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 September 2000
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BLUEWATER INFORMATION CONVERGENCE Leads Industry Development in IT Outsourcing Bluewater Information Convergence, a provider of managed services, web development and system integration, recently named Robbie Cordo as Vice President and General Manager, Central Region. President & COO Howie Lyke commented: "Robbie's appointment marks a significant step for the company, since Bluewater sees strong regional management as the key to our growth and success. Robbie has the experience and vision to bring our business model to fruition here." Bluewater has been enabling Fortune 500 companies to operationally adjust to changing technology, from legacy computing to the intricacies of internetworking, for many years. Based on their experience and expertise, Bluewater created the ICON Center¾ a cost-effective and reliable way for companies to outsource their data center and network infrastructure in a 24 x 7 world-class environment. Through its ICON Center, Bluewater enables large, medium and emerging-growth companies to outsource their IT needs. The Bluewater ICON Center provides "net-sourced" production and technical services, allowing clients to manage their e-commerce and other mission-critical processes reliably and cost effectively in a world-class data center. By aggregating all the components of a data center - including hardware, software and network services - the Bluewater ICON Center provides a single point of contact and avoids the complexities of managing multiple vendors. In addition to the ICON Center, Bluewater also provides a comprehensive suite of complementary professional services such as strategic and technical consulting in data center/infrastructure development and system integration for software and web site development. The company recently received $10 million in venture capital to finance its aggressive growth and development strategy. Prominent venture capitalists, iGATE Ventures I, L.P. (NASDAQ: IGTE), FG II Ventures and the JEGI Internet Economy Partners, L.P., led the financing package, contributing $3 million each. The balance came from an unnamed individual investor and Quintel Communications (NASDAQ: QTEL), which is also a Bluewater client. Bluewater's executive team has extensive experience in IT outsourcing and consulting, and were pioneers of the distributed computing environment at Sun. Bluewater principals, Howie Lyke and Harris Kern have published 4 best-selling books on IT within Prentice-Hall's Enterprise Series. The current series, Harris Kern's Enterprise Computing Institute provides answers to timely questions for today's IT managers on topics ranging from data warehousing to the dot.com infrastructure. IT Automation, The Quest for "Lights Out", part of this series, occupies a well thumbed place in the hearts of data center managers everywhere. For more information on Bluewater's services, call 952-253-4000 or visit www.bluewater.net. CICERON WOMEN VOLUNTEER to Help ClarityFit Technologies They will help develop new technology to take the guesswork out of online apparel shopping Minneapolis, MN-On August 18th and 25th, Ciceron's women employees will be doing a service for women everywhere who shop online for clothing. These women have volunteered for full-body scans at ClarityFit Technologies, a Minneapolis-based high-tech start-up. After scanning thousands of women's bodies, this innovative company will create the "Clarity Fitting Room," which will be incorporated into a number of Internet apparel company sites in order to allow online clothing customers to experience a 3D virtual try-on with true-size prediction and fit analysis. No more worrying about all the natural particulars of your body that don't fit perfectly in the same size pants every time you go on a shopping spree! The "Clarity Fitting Room" will have so many body types scanned into its database-thanks to volunteers like the women at Ciceron-that it will help e-shoppers get an accurate idea of how an advertised garment will actually fit them, before they click over to their virtual shopping cart and check out. No tape measures necessary! Ciceron is a five-year old pure Web strategy, design and development leader in the Twin Cities business community. Ciceron has worked with Clarity Fit at a strategy development level for two years. Upon learning about ClarityFit's work, Ciceron's women employees were excited to get involved with the project, to assist in developing such useful technology, and because ClarityFit will donate $10 to the Susan Komen Foundation-for breast cancer research-for each volunteer scanned. The full-body scans use a completely safe 3D full-body, white light scanner. Information from the 1-3 minute, 600,000-point scan will be used to develop a database for an anthropometrics study of women's body structure. ClarityFit Technologies is still seeking volunteers to help with their work. For more information, please call Lydia Lopez at 612.204.3665. For more information on Ciceron, please call 612.204.1919 or visit www.ciceron.com Steve Dinnerstein, ClarityFit's Vice President - Business Development commented, "I'm excited about the technology we're developing at ClarityFit, and am thankful to Ciceron's volunteers for taking an interest and helping to make our work possible." Founded in 1995, Ciceron Interactive is a Web development leader in the Twin Cities business community. Ciceron's projects range from full "webification" of entire business enterprises to stand-alone web applications for a host of area corporations, foundations, non-profit organizations, and dot com start-ups. The company's services include ebusiness strategy development, the "interactive experience" design, backend programming, online marketing and full-scale hosting. For more information on Ciceron Interactive, phone 612.204.1919 CLEARDATA COMMUNICATIONS ACQUIRES MINNNET Expands Customer Base in MN Arizona, August, 2000 - ClearData Communications, a national provider of data communications services, announced today the acquisition of full service Internet provider, MinnNet Communications, Inc. for an undisclosed amount. MinnNet services the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area. ClearData recently acquired North Dakota-based Corporate Communications, which also services the Minneapolis area. ClearData's data communications services will expand MinnNet's current customer offerings, which consist of Internet access solutions and web hosting for corporate and individual clients. With ClearData's technology and resources, MinnNet will eventually be able to offer its customers comprehensive new product offerings including co-location, e-commerce and advanced internetworking services, and extended broadband services. "This acquisition enables us to provide MinnNet Communications' customers with improved access and support, while assisting ClearData in expanding the local customer base for our broadband network and integrated service offerings nationwide," said Ric Tarbox, COO, ClearData. ClearData is aggressively building a national network and customer base in major U.S. metropolitan markets. The MinnNet acquisition follows purchases of similar Internet businesses in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana over the past six months. ClearData recently announced that Compaq Computer Corporation has made an equity investment in addition to providing debt financing to assist in the use of Compaq equipment in data centers, points of presence and infrastructure deployment. In a separate announcement, ClearData has selected Nortel Networks as chief supplier and solutions integrator for one of the most advanced applications hosting and data network infrastructures to be built in the United States, including state-of-the-art Internet data centers and a nationwide optical network. ClearData Communications, a privately held, fully integrated provider of data communications services, offers a full suite of products and services including application and server hosting, high speed Internet access and managed services. With points of presence in major metropolitan markets and secured public and private peering arrangements, ClearData serves communications enablers and commercial businesses across the United States over its next-generation national broadband network. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, the company can be found on the World Wide Web at www.cleardata.net/ RACHEL HOLLSTADT Named One of 25 Most Innovative Women Minneapolis, Minn., August 16, 2000 - Hollstadt & Associates - a Burnsville-based IT consulting services company - ranked 17th on CityBusiness' list of the top 25 women-owned businesses in the Twin Cities. The publication also recognized Founder and President Rachel Hollstadt for her entrepreneurial success in naming her as one of the 25 most innovative women in business in the Twin Cities. Hollstadt & Associates was the only company appearing on both lists. An example of Rachel Hollstadt's commitment to innovation is a sabbatical program for the firm's employees. An important part of the firm's success, according to Hollstadt, is employee retention, especially in an industry that has been plagued by talent shortfall. "Our consultants are on projects that always have tough deadlines and tough requirements, so the opportunity for people to recharge is well received. This practice not only helps to retain employees, but it helps our employees perform according to our high standards," she explains. A strong supporter of industry involvement, Hollstadt encourages employees to pursue continuing training and education and works to continually strengthen the information technology industry. She is a founding member of the Washington, D.C.-based Open Door Foundation, an education initiative that provides scholarships and encourages high school students to pursue programs in computer science. The company extends this commitment to education to the community at large through an affiliate relationship with Barnes & Noble. A portion of the proceeds from books purchased through the company's web site link to Barnes & Noble supports women and children who are trying to create a better life for themselves. In 1998, Inc. magazine recognized the company as one of the nation's fastest growing privately held companies, and for the past three years, CityBusiness has placed it on its list of the 50 fastest growing companies. About Hollstadt & Associates Founded in 1990 and based in Burnsville, Minn., Hollstadt & Associates is a privately held IT consulting services company with current annual revenues projected to approach $20 million. With 100 consultants, the company has achieved record growth by providing solutions for project management, strategic e-business initiatives, internal and external call centers and other projects spanning virtually every aspect of information technology to clients ranging from large financial institutions to global corporations. The company is an anchor member of the Twin Cities business community and throughout the region, actively supporting a number of philanthropic and industry-related ventures. For more information, visit the web site at www.hollstadt.com. About CityBusiness Focused on the Twin Cities, CityBusiness is a publication of American City Business Journals, Inc., the nation's largest publisher of metropolitan business newspapers, serving 41 of the country's most vibrant markets. To be eligible for the CityBusiness list of Top 25 Women-owned Businesses, a company must be at least 50-percent woman-owned. NETSUDS ENTREPRENEURS BREAKFAST Graduate Programs in Software, St. Thomas University of St. Thomas 2115 Summit Ave - St Paul Friday, September 8 7 a.m. Five Minnesota "com and .com"start-ups giving eight-minute Presentations Speakers: Mark Cree, CEO, NuSpeed; and Bernice Folz, Ph.D., Professor & Director, Matt Noah @ matt.noah@netsuds.com or http://www.netsuds.com $27 Before August 27 $40 After August 27 SALES AND MARKETING EXECUTIVES (SME) MORNING SEMINAR & LUNCHEON Topic: Bill La Macchia will outline Sun Country's "Customer First" philosophy and how that ideal is an extension of his family's values and a business plan that will ensure Sun Country's success. Speaker: Afternoon program keynote by Bill La Macchia, Jr., President and CEO of Sun Country Airlines Friday, September 8 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Decathlon Club, Bloomington For more info contact Janice Feinberg at 952-939-1826 or online at http://www.smemn.org The morning workshop with Darrell Skamstrad's presentation on "Building an Organization that Sells - PEOPLE!" is FREE to all SME and MHTA members; luncheon/afternoon program with Bill La Macchia is $22 for SME and MHTA Members registered by September 5. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DELEGATION to the People's Republic of China Delegation Leader: Kathleen Wilcox, J.D., President and CEO of the Washington Software Alliance, Coordinated by People to People Ambassador Programs October 28-November 9 (RSVP by August 15) Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou (Canton) Cost: $4195 Contact: Sandra Nuesse at 1-800-669-7882, ext. 507, or sandra.nuesse@ambassadors.com AFTER HOURS EVENT! - September Thursday September 14, 2000 5 - 7:30 pm International Market Square 275 Market Street Minneapolis MN Complimentary Hor'Douvres by Atrium Catering Cash Bars Cost to exhibit is $175 - $300.00 Admission with a Business Card Another of Shiela Ronning of Sharp Upswing's "After Hours" business soiree's. You can expect anywhere from 400 to 600 business professionals, mingling among up to 90 exhibits at the International Market Square Building, 275 Market Street, in Minneapolis. Email or call Sheila Ronning of Sharp UpSwing with any questions 612/818-3344 Directions to International Market Square/Atrium Catering From the West: Take 394 East to Penn Avenue North, take a left on Penn. Follow to Cedar Lake Road and take a right. Follow to Glenwood and take a right. Follow ½ mile to IMS and take a left into the entrance. From the North: Take 94 East to exit 230 (4th St, 7th St, Hwy 55). Bear right (the sign will say 7th Street and Hwy 55) then continue straight. Road becomes Lyndale Avenue Southbound; follow to Glenwood and take a right. Take an immediate right into the IMS entrance. From the East: Take 94 West, through the tunnel, and take the Hwy 55, Olson Memorial Hwy exit (exit 230). Stay in the left lane; turn left on Hwy 55, and then take an immediate left onto Lyndale Avenue. Go one block to Glenwood and take a right, then turn right into the IMS entrance. From the South: Follow Lyndale Avenue North to Glenwood; take a left. Travel one block to the IMS entrance and take a right. Or, take 35W North to 94 West through the tunnel, and take the Hwy 55, Olson Memorial Hwy exit (exit 230). Stay in the left lane; turn left on Hwy 55, and then take an immediate left onto Lyndale Avenue. Go one block to Glenwood and take a right, then turn right into the IMS entrance To have your release or announcement considered for publication, forward submissions to the Local Buzz column be email to: Charles Anthony, edit@ibiz.net by the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication, as a MSWord document or ASCII text. |
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