Avanade, one of the leaders in SharePoint Server Deployments and SharePoint Certifications, Develops Avanade Expert Source Solution to Help Companies Identify and Collaborate with Knowledge Experts

SEATTLE– May 12, 2010 – As more organizations are pressured to make their employees more productive and achieve business results, and as social computing takes hold in the workplace, there are new opportunities to efficiently connect dispersed teams in new ways. Avanade, a business technology services provider, today announced the launch of Avanade® Expert SourceTM, a new social computing solution developed on Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, to help companies better connect with a distributed workforce and make the best use of experts in their global organizations.

Today’s fluctuating and competitive business landscape requires that employees increasingly work more effectively with teams across geographies to act more quickly amid business changes. This creates a growing need for highly advanced technologies and communication tools that support rapidly changing business requirements.

The Avanade Expert Source solution helps organizations by: Connecting people with experts who have the right skills and knowledge, widely recognized as a major obstacle in collaboration among global teams. Reducing deployment risks by identifying and engaging the most qualified specialists for critical initiatives. Providing horizontal application methodology, and code with guidelines for vertical industries to establish a catalog of experts across their organizations. Creating a unified platform and process for users to access centralized information and locate experts.

As part of Microsoft’s Technology Adoption Program (TAP), Avanade is an early adopter of SharePoint Server 2010, using the platform’s latest features in development of its internal portal and website, Avanade.com. Avanade is currently one of the leading systems integrators for SharePoint Server-based solutions and also is one of the leaders in SharePoint Server certifications, with 1,600 experts worldwide, 1,000 of which are located in the company’s Global Delivery Network.“We’re seeing strong interest in SharePoint Server 2010 as organizations improve performance through effective collaboration,” said Aziz Virani, executive vice president, Global Technologies and Solutions, Avanade. “With SharePoint Server 2010, collaboration and social computing capabilities are now a pervasive benefit of the platform. Avanade’s collaboration services, including Expert Source, allow companies to utilize the best available resources, helping organizations do more with less and deepen customer relationships.”

The Avanade Expert Source offering is part of Avanade’s Information Management and Collaboration service line and is available to Avanade’s new and existing customers. The solution is rooted in the firm’s deep expertise in the SharePoint Server platform, its long-running executive surveys about social networking and collaboration issues, and its deep understanding of enterprise IT attitudes and adoption trends. Avanade’s Information Management and Collaboration service line includes enterprise search, enterprise content management, collaboration, business intelligence and information architecture practices.

“The potential for Avanade to use SharePoint Server 2010 to offer customer solutions with significant productivity and cost savings benefits is paramount to regaining business stability and growth,” said Jeff Teper, Corporate Vice President of SharePoint at Microsoft. “The Avanade Expert Source solution complements the features and functionality in SharePoint Server 2010, powering productivity and collaboration across the applications people already know and use.”

About Avanade

Avanade provides business technology services that connect insight, innovation and expertise in Microsoft technologies to help customers realize results. Avanade’s services and solutions help improve performance, productivity and sales for organizations in all industries. The company applies Microsoft expertise from its global network of consultants, drawing on the right mix of onshore, offshore and nearshore skills, which together are designed to help deliver results faster, at lower cost and with less risk. Avanade, which is majority owned by Accenture, was founded in 2000 by Accenture and Microsoft Corp. and serves customers in more than 24 countries worldwide with more than 9,700 professionals. Additional information can be found at www.avanade.com.

SEATTLE – May 4, 2010 – Avanade, a business technology service provider, today announced that Paul Dowling, vice president of ITS hosting, network, and information security has been named a recipient of the 2010 CIO Ones to Watch awards from IDG’s CIO magazine and CIO Executive Council. This honor is bestowed upon 25 rising stars in information technology (IT) who bring leadership, innovation and value to their organization and are primed to become future CIOs.

“The Ones to Watch honorees bring a great diversity of leadership skills and IT experience to their organizations,” says CIO Editor in Chief Maryfran Johnson. “We were especially impressed this year by the keen business focus that is so clearly shaping the careers of this talented group of executives.”

Paul was nominated for his deep understanding of what the company needs to be successful and a vision of what technology is capable of doing. With 21 years of experience, Paul is currently responsible for the global data center and network infrastructure that supports Avanade’s business operations. Most recently, he is leading a major effort to re-engineer Avanade’s data center infrastructure using Microsoft’s Hyper-V platform, which will reduce physical machine count by 75 percent and power consumption by 47 percent.

“This recognition of Paul is well deserved,” said Chris Miller, CIO at Avanade. “Paul has a rare mix of talents that makes for an exceptional IT professional. He understands business and, as a technologist at heart, he knows IT application development, delivery and support inside and out. It is people like Paul who advance Avanade’s commitment to helping customers realize the best results on Microsoft.”

Paul joined Avanade in November 2006 and, as a member of Avanade’s IT organization, was instrumental in optimizing IT project delivery at Avanade to deliver multiple simultaneous large-scale initiatives, including an ERP conversion and enterprise-wide deliveries of Vista, Exchange, Office Communications Server, and SharePoint Enterprise Search.

Dowling was recognized by a diverse panel of top-tier CIOs as an up and coming leader and someone well equipped to become a successful CIO of tomorrow. All Ones to Watch honorees must be nominated or endorsed by a practicing CIO. Nominations were submitted between May and November 2009 and reviewed by a judging panel of leading CIOs. Each judge scored and ranked the candidates he/she deserved to be Ones To Watch finalists. From the highest-scoring finalists, 25 honorees were chosen.”The future of the IT profession is a top passion for the members of the CIO Executive Council. That’s why they volunteer year after year for the tough job of judging which nominees have the best skills and experience to become our next generation of CIOs,” says Pam Stenson, CIO Executive Council Senior VP and General Manager.

Paul accepted his award at the CIO Ones to Watch awards ceremony held on May 3, 2010, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO during CIO magazine’s Leadership Event.

About CIO Magazine and the CIO Executive Council

Launched in 1987, CIO magazine addresses issues vital to the success of chief information officers (CIOs) worldwide. The CIO portfolio includes an award-winning website (www.CIO.com), CIO magazine, CIO Executive Programs and the CIO Executive Council. CIO properties provide technology and business leaders with analysis and insight on information technology trends and a keen understanding of IT’s role in achieving business goals. The U.S. edition of the magazine and website are recipients of 200 awards to date, including two Grand Neals from the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards and two Magazine of the Year awards from the National Society of Business Publication Editors. CIO magazine is published in more than twenty-five countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, South Korea and Sweden. CIO Executive Programs—a series of face-to-face conferences including CIO The Year Ahead Summit and the CIO 100 Symposium & Awards—provide educational and networking opportunities for pre-qualified corporate and government leaders. The CIO Executive Council is a global professional association of CIOs and senior IT leaders from more than 700 organizations that serve as an unbiased peer advisory network. This member- driven organization is also dedicated to leadership development for current and future IT business leaders and to the advancement of the CIO role and IT profession. CIO magazine, CIO.com, CIO Executive Programs and the CIO Executive Council are produced by International Data Group’s award-winning business unit: CXO Media Inc.

About Avanade

Avanade provides business technology services that connect insight, innovation and expertise in Microsoft technologies to help customers realize results. Avanade’s services and solutions help improve performance, productivity and sales for organizations in all industries. The company applies Microsoft expertise from its global network of consultants, drawing on the right mix of onshore, offshore and nearshore skills, which together are designed to help deliver results faster, at lower cost and with less risk. Avanade, which is majority owned by Accenture, was founded in 2000 by Accenture and Microsoft Corporation and serves customers in more than 24 countries worldwide with more than 9,700 professionals. Additional information can be found at www.avanade.com.

Easily collect, store and report calibration data

EVERETT, Wash. – Fluke Corporation, a global leader in calibration technology, has introduced Fluke Manual MET/CAL^® software – an application for calibration professionals who need to collect, store and report calibration data consistently and efficiently. Manual MET/CAL offers a database-driven solution addressing the mechanical and dimensional workload.

Manual MET/CAL software provides all the tools needed to calibrate torque gages and tools, dimensional and mechanical instruments, and machine tools. It can calibrate such factors as mass, force, density, dimension and hardness, and calibrate multiple instruments at once, increasing cal lab productivity while eliminating the need to record results with paper and pencil.

“Manual MET/CAL helps cal lab professionals increase their productivity,” says Martin Girard, general manager, Fluke Calibration. “It’s easy to use and readily customized to meet their individual requirements, and provides the flexibility they need to calibrate all sorts of instruments and devices.”

Developed with extensive input from calibration lab professionals, Fluke Manual MET/CAL software helps users get up and running quickly. The methodology is based on industry standards, so it will be familiar to many calibration professionals.

To perform a calibration, just open a datasheet and follow the procedure. As each test step is done, enter the test values into the datasheet. When the test is complete, save the results and, if desired, print a calibration report.

Fluke Manual MET/CAL software is designed for those who do not need the full calibration automation capabilities of MET/CAL^® Plus Calibration Management Software, but who need to collect, store and report calibration data consistently and efficiently. Manual MET/CAL software is also useful for MET/CAL Plus software users who need an easy way to collect and manage calibration data for instruments that cannot be automated via IEEE connection, such as dimensional instruments.

Multiple capabilities

Manual MET/CAL software provides the tools needed to:

• Quickly and easily create, edit, test and run calibration procedures.
• Input calibration test data into a computer – no more spreadsheets or paper and pencil.
• Capture pre-computed measurement uncertainty and TUR (Test Uncertainty Ratio) values.
• Perform batch calibrations.
• Calibrate instruments which have separate input and output values, such as transducers.
• Put a calibration into hibernation, then come back and finish it later.
• Save calibration results into a database.
• Run all calibration reports and certificates using Crystal Reports.

“In the real world you’re out in the grunge and you’re doing liquid flow calibrations and gas flow calibrations and deadweight calibrations, pressure calibrations—a lot of mechanical stuff,” said the senior metrologist for a major U.S. auto maker. “This is where Manual MET/CAL comes into play. No more paper or pencil, that’s big. Performing batch calibrations, that’s bigger.”

Manual MET/CAL software stores data in the same MET/BASE database used by the MET/CAL^® Plus Calibration Management system. MET/BASE features a powerful SQL database server for secure, dependable storage of calibration and asset data. It’s compatible with the Microsoft Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard so users can exchange data to and from any ODBC compatible application (such as Microsoft^® Excel or Word) for further processing and analysis. And, even more, use MET/TRACK for all your asset management.

Fluke Manual MET/CAL software uses Crystal Reports, which makes it easy to create custom reports, lists, and labels. Several standard reports are included. Use them right out of the box, or use them as templates to create customized reports.

Fluke Manual MET/CAL software licenses are available immediately. For more information on Fluke calibration products, visit www.fluke.com/manualmetcal, or contact Fluke Corporation, P.O. Box 9090, Everett, WA USA 98206-9090 or call 800-760-4523.

About Fluke

Fluke Corporation is the leader in precision calibration instrumentation and software for electrical, temperature, pressure, flow, and RF measurements. Calibration products from Fluke and its Hart Scientific and DH Instruments Divisions are found in calibration facilities around the world, including National Metrology Institutes, that demand the highest levels of performance and reliability, backed by state of the art metrology and uncompromising support. They are relied on by quality engineers, calibration technicians, and metrologists to instill confidence in the measurements that are critical to their organizations for quality, safety, reliability, and cost. In just the past year Fluke tools won more than 15 industry awards including Test and Measurement World Best in Test, Control Engineering Engineer’s Choice, and Plant Engineering Product of the Year. Fluke and DHI are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Fluke Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Ideal for testing high voltage equipment

EVERETT, Wash. – Fluke Corporation, the global leader in portable electronic test and measurement technology, has introduced the new Fluke 1555 and redesigned Fluke 1550C insulation resistance testers designed for a wide range of diagnostic and predictive maintenance programs.

These testers offer digital insulation testing up to 10 kV (Fluke 1555), making them ideal for testing a wide range of high voltage equipment including switchgear, motors, generators and cables.

Fluke insulation testers can now conduct the entire range of test voltages specified in IEEE 43-2000 with a best in class, three year warranty and CAT III, 1000 V, CAT IV 600 V safety rating. With measurement storage and PC interface, the Fluke 1555 and 1550C are perfect tools for long term equipment monitoring.

Features of the Fluke 1555 and 1550C include:

• Test voltages up to 10 kV provides solutions for all applications.
• CAT III 1000 V, CAT IV 600 V safety rating.
• Warning function alerts the user that line voltage is present and gives the voltage reading up to 600 V ac or dc for increased user safety.
• Selectable test voltages in 50 V steps from 250 V to 1000 V, and 100 V steps above 1000 V.
• Measurements can be stored in up to 99 memory locations, with each location assigned a unique, user-defined label for easy recall.
• Long battery life performs more than 750 tests between charges.
• Automatic calculation of Dielectric Absorption (DAR) and Polarization Index (PI) with no additional setup.
• Guard system eliminates the effect of surface leakage current on high-resistance measurements.
• Large digital/analog LCD for easy viewing.
• Capacitance and leakage current measurement.
• Ramp function for breakdown testing.
• Resistance measurements up to 2 TΩ.
• Timer settings up to 99 minutes for timed tests.
• Best-in-class three year warranty.

For more on the full range of Fluke insulation testers, see www.fluke.com/insulation. For information on other Fluke tools and applications, or to find the location of your nearest distributor, contact Fluke Corporation, P.O. Box 9090, Everett, WA USA 98206, call (800) 44-FLUKE (800-443-5853), fax (425) 446-5116, e-mail fluke-info@fluke.com or visit the Fluke Web site at http://www.fluke.com.

About Fluke

Fluke Corporation is the leader in compact, professional electronic test tools. Fluke customers are technicians, engineers, electricians, metrologists and building diagnostic professionals who install, troubleshoot, and manage industrial electrical and electronic equipment and calibration processes for quality control as well as conducting building restoration and remediation services. In the past five years, Fluke tools won more than 50 industry awards, including Test and Measurement World Best in Test,Control Engineering Engineer’s Choice, and Plant Engineering Product of the Year. Fluke is a registered trademark of Fluke Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Enter for a Las Vegas trip, get a gift with purchase and try for weekly and monthly prizes online

EVERETT, Wash. – Fluke Corporation, the global leader in portable electronic test and measurement technology, will send a lucky professional and companion to the US Nationals drag racing event in Las Vegas, Oct. 29-31, 2010.

The Grand Prize Sweepstakes is just one of four ways that professionals can participate in the Fluke Peak Performance promotion. Gifts are available with the purchase of selected Fluke tools. Participants can also play online for a chance to win great prizes for simply answering online questions, viewing Fluke demonstrations, matching photos and inviting more participants to get involved.

The winner of the Fluke Peak Performance Grand Prize Sweepstakes will receive a three-day sports package that includes drag race tickets, pit passes and VIP suite access at the Las Vegas race track. The winner and guest are invited to participate in the Richard Petty Driving Experience:  20 minutes on the oval track with a pro driver. The sweepstakes prize also includes airfare and lodging for up to three nights for two people, and a complimentary rental car. The winner will be announced in mid-August following the close of the program.

To enter the Fluke Race Day Sweepstakes, register online at www.FlukePeakPerformance.com. Entrants must be a licensed contractor or individual in a professional trade, and a resident of the U.S. age 21 or older. Sweepstakes ends July 31, 2010. For complete official rules, go to www.FlukePeakPerformance.com.

Once registered online, licensed contractors and other professionals have three other ways to win from April 19 – July 31, 2010:  Gifts with Purchase, Interactive Online Games and a Referral Program.

Gifts with Purchase: When customers purchase any of 29 qualifying Fluke products, Fluke will reward them with a free gift they can redeem online through the program Web site. Gifts must be purchased during the promotion period to qualify, and are limited to one per person. Participants must be U.S. residents. To redeem the gift with purchases, participants must register on the promotion Web site and complete the online redemption form. Gifts are available while supplies last. Seewww.FlukePeakPerformance.com for a full list of qualifying products.

Interactive, online games with prizes: Fluke is offering a number of fun product and application-oriented games with weekly and monthly prize opportunities throughFlukePeakPerformance.com.

• Fluke “Quiz of the Day” allows the user to answer a multiple‐choice question. Each participant that answers a question correctly during the given phase of the promotion period is entered into a weekly drawing. There will be fifteen drawings from now to July 31, 2010. That means fifteen opportunities to win great incentives including cool electronics, gift cards, and more.
• Fluke “Demo Bonus” allows the user to view Fluke product videos to be entered to win a Fluke tool. Each user that watches the product video during the given phase of the promotion period is entered into a bi-weekly drawing, for eight possible chances to win. Prizes include the new Fluke 233 Remote Display Multimeter, Fluke 411D Laser Distance Meter, various Fluke electrical testers and others.
• In the Fluke “Match Game,” users must match three application-oriented pictures to the correct descriptions to be entered in a bi-weekly drawing for a chance to win a Samsung Blu Ray Disc^™ Player, the hot new Slingbox^™ Solo, and other five other great prizes.
• Fluke “Invite Drivers” referral program offers one other way for participants to win big. Registered users simply send email invitations to other potential users. For every five referral sources that sign up, the registered participant will get one entry, with a max of ten entries per phase, to the “Invite Drivers” sweepstakes. The first phase of the promotion closes on May 31, 2010 for a chance to win a Bose^® SoundDock^® Portable multimedia system. The second phase ends June 30, 2010, offering a TomTom GO 730 GPS Navigation System up for grabs. The third and final phase showcases the hottest “Invite Drivers” prize yet:  A chance to win the brand new Apple iPad^™! Phase three ends July 31, 2010.

Participation in these promotions is limited to licensed contractors or individuals in a professional trade who are residents of the U.S. and age 21 or older. For complete rules, go to www.FlukePeakPerformance.com.

For more information on Fluke tools and applications, or to find the location of your nearest distributor, contact Fluke Corporation, P.O. Box 9090, Everett, WA USA 98206, call (800) 44-FLUKE (800-443-5853), fax (425) 446-5116, e-mail fluke-info@fluke.com or visit the Fluke Web site at http://www.fluke.com.

About Fluke

Fluke Corporation is the leader in compact, professional electronic test tools. Fluke customers are technicians, engineers, electricians, metrologists and building diagnostic professionals who install, troubleshoot, and manage industrial electrical and electronic equipment and calibration processes for quality control as well as conducting building restoration and remediation services. In the past five years, Fluke tools won more than 50 industry awards, including Test and Measurement World Best in Test,Control Engineering Engineer’s Choice, and Plant Engineering Product of the Year. Fluke is a registered trademark of Fluke Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Acquisition, when complete, will make Avanade a world leader in dedicated Microsoft Dynamics CRM services

SEATTLE – April 23, 2010 – Avanade, a business technology service provider, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Microsoft Dynamics CRM assets of Ascentium Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary, Ascentium Federal, Inc. Approximately 90 Ascentium CRM professionals will be offered employment at Avanade as part of the acquisition, most of them located in Baltimore, Md., and Bellevue, Wash. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Avanade’s interest in this acquisition reflects our commitment to the Microsoft Dynamics platform and its ability to help companies around the world achieve powerful business results,” said Adam Warby, CEO, Avanade. “As we at Avanade celebrate our 10th anniversary, it is a fitting time to emphasize our market leadership, commitment to and investment in the business benefits the Microsoft platform delivers to our customers.”

This strategic acquisition is intended to bring together Avanade’s strong technology capabilities, global reach and Dynamics CRM expertise with Ascentium’s dedicated Dynamics CRM team and deep specialization. Upon close of the deal, Avanade becomes a world leader in the provision of dedicated Dynamics CRM services, offering customers more deployment options, scalable systems and broad skill sets in CRM solutions.

“When Ascentium made the decision to refocus the company, we began to look for a home for our Dynamics CRM practice that would mirror our commitment to our customers and our people,” said Mark Barrett, CEO, Ascentium CRM practice. “We found both in Avanade. Avanade is known for its expertise in Microsoft technologies; it also has a long record of focusing on its customers and investing in its people.”

“Avanade and Ascentium are valued partners in delivering Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions to our customers and helping them get the most from their investment,” said Kirill Tatarinov, corporate vice president, Microsoft Business Solutions at Microsoft. “Both companies bring unique and powerful capabilities that demonstrate the real-world benefits of Microsoft Dynamics.”The traditional model for buying and managing IT systems is rapidly changing. Enterprise software, such as CRM, is increasingly being delivered as a cloud-based service. Avanade recently launched Avanade Online Services (AOS), its software-as-a-services offering for Microsoft enterprise solutions. Dynamics CRM is the first solution offered on AOS. Avanade now is able to offer customers the power of choice – whether to deploy Dynamics CRM on their own internal IT systems or in the cloud as a service through AOS.

“The decision to acquire the assets of Ascentium’s CRM practice is a result of a strategic and deliberate look at how we can grow our business in ways that provide maximum value to our enterprise customers,” said Aziz Virani, executive vice president, Global Technologies & Solutions, Avanade. “Expanding our CRM reach will allow us to bring the benefit of Dynamics CRM to more companies around the world, on-premise or as a service.”

In 2009, Ascentium was named the Microsoft Dynamics Outstanding Reseller of the Year. That same year, Avanade was named to the 2009 President’s Club for Microsoft Dynamics® and to the Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle.

The acquisition is expected to be completed within 90 days, subject to closing conditions.

About Ascentium

Ascentium The Experience AgencyTM delivers unmatched user experiences and innovative business solutions by fusing strategic account planning, innovative emerging technologies and world-class creative to create multichannel connections between consumers, brands and businesses. With offices in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, and London, Ascentium provides innovative, multi-channel, business impacting results for some of the world’s top brands. In 2009, Ascentium was singled out by Forrester Research as the agency with the “highest client satisfaction” on the Forrester WaveTM of Top Interactive Agencies.

About Avanade

Avanade provides business technology services that connect insight, innovation and expertise in Microsoft technologies to help customers realize results. Avanade’s services and solutions help improve performance, productivity and sales for organizations in all industries. The company applies Microsoft expertise from its global network of consultants, drawing on the right mix of onshore, offshore and nearshore skills, which together are designed to help deliver results faster, at lower cost and with less risk. Avanade, which is majority owned by Accenture, was founded in 2000 by Accenture and Microsoft Corporation and serves customers in more than 24 countries worldwide with more than 9,700 professionals. Additional information can be found at www.avanade.com.

Avanade and the Avanade logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Avanade Inc. Other product, service, or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. ®2010 Avanade Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied.

These include, without limitation, risks that: Avanade and Ascentium will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties’ ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Avanade; Avanade’s business could be negatively affected if the company cannot expand and develop its services and solutions in response to changes in technology and client demand; the management consulting, systems integration and technology markets are highly competitive and Avanade might not be able to compete effectively; Avanade’s business could be negatively affected by economic and political conditions and the effects of these conditions on its clients’ business and levels of business activity; Avanade’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting process; clients may not be satisfied with Avanade’s services; Avanade could have liability or its reputation could be damaged if it does not protect client data or information systems or if its information systems are breached; Avanade’s business could be negatively affected by legal liability that results from providing its solutions or services; Avanade’s results could be adversely affected if its clients terminate their contracts with the company; liabilities could arise if subcontractors or other third parties with whom the company partners cannot deliver their project contributions on time or at all; Avanade’s results of operations may be adversely affected by the rate of growth in the use of technology in business and the type and level of technology spending by its clients; Avanade’s profitability may suffer if it is not able to maintain favorable pricing rates and utilization rates or if the company cannot control costs; Avanade’s global operations are subject to complex risks, some of which might be beyond its control; Avanade’s business may be adversely affected if it is unable to keep its supply of skills, including those personnel currently employed by Ascentium, and resources in balance with client demand; Avanade may be unable to achieve its business objectives if the company cannot manage the organizational challenges associated with the scope

2of its operations; Avanade has only a limited ability to protect its intellectual property rights, and its services or solutions could infringe on the rights of others or it could lose its ability to use the intellectual property of others; Avanade’s ability to attract or retain business may depend on the company’s reputation in the marketplace; loss of the company’s significant corporate relationships with Accenture and Microsoft could reduce its revenue and growth prospects; Avanade has a limited ability to set its own independent strategies, and its business strategy and direction may be dictated by Accenture’s overall business strategy; Avanade relies on Accenture for the majority of its revenue, and the loss of that revenue would have a significant adverse impact on Avanade’s results of operations and may affect its ability to continue to operate; Avanade’s global delivery network relies on Accenture, and the loss of that network would increase Avanade’s operating expenses; Microsoft has certain minority rights, and may exercise those rights to protect its own interests, which may not align with Avanade’s; and Avanade is committed to using Microsoft-related technologies, and the company’s inability to use those technologies would adversely impact its results of operations.

Statements in this press release speak only as of the date they were made, and Avanade undertakes no duty to update any forward- looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Avanade’s expectations.

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Alliance Thrives Through Vision, Commitment and Innovation to the Microsoft Platform

SEATTLE– April 14, 2010 – In April, Avanade, a business technology services provider, marks its 10th anniversary. Created through an alliance between Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), Avanade has more than 10,000 professionals in 24 countries. This year, Avanade is approaching $1 billion in annualized sales, making it the world’s largest technology services firm completely dedicated to the Microsoft platform. To date, Avanade has worked with more than 3,400 organizations globally.

Adam Warby, Avanade CEO, said, “This ten-year milestone is a proud moment for Avanade. We have maintained a relentless focus in helping our customers solve some of their most pressing business challenges. As Microsoft technologies advance and new business models emerge, Avanade will continue to be on the forefront of this innovation, helping customers reduce costs, improve performance and realize results. In reaching this milestone, I am grateful to our global staff, customers and the rich heritage of our alliance with Accenture and Microsoft.”

“Our collaboration with Avanade goes back some time,” said Massimo Castagnini, General Manager Consorzio Operativo Gruppo MPS. “I believe we have completed a series of projects which can be considered trailblazers as far as our competitors are concerned. I believe Avanade’s contribution to be extremely important, especially in the area of innovation, which has allowed us to be a company at the forefront of innovation.”

Avanade, Accenture and Microsoft are well positioned for the future as the alliance continues to make investments in innovation on the Microsoft platform. The three companies are actively pursuing opportunities for growth in many areas, including new innovations in healthcare, oil and gas, digital marketing, client- focused CRM solutions and cloud computing.

For example, in the past year Avanade, Accenture and Microsoft have been investing in capabilities to deliver cloud-related services for Microsoft offerings, including Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite and the Windows Azure platform. In January, Avanade launched Avanade Online Services (AOS). AOS provides a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform to deliver Microsoft solutions to large enterprises, with Microsoft Dynamics CRM (customer relationship management) as the first solution offered.“Creating Avanade was a bold, but well-timed move as clients began to recognize the value Microsoft was delivering to the enterprise,” said Donald Rippert, chief technology officer and global managing director, Innovation & Ecosystems, Accenture, and an Avanade Board member. “The influence of Avanade and the alliance, and the impact of Microsoft solutions on the market, will only grow as companies realize the benefits that our collective efforts deliver every day.”

“Accenture and Avanade have delivered real business value on Microsoft for BT Group. I strongly believe Dare2Share will contribute to the company’s workforce transformation agenda and help BT Group to become the industry leader in customer service, which are the ultimate goals,” said Peter Butler, Director of Learning, BT Group plc.

In 2000, Microsoft began making significant investments to penetrate the enterprise market. Accenture wanted to capitalize on client demand for Microsoft solutions and establish market-leading expertise on the platform. The two companies forged a powerful alliance that included creating Avanade, a stand-alone company that would combine Accenture’s business and industry acumen and Microsoft’s deep technology expertise.

“The vision to create Avanade with Accenture has proven to be an effective strategy to deliver Microsoft solutions to the world’s largest organizations,” said Simon Witts, corporate vice president, Enterprise & Partner Group, Microsoft, and an Avanade Board member. “Avanade will continue to help companies navigate, deploy and take advantage of Microsoft solutions and services as cloud computing rapidly changes how enterprises deploy and manage technology.”

Over the past decade, Accenture and Avanade have collaborated on more than 5,100 Microsoft projects and developed more than 100 industry-specific and cross-industry solutions. Together, Avanade and Accenture have more than 50,000 Microsoft-skilled staff worldwide – more than any other competitor. Avanade consultants hold more than 13,000 Microsoft certifications, the largest number of certifications per employee of any service provider.

About Avanade

Avanade provides business technology services that connect insight, innovation and expertise in Microsoft technologies to help customers realize results. Avanade’s services and solutions help improve performance, productivity and sales for organizations in all industries. The company applies Microsoft expertise from its global network of consultants, drawing on the right mix of onshore, offshore and nearshore skills, which together are designed to help deliver results faster, at lower cost and with less risk. Avanade, which is majority owned by Accenture, was founded in 2000 by Accenture and Microsoft Corporation and serves customers in more than 24 countries worldwide with more than 9,700 professionals. Additional information can be found at www.avanade.com.

Avanade and the Avanade logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Avanade Inc. Other product, service, or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. ®2010 Avanade Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Key Drivers for Cloud: cost, flexibility, speed to market

SEATTLE – March 31, 2010 – As companies evaluate cloud computing services to improve business performance, Avanade, a business technology services provider, reports customers are seeing value from Microsoft cloud-based solutions and services.

“We are seeing a great deal of interest in Microsoft cloud offerings in the last six months,” said Aziz Virani, executive vice president, Global Technology & Solutions, Avanade. “Several business factors are driving this. The challenging economic environment has certainly increased interest in the potential of cloud computing because of its ability to help reduce costs. Growing competition is forcing companies to consider how cloud can help them increase speed to market or uncover new market opportunities. And many customers of ours point to the opportunity of cloud to eliminate managing application upgrades, which can consume tremendous IT time.”

In 2009 Avanade engaged Kelton Research to conduct two global surveys on cloud computing – one in February 2009 and the other in September 2009. Between the first survey and the second, there was a 320 percent increase in executives and IT decision-makers reporting they are testing or planning to implement cloud computing technologies.

In the past year, Avanade has been working to deliver cloud-related services for Microsoft offerings, including Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite, the Windows Azure platform and Avanade Online Services (AOS). AOS provides a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform to deliver Microsoft solutions to large enterprises, with Microsoft Dynamics CRM (customer relationships management) as the first offering.

Interest in cloud migrations services delivered by Avanade to migrate to Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) has doubled in the last quarter. Based on early deployments, customers are seeing cost savings of 15 to 30 percent when they switch from traditional internally managed systems to BPOS.

A Real-World Example: Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS)

A global manufacturing company based in the Nordic region with operations in more than 400 locations needed to harmonize its business communications and collaboration systems to realize the vision of one global company. Avanade worked with the manufacturer to help deliver a global, unified communication system. The company explored multiple scenarios, using Avanade’s Business Benefits Calculator and Estimating Model to assess whether to deploy unified communications on its internal IT systems or in the cloud. The analysis showed that the company would realize the most benefit, both from a financial and functional perspective, if deployed in the cloud to its more than 5,000 employees.

By migrating email services and adding functionality such as chat, conferencing, presence and project workspaces provided by BPOS, the company estimates it will save several million Euros over a few year period of time. The system is also easily extendable to customers, partners, suppliers and future acquisitions to further improve collaboration across groups.

Avanade Online Services (AOS) is Avanade’s SaaS delivery platform for Microsoft solutions. The first solution running on AOS is Microsoft Dynamics CRM. According to Avanade’s global cloud survey last fall, the majority of respondents ranked CRM as the most critical differentiator and strategic weapon for their businesses versus the competition. The majority of respondents said they are deploying SaaS for CRM (52 percent).

Since the launch of AOS, the majority of interest from customers evaluating and signing contracts are made up of large enterprises, with less demand from the mid-market.

One of the largest global manufacturers, with about 50,000 employees, is an early adopter of AOS. AOS merges the functionality of the company’s old Lotus Notes with the interoperability of a Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The deployment was fast, with no upfront hardware or software licensing costs – zero. Employees are more productive because they can access the new service through their familiar Outlook client, even when offline. A recent survey revealed 95% satisfaction rate, indicating widespread acceptance and endorsement at the grassroots level.

Microsoft Windows Azure

While Windows Azure has only been publicly available since end of January, Avanade has seen strong interest from customers. Avanade was early among global systems integrators to deploy applications into production on Azure. Avanade has created a dedicated Windows Azure team in India to serve customers globally with a development and delivery needs.

For example, Avanade worked with Origin Digital, an Accenture company, to help move to the Azure platform. Origin Digital (www.origindigital.com), a global IP broadcasting company, wanted to increase transcoding throughput without increasing capital expense. To gain dynamic scalability within a familiar development environment, the company built an innovative transcoding Cloud application on the Windows Azure platform. The application is expected to reduce compute costs and database administration time as well as expedite moves into new geographic markets and grow its business.

As cloud computing evolves rapidly, Avanade continues to track industry trends through research as well as customer engagements to help organizations navigate, deploy and take advantage of Microsoft cloud-based solutions and services.

About Avanade

Avanade provides business technology services that connect insight, innovation and expertise in Microsoft technologies to help customers realize results. Avanade’s services and solutions help improve performance, productivity and sales for organizations in all industries. The company applies Microsoft expertise from its global network of consultants, drawing on the right mix of onshore, offshore and nearshore skills, which together are designed to help deliver results faster, at lower cost and with less risk. Avanade, which is majority owned by Accenture, was founded in 2000 by Accenture and Microsoft Corporation and serves customers in more than 24 countries worldwide with more than 9,700 professionals. Additional information can be found at www.avanade.com.

Avanade and the Avanade logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Avanade Inc. Other product, service, or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Supporting the sustainable home energy retrofit market

EVERETT, Wash. – Fluke Corporation, the global leader in portable electronic test and measurement technology, has joined the national Efficiency First trade association as a major financial supporter and partner in the Efficiency First Capitol Circle.

Efficiency First is a national nonprofit trade association that unites the Home Performance workforce, building product manufacturers and related businesses and organizations in the escalating fight against global warming and rising energy costs. Efficiency First represents its members in public policy discussions at the state and national levels, to promote the benefits of efficiency retrofitting and to help the industry grow to meet unprecedented demand for quality residential energy improvements.

“Fluke is very excited to partner with Efficiency First and its private and governmental member organizations to promote energy efficiency best practices and work toward an energy-efficient future,” said Michael Stuart, senior product manager for Fluke Thermography. “We feel strongly that Fluke test tools and training programs will help Efficiency First complete its important mission.”

Fluke manufactures a variety of test tools and provides training essential in home energy monitoring, diagnosis and retrofits, including infrared thermography, power quality monitoring, testing of heating, ventilation, air conditioning/refrigeration (HVAC/R) and electrical systems and indoor air quality (IAQ) diagnosis. Fluke thermal imagers are essential energy auditing and inspection tools to detect missing insulation and find air leakage in the building envelope for weatherization purposes, discover and document moisture intrusion, inspect roofing for leaks and deficiencies, examine electrical and mechanical equipment for performance and safety issues, and perform many other troubleshooting and maintenance tasks.

According to Efficiency First, “residential efficiency improvements can reduce energy waste in most homes by 20 to 40 percent. A nationwide initiative to improve the efficiency of America’s 128 million homes has the potential to unlock significant reductions in building-related greenhouse gas emissions, improve national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and generate long-term energy savings for American consumers. Expansion of the Home Performance industry also represents a crucial path to economic growth in the face of historically high unemployment and unprecedented weakness in the construction and manufacturing sectors.”

Fluke Corporation

Visit www.fluke.com/weatherization to see how Fluke products can help home and building energy-saving needs. For information on the full range of Fluke thermal imaging products, visit the Fluke Thermal Imaging Solution Center or contact Fluke Corporation, P.O. Box 9090, Everett, WA USA 98206-9090, call 800-760-4523 or e-mail thermography@fluke.com or visit the Fluke Web site at: Thermal Imaging Solutions Center. The following areas also provide excellent information on related products and solutions: Fluke Energy Answers, Fluke HVAC – IAQ Solution Center, Fluke Electrical Solution Center.

About Fluke

Fluke Corporation is the leader in compact, professional electronic test tools. Fluke customers are technicians, engineers, electricians, metrologists and building diagnostic professionals who install, troubleshoot, and manage industrial electrical and electronic equipment and calibration processes for quality control as well as conducting building restoration and remediation services. In the past five years, Fluke tools won more than 50 industry awards, including Test and Measurement WorldBest in Test, Control Engineering Engineer’s Choice, and Plant Engineering Product of the Year. Fluke is a registered trademark of Fluke Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

About Efficiency First

Efficiency First is a national nonprofit trade association that unites the Home Performance workforce, building product manufacturers and related businesses and organizations in the escalating fight against global warming and rising energy costs. Efficiency First represents its members in public policy discussions at the state and national levels, to promote the benefits of efficiency retrofitting and to help the industry grow to meet unprecedented demand for quality residential energy improvements. For more information on Efficiency First, visit www.efficiencyfirst.org or contact: Efficiency First, 1167 Mission St. 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103. Email: info@efficiencyfirst.org. Phone: (415) 728-9775.