American Red Cross Selects Plateau to Deliver Learning to Employees, Volunteers and Citizens Across the Nation.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 24, 2002

Plateau 4 Learning Management System (LMS) to Replace Costly IT

Infrastructure With a Single Platform; Create Cost Savings in Other

Internal and External Red Cross Knowledge Initiatives

In one of the largest e-learning initiatives ever undertaken, the American Red Cross has selected Plateau Systems to provide a single enterprise software platform to manage internal and external learning programs for employees, volunteers and citizens across the nation.

The Red Cross is replacing a legacy client/server training application with the Plateau 4 Learning Management System (LMS). The Red Cross' current training infrastructure consists of hundreds of separate databases that don't inter operate, but collectively manage over 6 million learners per year.

The Plateau 4 LMS is a Web-based enterprise application that, when fully implemented, will manage Red Cross learning initiatives and training records on a single system, greatly reducing IT infrastructure, staff and maintenance costs.

The Red Cross will use Plateau 4 LMS to schedule, manage and deliver both online and traditional classroom instruction for departments such as Health & Safety, Biomedical and Talent Development.

"Creating a single learning management platform for all our education initiatives will save the Red Cross time and money as it prepares volunteers and citizens to respond to crises and better perform their jobs," said Tom Schwaninger, Chief Information Officer of the American Red Cross.

"The Red Cross represents a combination of characteristics and learning problems common to many large, diverse businesses. The importance the Red Cross places on a well-trained enterprise compelled it to consider the value of a consolidated, integrated LMS," said Cushing Anderson, program manager for learning services research at IDC. "Actively developing the enterprise value chain - in this case, staff, volunteers and citizens - represents an enlightened view of value creation that can only be facilitated by a scalable and complete learning management solution."

Plateau Systems, based in Arlington, VA, provides enterprise-class learning and knowledge management software for clients including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Nestle USA, Federal Express and the U.S. Air Force.

Plateau 4 LMS is the only enterprise-class learning management system built on J2EE/EJB architecture, considered the standard for enterprise software because of its scalability, flexibility and ability to operate with other systems.

The Red Cross selected Plateau to provide the software infrastructure for this initiative after a rigorous testing process that took more than a year, including a broad proof of concept and a pilot with chapters nationwide.

"When fully implemented, this will be without a doubt the largest learning management system implementation in the history of our industry," said Paul Sparta, Plateau's Chairman and CEO. "We are proud to be working with the Red Cross to create a learning initiative that will create efficiencies across their organization, touch lives and enhance national readiness."

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross is dedicated to saving lives, easing suffering and restoring hope at home and around the world. Currently operating on a budget of $2.7 billion, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to the victims of more than 67,000 disasters nationwide and has been the primary supplier of lifesaving blood and blood products in the United States for more than 50 years.

In 2000, the Red Cross also trained almost 12 million people in vital lifesaving skills and delivered more than 21 million locally relevant community services. The organization also assisted international disaster and conflict victims in close to 40 locations around the globe, and its emergency communication centers processed 1.2 million calls in support of U.S. military families.

About Plateau:

Plateau's enterprise-class software provides the infrastructure to manage all of a company's learning and knowledge and enhance its intellectual supply chain. Plateau's software integrates seamlessly with other enterprise applications to enhance their value and reduce the cycle of learning for employees, customers and partners.

Plateau 4 Learning Management System (LMS) is built on open, J2EE/EJB architecture. Plateau's global clients include the American Red Cross, Federal Express, Bristol Myers-Squibb and the U.S. Air Force. The company was founded in 1996, and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

Internet Users: Plateau's news releases, electronic press kits, media and sales contacts are available at www.plateau.com.