Allen Interactions Wins 2005 Excellence In E-Learning Award.

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Allen Interactions and Ecolab Inc. announced today that it has received a Special Strength: Simulation, Excellence in Learning Award from brandon-hall.com. This award recognizes outstanding creativity in the design and development of e-learning applications.

This course is designed to introduce the learner to Ecolab's sales process and to give the learner the experience of working with clients in a supported and simulated environment. The learner practices sales calls that are based on real world scenarios, and receives feedback along the way. The multiple path scenarios enable the user to gain additional information each time they take the course.

"We are excited and honored to receive this prestigious award," said Laurie Squillace, Studio Executive in charge of the project. "This has been a fun and challenging project, and my studio team delivered with great creativity and originality. This award validates that Allen Interactions is succeeding in its dedication to provide quality e-learning that produces results."

"This is only our first step into a whole new level of learning. The reception and lift by our sales force encouraged our division to develop more interactive e-learning courses. We couldn't be more please with Laurie, her team and Allen Interactions," said Dave Hooker, Vice President of Field Training for Ecolab.

The Excellence in Learning Awards are presented by brandon-hall.com, one of the e-learning industry's leading research and consulting firms. Now in its eleventh year, the awards program showcases exceptional work by providing feedback and benchmarking to entrants in an overall effort to help advance the e-learning industry.

"The winning entries this year show that innovation in our field is continuing at full speed," said Brandon Hall, Ph.D., CEO of brandon-hall.com and chairman of the Excellence in Learning Awards program. "The winners are excellent both in terms of creativity and range of application. (They) are the new cutting edge."

Allen Interactions was recognized during an awards ceremony and dinner held in Long Beach, Calif., as part of the 2005 Training Fall Conference & Expo. A full list of winning entries is available online at http://www.brandon-hall.com.

This year, entries were submitted in three categories: Outstanding Learning Programs and Initiatives, Custom Content, and Innovative Technology. Judges evaluated entries in instructional design, online learning and the implementation of e-learning.

About Allen Interactions

With more than a decade of experience, Allen Interactions has an unrivaled track record in delivering dynamic enterprise custom e-learning solutions that serve employees, partners and customers at many of the world's leading companies. Allen Interactions has designed and developed the highest impact custom e-learning and blended learning available for leading organizations like Apple Computer, Motorola, Ecolab, Nextel and Bank of America. Blending best practices with technology, content and service, Allen Interactions assists these companies that need to execute business change, drive and improve performance, accelerate speed to profit and improve people effectiveness. For more information: http://www.alleni.com.

About Ecolab

With 2004 sales of $4.2 billion, Ecolab is the leading global developer and marketer of premium cleaning, sanitizing, pest elimination, maintenance and repair products and services for the hospitality, foodservice, institutional and industrial markets. Ecolab shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ECL.

Ecolab news releases and other investor information are available on the Internet at www.ecolab.com.

About brandon-hall.com

The Excellence in Learning Awards program is chaired by one of the leading authorities on e-learning, Brandon Hall, Ph.D. Dr. Hall is the CEO of brandon-hall.com and author of the groundbreaking Web-Based Training Cookbook.

Since 1992, brandon-hall.com has been providing independent, expert advice in the form of published reports and consultations on the tools and best practices of e-learning. Dr. Hall participates regularly as a featured speaker at the Training Fall Conference & Expo. He earned his doctorate in educational psychology and has served on the faculty of San Francisco State University's Multimedia Studies Program. His work has been featured in such publications as The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune and Forbes, Inc,.