Microsoft Announces First Small Business Specialist in Massachusetts
New designation distinguishes Cenoba Technology Solutions, Inc. as expert in small-business solutions and services.

NEWTON, Mass. — August 1, 2005 — Microsoft Corp. today announced Cenoba Technology Solutions, Inc. has become the first Small Business Specialist in Massachusetts. To attain this new designation, Cenoba Technology Solutions, Inc. has demonstrated expertise in planning and building solutions for small businesses. As part of the Small Business Specialist Community, Cenoba Technology Solutions, Inc. will receive a rich set of benefits from Microsoft, including access to training specifically designed for the small-business industry, small-business marketing materials for reuse, special partner offers, and the ability to use the Small Business Specialist logo in marketing materials, which can help give the company a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

The Small Business Specialist Community, available as a competency-like designation as 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.

“ Small businesses are looking for partner companies that understand their unique business needs,” said Brian Neirby, New England Area General Manager, Microsoft Small and Midmarket Solutions & Partner Group. “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 Massachusetts’ small businesses to identify local partners that are best able to address their specific needs. We are confident this offering will help Cenoba Technology Solutions, Inc. reach its full potential by creating more visibility, opportunity and demand in the local small-business segment.”

“ Cenoba Technology Solutions, Inc. is extremely pleased with our status as a new Small Business Specialist,” said Al Ehsassi, President. “This special designation allows Cenoba Technology Solutions, Inc. to effectively present ourselves to customers as having proven expertise in delivering high-value, strategic solutions for small businesses. For Massachusetts’ customers, Small Business Specialist status provides Cenoba Technology Solutions, Inc. with preferred access to new products, services and programs from Microsoft, which can extend the value we bring to our client relationships.”

As one of the requirements for attaining Small Business Specialist status, Cenoba Technology Solutions, Inc. had to pass Microsoft’s Small Business Sales and Marketing Skills Assessment, designed to test the company’s knowledge of the dynamics and dependencies of the small-business market, as well as the value to small business of several software solutions, including Windows® XP Professional, Microsoft Office 2003 and Windows Small Business Server 2003. In addition, at least one individual in the company had to pass a certification exam that measures the ability to design and implement solutions for the small and medium-sized business by using Windows Small Business Server 2003 and the Windows Server System™.

The Small Business Specialist Community was announced earlier this month at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2005. To enroll, partners can go to https://partner.microsoft.com/smallbizspecreadiness. To find a Small Business Specialist in your area, visit http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/partner/vendorsearch.mspx.

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