Australian Technology Group Honors Sostilio & Associates CEO.

Business Editors

OCALA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2002

Robert Sostilio, president and CEO of Sostilio & Associates International (SAI), was presented the Business Technology Association of Australia award for Outstanding Contribution to Dealer Education at the BTA's recent National Dealer Convention in Sydney, Australia.

"Our dealers and association people benefited enormously from Bob Sostilio's store of knowledge and inspiring presentation," said David Kyle, executive director of BTA Australia. "You have given us many tools with which we can go forward and prosper," Kyle said during the award ceremony. "The impact of your visit will continue here for a long time."

Sostilio keynoted the convention with a presentation on issues and opportunities for Australian dealers entitled "Understanding the Next Generation." He also presented a one-hour seminar offering his views on the growing need for office equipment sales representatives to learn to make the transition to the expanded role of consultative sales agent.

"It was a fantastic presentation," said one attendee. "I wish I could afford to engage him for my sales colleagues. The delivery was very polished and the facts and content were all there. In short, it was a valuable overview of the processes and factors that affect our incomes."

"I appreciate the award," Sostilio said as he accepted the ward from Kyle and Paul Brady, president of BTA Australia. "It's gratifying to receive this level of recognition for the work SAI is doing."

Sostilio, a 32-year veteran of the office equipment industry, formed SAI in February 2002 to provide manufacturers and resellers with a source for market and customized research derived from his vast experience within the industry. He has held senior management positions with leading manufacturers as well as research and publishing organizations. He was the senior group service director at CAP Ventures, where he established and managed the Converging Digital Peripheral Service of North America and Europe. Sostilio's expertise includes strategic planning, manufacturing, marketing, service, product development and product planning within the office automation market, including copiers, printers, duplicators and multifunctional products. Prior to joining CAP Ventures, he held several positions at Ricoh Corp., including director of strategic planning. He was also the associate director at Dataquest's Copying and Duplicating Industry Service, national OEM manager for Panasonic Industrial Company's Office Automation Group, senior product manager at Kyocera Mita, national copier service manager for Monroe Systems for Business, copier service manager for Cybernet International, international service manager for Saxon Export Corp., and product assurance manager for Saxon Copystatics.

Mr. Sostilio has keynoted many national and international conferences in the United States, Asia, South America, Europe and the Middle East. He has spoken at trade conferences and at office equipment dealer meetings and has been quoted as an industry expert in major U.S. and international and international publications. He was the managing editor of Printout and CAPsule Review and has authored many articles on topics ranging from color products to distribution of digital copying office equipment for various trade publications. He is profiled in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in Industry and Finance.

SAI is headquartered in Ocala, Florida. Robert Sostilio can be reached at Sostilio & Associates International, Inc. PO Box 830190 Ocala, Florida 34483-0190 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] email: [e-mail]