Sonoma Partners Wins 2003 Worldwide Microsoft CRM Solution Developer of the Year Award

Sonoma Partners Wins Worldwide CRM Solution Developer of the Year in Annual Microsoft Certified Partner Awards for Microsoft Certified Partners and Microsoft Certified Business Solutions Partners Award recognizes worldwide innovation using Microsoft technologies

Chicago, IL October 11, 2003 - Sonoma Partners today announced it was selected as the worldwide winner in the sixth annual Microsoft Certified Partner Awards in the "CRM Solution Developer of the Year" category representing the North America Region. The winner was selected from five worldwide finalists in the category by a panel of judges consisting of international and field partner representatives, Microsoft executives, Product Group managers, and Partner program managers. Overall, the awards competition was extremely competitive as more than 1,000 entries were considered for awards in sixteen different categories. Sonoma Partners was selected because of its innovative use of Microsoft's latest technologies that offer outstanding solutions to customers. "Out of five very strong finalists, Sonoma Partners stood out with their solution to meet their customer's needs with Microsoft technology," said Allison Watson, Vice President, WorldWide Partner Sales and Marketing Group at Microsoft, "We are very pleased to recognize Sonoma Partners as a category winner." "This award is in recognition of Sonoma Partners' leadership in Microsoft CRM", said Mike Snyder, Principal of Sonoma Partners. "As a leading Microsoft Business Solutions Certified Partner, we leverage our business expertise and the flexible .NET architecture of Microsoft CRM to customize the software for our client's unique business needs." Sonoma Partners, along with other category winners and finalists was honored at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, LA October 9 - 12. About the Award This award honors a CRM developer from among those who have positioned themselves as champions in their field, incorporated new technologies in their products, and worked closely with Microsoft Business Solutions to build true partnerships. Partners provided a customer solution that integrates with Microsoft CRM to provide a complete solution for the customer. Not only have they developed products that help drive the success of Microsoft Business Solutions, but also a process to ensure that their company practices result in the highest level of integrity, technical knowledge, customer satisfaction and customer additions. They provide prompt, quality releases, and have proven sales achievement, customer additions and customer satisfaction. They are loyal and dedicated to ongoing education. About the Microsoft Certified Partner Program Microsoft Certified Partners are independent companies that provide Microsoft-based end-to-end solutions and services to corporate, government and small- or medium-sized businesses. All Microsoft Certified Partners maintain a staff of Microsoft Certified Professionals or have certified products that have been tested compatible with Microsoft's Windows platform. Microsoft Certified Partners have access to a variety of resources to build their business including training, technical support, early access to Microsoft products and peer-networking. About Sonoma Partners Chicago-based Sonoma Partners provides technology and marketing services to help mid-market companies manage their sales and customer database. As a certified Microsoft Business Solutions partner, Sonoma Partners sells, customizes and implements Microsoft's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. This easy-to-use, flexible and integrated solution allows our clients to increase sales success and provide superior customer service, while creating a valuable asset for their company. Sonoma Partners has provided technology and marketing services for companies such as the Boston Celtics, Unilever, and Elizabeth Arden Red Door. For more information, visit the company's website http://www.sonomapartners.com.