Antares Management Solutions Selected For CMP Media LLC'S InformationWeek 500; IT Innovation Amidst Challenging Business Conditions Earns Antares Place on Listing.

Business Editors

WESTLAKE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 2002

For the second consecutive year, Antares Management Solutions has been named to CMP Media LLC's InformationWeek 500, a prestigious listing of the largest and most innovative users of information technology.

The ranking includes household names such as Hershey Foods Corp., Daimler Chrysler, and Sun Microsystems Inc., as well as HIP Health Plans of NY, which is ranked number one. For 14 years, the InformationWeek 500 has tracked organizations' IT agendas, providing a unique opportunity to understand and examine their business practices across core areas of operations. Companies named to this list demonstrate a pattern of technological, procedural and organization innovation. Antares was ranked number 275.

Despite challenging market conditions, the typical InformationWeek 500 company chalked up $9.4 billion in annual revenue in its most recent fiscal year, of which 3.4% will be invested in information technology, an average of nearly $320 million. This marks a decline in spending over last year when InformationWeek 500 organizations spent an average of $484 million on IT. Despite this spending down turn, InformationWeek 500 companies have increased IT investments at a 5.1% compound annual growth rate over the past six years.

"It's an honor to be included on such a prestigious list for the second consecutive year," said Ken Sidon, Antares president. "Information Week's recognition affirms the faith our customers place in us, and recognizes the creativity we use in making smaller health and life insurance companies more efficient, and thus, more competitive."

"Seventy-three percent of InformationWeek 500 companies in 2002 ranked on last year's list," said Rusty Weston, editor of InformationWeek Research. "This has provided invaluable insight into how the economy has shaped technology investment over the past 12 months and which IT and business strategies are being used in an effort to maintain and advance market position."

Although IT spending is off, the nation's top technology innovators are finding creative ways to drive their technology initiatives forward by working to improve the systems they have. To do this, they have been delving deeper into company data stores to parse business results, and squeeze more use from electronic channels to strengthen customer and business partner collaborations.

"This year's InformationWeek 500 brings new meaning to the title IT innovators," said Stephanie Stahl, editor of InformationWeek. "HIP Health Plans of New York's use of information technology enabled the company to overcome devastating consequences caused by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and help customers and business partners overcome business difficulties caused by that day. In addition to spearheading data store advances, the companies worked diligently to motivate technical staff in a bad economy."

The InformationWeek 500 is the most detailed source of industry-specific IT budget data. The research project gathered in-depth information directly from companies about how they approach and prioritize their IT investments. The research identified and ranked the companies following an extensive online and phone study.

About Antares Management Solutions

Antares Management Solutions, headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, offers state-of-the-art technology and administrative services and process design solutions for insurance companies and other industries. The company's services help businesses reduce costs and increase productivity. For more information, visit www.AntaresSolutions.com.

About InformationWeek

InformationWeek helps more than 440,000 Business Technology Professionals who buy, build and manage technology driven business innovations powered by technology. In addition to the weekly magazine, InformationWeek provides a platform of information solutions including www.informationweek.com, InformationWeek Research, InformationWeek Events, which includes the InformationWeek Conference for Business Technology Executives and the InformationWeek Daily, an e-mail news service. In November 2001, the leading IT media brand launched Optimize, an InformationWeek Resource for Business Technology Executives. In 2002, InformationWeek was consistently recognized for its commitment to excellence and innovation, receiving several of the industry's top media accolades including top spots in Technology Marketing's Influencers Report, the #1 ranking on Folio's annual list of top trade titles, as well as ASBPE's National Gold Awards for Best Series and Best Web Series.

About CMP Media LLC 

CMP Media LLC (www.cmp.com) is a leading high-tech media company providing essential information and marketing services to the entire technology spectrum - the builders, sellers and users of technology worldwide. Capitalizing on its editorial strength, CMP is uniquely positioned to offer marketers comprehensive, integrated media solutions tailored to meet their individual needs. Its diverse products and services include newspapers, magazines, Internet products, research, direct marketing services, education and training, trade shows and conferences, custom publishing, testing and consulting.