ASPEC2000 Offers Business Executives the Tools for Leveraging Technology to Improve Business Processes.

Business/Technology Editors

ASPEC 2000

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2000

ASPEC2000's Conference Program Delivers The Low-Down on ASPs in an

Interactive, Educational Environment

ASPEC2000, the first technology-to-business tradeshow and conference for the Application Service Provider (ASP) industry, today announced its conference track for the December 7-9 event at the Georgia World Congress Center. The conference program, created for the general business executive--the end user of an ASP--aims to educate attendees through four targeted tracks:

-- What You Need to Know About ASPs

-- Spotlight on Your Industry: Vertical Market Focus

-- Departmental Solutions Through ASPs

-- Sales & Marketing: ASP Solutions to Increase Sales and Improve

Customer Relations

Keynoters include top executives from Chell.com, Citrix Systems, Inc., IBM Corporation, Oracle Business Online, and PeopleSoft eCenter, as well as top ASP analysts from Summit Strategies and Giga Information Group. General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) will kick off the show on December 7 with a keynote speech addressing the integration of technology in today's business world.

ASPEC2000's comprehensive two-and-a-half day conference program will present real-life examples of ASP usage, with success stories and words of caution about possible pitfalls. Sessions will include presentations by end-users and ASPs, as well as industry experts observing both entities and measuring results from the outside. Individual and panel discussions will help attendees come away with a fuller understanding of what solutions ASPs can offer and in what ways their business needs can be met.

"As the first technology-to-business show for the ASP industry, ASPEC2000's mission is to present the first comprehensive learning forum addressing the dynamic and growing applications of the ASP technology," said Frank Sheridan, vice president of technology events at Semco Productions, producers of ASPEC2000. "ASPEC2000 conference attendees will walk away with their questions answered and a strong understanding of whether ASPs are in fact the best technology solution for their business processes."

Registration and seating are limited for the conference sessions and keynote presentations. Individuals interested in attending are encouraged to register at www.ASPEC2000.COM to reserve a spot.

To be held December 7-9, 2000 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, ASPEC2000 will attract the decision makers and key personnel of small to medium-sized as well as Global 2000 businesses in more than 10 vertical markets. Many attendees may not use servers, employ full-time IT staff, or be computer savvy, but will come to ASPEC2000 seeking solutions to their technology problems and wanting to talk one-on-one with the developers of the cutting-edge ASP solutions offered by exhibitors.

ASPEC2000 is endorsed by the ASP Industry Consortium (ASPIC), a non-profit organization of more than 650 ASP members worldwide, and sponsored by Citrix Systems, Firstwave Technologies, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Oracle, and PeopleSoft. Vertical markets represented at ASPEC2000 will include accounting and financial services; healthcare; human resources; legal services; manufacturing; and sales and marketing. Additionally, customer relationship management (CRM) and its applications to all industries will be a key focus of ASPEC2000.

For more information about ASPEC2000, including exhibiting companies and conference sessions, visit the event's Web site at www.ASPEC2000.COM.

About the ASP Industry Consortium

Founded in May of 1999, the Application Service Provider Industry Consortium is an international advocacy group of more than 650 companies formed to promote the application service provider industry by sponsoring research, promoting best practices, and articulating the measurable benefits of this evolving delivery model. Its goals include educating the marketplace, developing common definitions for the industry, as well as serving as a forum for discussion and sponsoring research. Among the technology sectors represented among the ASP Industry Consortium membership are Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), Network Service Providers (NSPs), Application Service Providers (ASPs), as well as emerging business models and other sectors supporting the industry. Information on the ASP Industry Consortium - including a full list of member companies - is available at www.allaboutasp.org or by contacting the Consortium's headquarters at: ASP Industry Consortium, Inc., 401 Edgewater Place, Suite 500, Wakefield, Mass. 01880; Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; e-mail [e-mail].

About Semco Productions, Producers of ASPEC2000

Atlanta, Georgia-based Semco Productions has produced more than 250 events, spanning the past 40 years, in the business-to-business and consumer environments. In addition to the nationally acclaimed Atlanta Home Show and a series of successful Atlanta-based consumer events, Semco Productions was the founder and producer of Medtrade, a global healthcare trade show that has become one of the largest events in the healthcare industry drawing attendance from all 50 states and 130 countries. Semco Productions is long recognized as an industry innovator and leader in attracting qualified buyers. Semco Productions, LLC is located at 1130 Hightower Trail, Atlanta, GA 30350-6202 and can be reached at 770/998-9800. Visit the ASPEC2000 web site at www.ASPEC2000.com.