IMWA Announces Major Initiative and Realignment of Organization To Drive Middleware / Consortium Expands With Emphasis on SIGs and Defines Key Role for Its Tech

SARATOGA, Calif. (PROTEXT) - International MiddlewareAssociation(TM) (IMWA(TM)), in keeping with its charter to enablethe rapid adoption of middleware technologies, today announcedthe formation of an initial four new Special Interest Groups(SIGs), and the re-structuring of its Technical Committee.Driving these initiatives are new IMWA board members andchairpersons (listed at the end of this announcement). Under the direction of Colin Osborne IMWA president, theorganization now supports the following SIGs: "Business-to-Business," "Internet Application Integration," "Middleware to theInternet," and the "European Special Internet Group (ESIG)." Mr.Osborne made the following statements, "Middleware encompasses awide range of technologies and applications so we needed to formspecial interest groups to address them. We're excited to providenew programs for our corporate and end-user members that willfacilitate knowledge transfer between them, as well as helpmanage the growth of new middleware technologies and increasingcustomer demands for middleware solutions." At the highly successful IMWA Seminar held in conjunction withthe GIGA Information Group, Integrating Applications conferencein London last week (September 21-24), IMWA formally announcedits ESIG. Edoardo Musso, IMWA vice-president, Europe, said,"IMWA's expansion into Europe is very important. With theexplosion of the Internet and the global information economy, theuse of middleware technologies is booming. IMWA will beaddressing the needs and issues of middleware vendors and end-users in this geographical region of the world." IMWA will provide SIGs with subject matter specialists andsupport mechanisms, and it will play a central role in promotingeach SIG. Participants, who will set their agendas and identifyhot buttons, will drive the SIGs. Their ultimate goals will be todrive forward the adoption of middleware into brand new usageareas, extend penetration into new user communities, and feedrequirements to the Technical Committee to be communicated tostandards organizations. The announcement of IMWA's Technical Committee enhancementsand newly appointed IMWA Technical Chair, Taf Anthias of IBM, andVice-Chair, Peter Fischer, Quantum Technologies, position theorganization's middleware focus to the heart of business and willprovide mechanisms for input to standards organizations andprocesses, e.g. The Object Management Group, et al. TheChairpersons have defined new objectives for the committee, someof which are: Becoming a focal point for middleware including theinitiation and creation of new standards; Identifying new classesof middleware and providing a clearer classification of thevarious strands of middleware technology; Embarking onpartnerships with academic institutions to accelerate theeducation, training and certification of middleware specialists;and, Forging links with other industry organizations andconsortia. Mr. Anthias stated, "In order to drive new technologyinitiatives within IMWA, we will have a steering committee withinthe Technical Committee. The steering committee consisting ofelite representatives from the end-user community, associatedstandards organizations, vendors, and academic institutions, willprovide the vision to drive the technical committee forward. Tohelp achieve its goals, IMWA's Technical Committee will rely onthe continuing support and involvement of IMWA's highlysuccessful Marketing Committee." Through IMWA's new and continuing programs and greateremphasis on the role and focus of its Technical committee, theconsortium continues to fulfill its principle objectives: 1)Amplify the growth of new middleware technologies 2) Educate andincrease awareness of middleware in the market, and 3) Facilitateknowledge transfer and communications between the end-user andcorporate communities. About International Middleware Association (IMWA) IMWA is the industry leading international middlewareassociation. Its charter is to enable the expedient adoption ofmiddleware technologies in the market. It will achieve its goalsby educating the IT community and promoting awareness of theconsiderable technology benefits to the business community.Members of IMWA include the major vendors in the middlewaretechnology industry, corporate users, analysts and other industryleaders. Members often have first and sometimes exclusive accessto information concerning new initiatives, directions andopportunities in the marketplace. They also have a forum in whichto share common views of business problems that are solvable. bymiddleware. For move information about IMWA, please call 408-725-1711, or visit the organization's Web site at http://www.imwa.org. IMWA would like to welcome the following new members:

ait research

Hitachi Software

Pillsbury Company

Solutions Div. Banco de Credito

Hurwitz GroupPricewaterhouseCoopers

del PeruLLP Carleton University Information Builders Prudential Cognizant

Internet Capital Group SacramentoMunicipal Technology Solutions

Utility District DePuy Orthopedics

Intuit

SANWAInternational Disneyland

KPMG

Standish Group EDS HIE

MetLife

Texas GuaranteedLoan e-FORCE

Moody's Investors

Chase ManhattanBank Fleet Bank

Naval Sea

United ParcelService

Systems Command Hewlett-Packard

Nola Computer

USWestCommunications

Systems Services Hexware

Nortel Networks

IMWA CONTACTS Chairman:

Bob Scher, PeerLogic, Inc. President:

Colin Osborne, CommerceQuest Vice-president, Europe: Edoardo Musso, Primeur Ltd. Vice-President:

William J. Reedy, IBM Treasurer:

Denis O'Neil, TOPCALL Advisor to the Board: Randy Smerik, Ipivot Executive Director:

Vivian Beaulieu, IMWA Secretary:

Lisa Rough, IMWA Marketing Chair:

Liz Fraumann, IBM Technical Chair:

Taf Anthias, IBM Technical Vice-Chair: Peter Fischer, Quantum Technologies European SIG:

Giovanni Laguzzi, Primeur Ltd. NOTE: International Middleware Association and IMWA aretrademarks of the International Middleware Association. Otherproduct/company names and trademarks are the property of theirrespective owners. ots Original Text Service: InternationalMiddleware Association Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.deContact: Suzanne Xenakis of IMWA Public Relations, 408-369-9743,or suzannex@best.com

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