Global BusinessObjects Network (GBN) and Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG) Host Customer-Led Conference for SAP BusinessObjects Users.

Only 2009 Event for SAP BusinessObjects Customers in Any Data Environment

CHICAGO -- The Global BusinessObjects Network (GBN), an independent user community for customers of the SAP[R] BusinessObjects[TM] solution portfolio, and its parent organization, the Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG), are hosting the only customer-led conference for SAP BusinessObjects users in any data environment, October 18-21, 2009 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. The conference features more than 150 sessions that were reviewed and selected by a team of GBN members who are customers and partners of SAP BusinessObjects solutions.

This year's event includes exclusive opportunities to work with SAP product managers to influence the direction of SAP BusinessObjects solutions, experience first-hand the essential benefits of key products, and test-drive and provide immediate feedback on future products. John Schwarz, member of the executive board of SAP AG, SAP BusinessObjects, SAP Ecosystem and corporate development, CEO of Business Objects SA, will deliver the keynote presentation on Oct. 19 titled "SAP BusinessObjects: A Clear Long-term Strategy for any Data Environment." On Oct. 20, the keynote speaker is Vikki Farrell, manager of marketing strategy at Hewlett Packard, who will present "New Directions in BI: Arrival of the Next Generation BI Environment."

"We believe the most effective SAP education comes from customers--people who have implemented the product successfully and can share their stories with other users," said Abbe Mulders, ASUG chairperson and CIO of Dow Corning. "The team reviewing and selecting the content comes from a variety of industries but all have extensive experience with SAP BusinessObjects solutions. We thank them for their hard work and congratulate them on delivering a first-rate program."

The 2009 SAP BusinessObjects User Conference Design Team, comprised of 13 GBN members, shaped the program and selected the content from more than 450 speaking submissions. New to the conference this year is the addition of Spotlight Topics, which were voted on by GBN members. The topics that received the most votes - Web Intelligence, Xcelsius and Universes - will be highlighted with more in-depth content.

The SAP BusinessObjects User Conference includes exclusive opportunities to provide feedback on product and service direction. Attendees will be exposed to five influence council sessions and the SAP Usability Testing Lab, which offers on-the-spot feedback to developers on new and existing SAP BusinessObjects products. The addition of Community Lounge sessions offers attendees the chance to meet and network with customers aligned by GBN's five Special Interest Groups: Crystal Reports, Dashboarding, Data Management, Security and Administration, and WebI/DeskI.

GBN announced in July that it will merge with ASUG on January 1, 2010. The merger creates one, powerful SAP user community and solidifies ASUG's position as the pre-eminent resource for all North American members of the SAP ecosystem, regardless of their specific data environment.

"In addition to user-driven education, conference attendees will be exposed to ASUG member benefits such as participating in exclusive influence programs and hearing directly from SAP product experts," said Mark Frederick, GBN steering team chair and senior project manager, Portal and Data Services for Ball Corporation. "When GBN merges with ASUG, members gain instant access to a wealth of new contacts and information via ASUG's robust Web site."

ASUG has expanded its membership offering to accommodate the wide variety of SAP BusinessObjects customers. The structure will include a $250 Individual annual membership for those customers who are not SAP ERP users. ASUG's existing corporate membership offering will also be available for SAP BusinessObjects-only customers with multiple users. This 2010 ASUG membership will be available for purchase at the conference, and anyone who joins during that timeframe will receive a 20 percent discount.

About GBN

The Global BusinessObjects Network (GBN) is an independent, member-driven community that brings together customers and partners of the SAP BusinessObjects portfolio to share knowledge and best practices, creating a powerful customer voice. GBN was established by the Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG) and leverages ASUG's relationship with the entire SAP ecosystem to provide members immediate value: a direct connection with SAP for input on product, service and company direction. For more information, visit www.gogbn.org.

About ASUG

The Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG(R)) is an independent, volunteer-run organization that facilitates knowledge transfer among the community of SAP customers, regardless of their data environment, by providing user-driven educational opportunities, professional networking and a forum that provides insight and influence to SAP. ASUG maintains a unique position within the SAP community through its: combination of highly-focused education tools; access to subject matter experts and SAP executives; ability to influence SAP products and services; and personal networking opportunities with SAP professionals. As a result, members from organizations of all sizes have access to resources that can solve their SAP-related business problems more efficiently and cost-effectively, realizing a significant return from their membership. (Additional information at http://www.asug.com.)

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