'Take Stock in Massachusetts'; the Dot.commonwealth Road Show Travels to Worcester and Central Massachusetts

Business Wire, March 12, 2001

Business/Technology Editors

LYNN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 2001

The Dot.commonwealth(TM) travels to Central Mass on Friday, March 23rd making its fourth stop in a series of statewide road shows positioning Massachusetts as a center of technology leadership and innovation. This stop will highlight the region as one of the established pockets of technology in Massachusetts. The program is entitled "Accelerating the New Economy." A special focus of the half-day event at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will be on Internet2 a consortium led by over 180 universities including WPI to recreate the partnership among academia, industry and government that fostered the growth of today's Internet. (See attached day's agenda)

The program will kick off with an invitation-only breakfast forum to discuss the role of Internet2 and new economy issues. The program will continue on to Alden Memorial Hall with invited speakers and a series of CEO presentations from the area's hottest companies. `

Breakfast Forum Speakers:

Edward Alton Parrish, president, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Elizabeth Ames, director, economic development, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Matt Harris, president, Village Ventures, Inc.

Main Program Speakers:

Congressman James McGovern

Howard Anderson, senior managing director, YankeeTek Ventures

Frank Loew, president, Consortium of Worcester Colleges

A Sampling of Regional Companies to Be Spotlighted by CEOs Include:

--Blackstone Technologies: Blackstone Technologies provides companies ranging from aggressive start-ups to progressive Fortune 1000 firms with a broad suite of information technology services. It's three-pronged approach combines eBusiness, Integration, IT Staffing and IT Infrastructure Services to give its clients reliable, customized and complete IT Solutions.

--Bulbs.com: bulbs.com is the result of market analysis and creative ideas on the part of its staff to apply state of the art technology to simplify the process of purchasing light bulbs. Its professional team includes individuals with strong backgrounds in e-commerce, customer support, merchandising, marketing and sales. They have created a website tailored to the purchasing habits of demanding, commercial and corporate customers, while remaining user-friendly and applicable to the smallest business or the individual consumer.

--Mosaicad.com: Mosaicad.com has created a mosaic tile production system utilizing the power of modern computer technology. The company produces mosaics ranging from large public murals and monuments to smaller mosaics and insets that help customers personalize their architectural surfaces with a beautiful, durable and very unique medium.

Also to be spotlighted are the Center for Advanced Fiber Optics Applications, Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives, the Massachusetts Innovation Center and the Worcester InfoTech Corp.

About the Dot.commonwealth Coalition:

The Dot.commonwealth Coalition was formed in 1999 and includes the five leading technology associations in Massachusetts: Massachusetts Software and Internet Council, Massachusetts Interactive Media Council, Massachusetts Telecommunications Council, American Electronics Association, New England Council and Massachusetts Electronic Commerce Association. For more information, please visit the Dot.commonwealth's website at www.dotcommonwealth.com

                     "TAKE STOCK IN MASSACHUSETTS"
                   THE DOT.COMMONWEALTHTM ROAD SHOW
            TRAVELS TO WORCESTER AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS

                          Schedule of Events
                        Friday, March 23, 2001

8:30-9:00 AM    Registration and Continental Breakfast
                Alden Memorial Hall
                Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
                100 Institute Road
                Worcester, MA

9:05-9:10 AM    Welcome by Edward Alton Parrish, President WPI
                Welcome by Tom Hoover, Worcester City Manager

9:10-9:20 AM    Formal Presentation
                Joyce Plotkin, co-founder of the Dot.commonwealth
                Coalition and president of
                Massachusetts Software & Internet Council

9:20-9:35 AM    Spotlight:
                Internet2 Demonstration

9:35-9:55 AM    Formal Presentations
                Joseph D. Gormley, Massachusetts Biomedical
                Initiatives
                Mark Love, Worcester InfoTech Corp.
                Robert Ansin, Mass Innovation Center (Fitchburg)
                Martin Drexhage, Center for Advanced Fiber Optics
                Applications (CAFA)

10:00-10:20 AM  Keynote Speaker
                Howard Anderson, senior managing director,
                YankeeTek Ventures

10:20-10:45 AM  Formal Presentations
                Frank Loew, president, Consortium of Worcester
                Colleges
                Ron Ranauro, CEO, Blackstone Technologies
                Tana Scouras, president and CEO, Vitel Software
                Thomas McGovern, CEO, Lightband Communications, Inc.
                Lance McKee, CEO, Mosaicad.com
                Steve Rothschild, CEO, Bulbs.com

10:45-10:55 AM  Congressman James McGovern D-Worcester

10:55-11:00 AM  Closing Remarks and Networking
                Coffee and refreshments to be served