sirius Computer Solutions
      (US)

In addition, this year IBM recognizes six Business Partners committed to strategic development and who demonstrated strong business growth:

  --  Outstanding Overall IBM Business Partner in Northeast Europe: Q
      Associates (United Kingdom)
  --  Outstanding New IBM Business Partner in Northeast Europe: LC
      Systems-Engineering AG (Switzerland)
  --  Outstanding Overall IBM Business Partner in Southwest Europe: Morse
      (Spain)
  --  Outstanding New IBM Business Partner in Southwest Europe: H.M.S. Sipac
      (Italy)
  --  Outstanding Overall IBM Business Partner in Central & Eastern Europe,
      Middle East, Africa: CROC (Russia)
  --  Outstanding New IBM Business Partner in Central & Eastern Europe,
      Middle East, Africa: MERSA Elektronik (Turkey)

For more information about the IBM Beacon Awards, including a description of the winning companies, please visit: http://www-304.ibm.com/partnerworld/wps/servlet/ContentHandler/2010_beacon.htm l.

To learn more about IBM PartnerWorld, a comprehensive program that offers marketing and sales resources, training, certification and technical support to help create new revenue and market opportunities for IBM Business Partners, visit http://www.ibm.com/partnerworld.

  Contact:
  Jennifer Clemente
  917 992 3147
  jennic@us.ibm.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: jennic@us.ibm.com

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SOURCE: IBM