Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) and Minnesota Technology, Inc.(MTI) present the Partnership Award to Soft Center Duluth

MHTA and MTI Tekne Award Winners Represent Technology Leadership in Minnesota

Outstanding "homegrown" achievements earn recognition for excellence

(MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 9, 2000) – At an Academy Awards-themed event at the State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis tonight, the Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) and Minnesota Technology, Inc. (MTI) presented the Minnesota Tekne Awards to recognize the state’s outstanding technology achievements. The winners for the 2000 Minnesota Tekne Awards include eight firms and individuals that embody Minnesota’s high standards of technology excellence.

As part of the evening, MHTA President Jane Brown and MTI President Jacques Koppel also presented Earl Bakken, cofounder of Medtronic, with the Tekne Award for outstanding career contributions to technology development in Minnesota.

The eight firms and individuals receiving Tekne awards in other categories include:

Soft Center Duluth received The Partnership Award, to recognize a clearly defined and unique partnership with an outstanding collaborative spirit and clear results. This award is given in recognition of a specific venture between a business and non-business entity. Soft Center Duluth is a partnership of private industry, government resources and educational institutions that have worked together to help develop a new and vibrant high-tech industry in downtown Duluth.

Genmar Holdings is the winner of the Environmental Award, which celebrates an outstanding company that successfully developed or implemented technology that conserves resources, eliminates waste, or otherwise protects or improves the environment. Genmar Holdings/VEC technology provides major breakthroughs in fiberglass reinforced plastic technology. The process provides multiple environmental benefits including reducing VOC emissions to the atmosphere, improving indoor air quality for plant workers and reducing the amount of solid waste. The firm’s new plant will decrease styrene emissions by approximately 93 tons per year and solid waste will waste will be reduced by over 7 tons.

Interelate was presented the Application of Technology Award, to recognize a company that has used applied technology to improve an adverse situation or resolve a specific problem. Founded in July 1999 by Wade Myers, Interelate now have over 220 employees with offices throughout the U.S. From the time computers began collecting customer data, companies have been trying to figure out how to turn that data into useful information for sales, strategic planning and marketing. Unfortunately, this data is often housed in data silos scattered throughout the company and its partners. Interelate provides a true end-to-end infrastructure for gathering customer intelligence and insight in order to grow sales and profits.

Zone Trader is the winner of the Genesis Award, honoring a company or division that exemplifies the start-up process at its best and promises continued economic growth. Zone Trader has gone from "bricks and mortar" to "clicks and mortar," creating ZoneTrader.com. Zone Trader is the only business-to-business auction site that guarantees the surplus and used technology products it sells over the Internet. Under David Gigerich’s leadership, Zone Trader was able to raise $64 million in a period of 16 weeks – ensuring a solid foundation to build and grow its vision into reality. In July 2000 ZoneTrader was named "Best of the Web" by Forbes Magazine.

Paul Douglas of Digital Cyclone received The Innovator Award, given to the individual who has had a strong and positive impact in technology development. The company’s "My-Cast" personal weather intelligence began when CEO Paul Douglas, chief meteorologist at WCCO-TV, noticed his viewers wanted more personalized weather information. At one time, Douglas would receive 100 calls a day asking specific question about the caller’s local weather. In response, Douglas helped develop this virtual personal weather forecasting technology. "My-Cast" is now operational 24 hours a day in every major media market in America.

Genmar Holdings was also presented with The Innovation Award, recognizing a company with an outstanding new technology product or process. Virtual Engineered Composites (VEC) technology, an innovation owned by Genmar Holdings, Inc., is the first major breakthrough in fiberglass reinforced plastic boat building in 50 years. VEC technology now replaces costly and time-consuming open molding with unprecedented quality of finished boats done with greater automation and precision. Genmar now operates the world’s first automated boat plant in Little Falls, Minn.

William Cadogan of ADC Telecommunications received The Leadership Individual Award, recognizing an outstanding individual who, beyond a specific innovation or achievement, contributed significantly to Minnesota as a cutting-edge technology community. Under Cadogan’s direction, ADC Telecommunications has evolved to bring their customers a full range of end-to-end solutions incorporating equipment, software and integration services. Cadogan puts a strong emphasis on creating a work environment that stimulates innovation, loyalty, financial reward and most importantly – fun. Recently, ADC was named as one of the "Most Admired Companies" by FORTUNE Magazine and was also named "One of the Best Places to Work" by Corporate Report.

ADC Telecommunications received The Leadership Company Award, honoring an outstanding company that, beyond a specific innovation or achievement, contributed significantly to Minnesota as a cutting-edge technology community. The firm’s technology makes the delivery of voice, video and Internet services a reality, bringing communities and businesses closer together. ADC developed the world’s first broadband wireless system that delivers voice video and data communications through an MMDS wireless spectrum. In 1999, ADC’s sales reached $1.9 billion and are expected to top $3 billion in 2000.

The evening, complete with red carpet treatment, Geekmobiles delivering dignitaries, and celebrity look-alikes, helped turn the spotlight on Minnesota’s own technology stars for an evening of fun – while also recognizing the importance of Minnesota’s growing and vibrant technology community. Each of the winners was announced from among a group of finalists during the Awards ceremony itself.

This is the first year that MTI and MHTA have collaborated to host the Minnesota Tekne Awards. The awards also featured keynote speaker Andrew Lippman, cofounder of MIT’s Media Lab.

The Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) is the largest technology trade association in the state of Minnesota, representing small, medium, and large companies across a variety of industries. The MHTA has nearly 20 years of experience with the high tech community and is the leading resource for technology-based companies in public policy advocacy, economic development, community outreach, and education and training. The MHTA works in partnership with the American Electronics Association (AEA), representing organizations that contribute to technology in the state of Minnesota. For additional information, visit www.mhta.org.

Minnesota Technology, Inc. (MTI) is a leader in the state's efforts to maintain a strong economy and to diversify greater Minnesota into technology-based industries. MTI has helped more than 4,000 manufacturing and technology-based companies improve their businesses, adding more than $500 million to their bottom lines. Companies benefit from direct company assistance, information technology needs assessment and implementation, and technology transfer programs. For more information, visit www.minnesotatechnology.org

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