An Extraordinary On-Line Training Opportunity.

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 29, 1999--As a gift to its members and to the energy services industry, the Association of Energy Services International (AESP) recently opened a new Web link, in collaboration with Apogee Interactive of Tucker, Ga.

The link brings Apogee's award-winning, "Deregulation Game," training experience on-line for the first time. Now the open-market simulation that has been enjoyed by thousands of energy services professionals in workshops around the country comes to the Internet and is available to everyone at no charge. The first formal competition begins April 1, 1999. There will be three rounds of competition lasting one month each. At the conclusion of each round, winners will be announced and, after all three rounds have been completed, a "grand champion" will be named and prizes awarded.

According to Apogee President Susan Gilbert, "Playing the Deregulation Game on-line brings to anyone training about how the deregulated utility market works. It's incredibly convenient," Gilbert said. "Teams of any size can log on through the AESP Web site (http://www.aesp.org) and spend about 15 minutes getting familiar with the game. Then, each 'round' in the game simulates implementation of a new strategic marketing plan by the player's utility. And it only takes a few minutes each week to play. Decisions include target marketing, pricing, levels of program investments, and levels of investment in market research. Each team gets the same amount of money to spend and has the same supply capacity to begin with."

According to Gilbert, some utility teams are likely to go bankrupt and others will prosper, depending on their strategic decisions. Teams can spend as much time as they choose reviewing and analyzing their results. "This time and effort pays off," said Gilbert, "as it leaves players with an eye-opening understanding of how utility competition works."

With help from AESP's Communications Committee, progress round-by-round will be documented and winners announced. AESP decided to place the game on its public access Web site for two reasons:

-- To introduce the value of AESP to colleagues and friends; -- To help train energy services professionals in the skills

necessary to deal with the challenges of deregulation.

The Association of Energy Services Professionals, International (AESP) is a not-for-profit individual membership organization with nearly 2,000 members. It is based in Boca Raton, Fla.