UMT Consulting Group Attains Gold Certified Partner Status in Microsoft Partner Program.

Company Further Distinguishes Itself by Earning a Microsoft Competency in Information Worker Solutions

NEW YORK -- UMT Consulting Group, the Portfolio Management Experts, announced it has attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program with a competency in Information Worker Solutions, recognizing the company's expertise and impact in the technology marketplace. As a Gold Certified Partner, UMT Consulting Group has demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and proven ability to meet customers' needs. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training and support, providing a competitive advantage in the channel.

UMT Consulting Group applies solutions that consistently help clients build capabilities supporting effective business decision-making and enhancing business performance. Since 1989, the company has pioneered the field of portfolio management and devised unique methodologies that, when combined with effective project management, enable an integrated link between strategy formulation and execution. By linking business, product, and IT strategies to day-to-day activities, clients succeed in delivering improved performance and tangible results. The company has successfully deployed Portfolio and Project Management processes and technologies with over 100 clients globally, in a vast range of Corporate, Business, and IT settings.

UMT Consulting Group's offerings cover five core areas including Project Portfolio Management (PPM), Enterprise Project Management (EPM), Project Management Office (PMO) Setup, Application Portfolio Management (APM), and comprehensive training via the UMT Institute.

"We are extremely pleased to have attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program. This allows us to clearly promote our expertise and relationship with Microsoft to our customers," said Gil Makleff, Founding Partner at UMT Consulting. "The benefits provided through our Gold Certified Partner status will allow us to continue to enhance the offerings that we provide to customers."

"Customers are looking for partner companies that can bridge the gap between their business demands and technology capabilities," said Allison Watson, vice president of the Worldwide Partner Sales and Marketing Group at Microsoft Corp. "They need to trust in a company that can act as an expert adviser for their long-term strategic technology plans. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners, which have certified expertise and direct training and support from Microsoft, can build a positive customer experience with our technologies. Microsoft recognizes UMT Consulting Group as a new Gold Certified Partner for demonstrating its expertise providing customer satisfaction using Microsoft products and technology."

As one of the requirements for attaining Gold Certified Partner status, UMT Consulting Group had to declare a Microsoft Competency. Microsoft Competencies are designed to help differentiate a partner's capabilities with specific Microsoft technologies to customers looking for a particular type of solution. Each competency has a unique set of requirements and benefits, formulated to accurately represent the specific skills and services that partners bring to the technology industry.

Designed to provide additional benefit and support to partners specializing in collaboration, portals and other productivity solutions, the Information Worker Solutions Competency is utilized by Gold Certified Partners that provide their customers with solutions built on familiar programs which enable them to better manage, prioritize and collaborate on increasing volumes of information. Partners that have obtained the Information Worker Solutions Competency can help their customers realize increased service revenues and new market opportunities. Specializations within the competency are Enterprise Project Management, Messaging and Collaboration, Office System Desktop Development, and Portals and Enterprise Content Management.

"Partners play a critical role in delivering solutions and applications to customers with the Microsoft Office system," said Chris Capossela, corporate vice president of the Information Worker Product Management Group at Microsoft Corp. "The value of solutions competencies is that they enable Microsoft to deliver resources and training to partners meeting their customer needs. And for partners, the opportunity to highlight their expertise to customers is tremendous in the growing information worker solutions market."

The Microsoft Partner Program was launched in October 2003 and represents Microsoft's ongoing commitment to the success of partners worldwide. The program offers a single, integrated partnering framework that recognizes partner expertise, rewards the total impact that partners have in the technology marketplace, and delivers more value to help partners' businesses be successful.

About UMT Consulting Group

UMT Consulting Group, the portfolio management experts, delivers solutions that consistently help our clients build capabilities to support effective business decision-making and enhance business performance. Leveraging over 18 years of best practices, we have successfully deployed processes and technologies with over 100 clients globally, in a vast range of Corporate, Business, and IT settings. As developers of the portfolio management software suite acquired by Microsoft in 2006, our expertise in process and governance design as well as in tool setup and configuration is unrivaled. Our UMT Institute offers an array of training courses on project, application and portfolio management.

We contribute to our clients' success by linking business, product and IT strategies to day to day activities leading to improved performance and tangible results. Customers including Wachovia, AXA, Pfizer, and State of North Carolina rely on UMT to help deliver program and portfolio success. If you are serious about achieving significant results and bringing greater success to your company, contact the UMT Team today, or visit us at www.umt.com.