ConneXt Adds Energy Industry Leader to Management Team; Rick Nelson to Offer World-Class Energy Sales Expertise to Rapidly Growing Company.

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 22, 1998--ConneXt(R), Inc., a leading Seattle-based developer of Internet-enabled software solutions for the energy industry, today announced the addition of Rick Nelson to head the company's sales force as vice president of sales.

Nelson brings more than 12 years of experience in the energy industry to ConneXt's rapidly growing business. As vice president of sales, he will lead ConneXt's efforts to provide the critical software tools and solutions that allow energy companies to compete in a deregulating market. The company's most recent sales have been to leading energy suppliers DTE Edison America and Idaho Power. ConneXt will build on this momentum with a sales team led by Nelson.

"Rick Nelson brings a wealth of energy industry experience, selling expertise, and enthusiasm to his role at ConneXt as vice president of sales," said Robert Bismuth, ConneXt president and CEO. "Rick's high level of skills complement the strengths in our management team and will further accelerate ConneXt's rapid market growth."

In his previous position as vice president of aggregated services at CNG Energy Services Corporation in Norwalk, Conn., Nelson lead a successful effort to develop and market a complete energy outsourcing and energy portfolio management program for multi-state, multi-site commercial and industrial customers. He also has extensive experience marketing energy services and risk management products for Duke/Louis Dreyfus, LLC and Enron Capital & Trade Resources -- two of the nation's largest energy marketers. Nelson holds a Master of Business Administration from Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Engineering from Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

Nelson replaces Bill Redinger who has accepted a position as president of a company in the Midwest.

ConneXt is a privately held, Seattle-based software and services company that connects energy providers to customers. ConneXt designs, develops and delivers world-class software and service solutions capable of managing the energy industry's information systems, customer relationships, services and commerce for utilities (UDCs), energy service providers (ESPs) and energy service companies (ESCOs). Products include ConsumerLink(tm), a large-scale customer information system, and Tellus, comprehensive distribution and design management tools for utility market. ConneXt's TransaXions(tm) line is designed to give ESCOs and ESPs a premier solution to jumpstart their business services and maximize the opportunities presented by the restructuring energy marketplace.

ConneXt's current customers include Puget Sound Energy, Pacific Gas & Electric, DukeSolutions, Nicor Energy and other major North American energy providers.

ConneXt is located at 1301 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1900, Seattle, WA 98101. Phone at 800/706-1976, fax at 206/521-2400. www.connext.com