UTC 2006 'Hall of Fame' Event to Feature Microsoft President and CEO; Microsoft's Steve Ballmer to Speak at Utah's Premier Event for Technology Companies and Leaders

Business Wire, June 28, 2006

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Technology Council's eighth annual "Hall of Fame" celebration is expected to be among the most eventful for the Utah technology industry. This year's gala on October 27 will feature Microsoft president and CEO, Steve Ballmer, as its distinguished keynote speaker.

The UTC Hall of Fame is known for featuring keynote CEOs from some of the most influential technology companies. This year's keynote speaker clearly continues the momentum. Steven A. Ballmer has been a driving force at Microsoft since he joined the company in 1980. In 1998 he was promoted to president and in 2000 named CEO. Variously described as ebullient, focused, funny, passionate, sincere, hard-charging and dynamic, Ballmer has infused Microsoft with his own brand of energetic leadership, vision and spirit over the years. Please click on the following link for an image of Ballmer: http://www.utahtechcouncil.org/newsimages/ballmer.jpg.> A graduate of Harvard University in mathematics and economics, Ballmer also attended Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

This year's "Hall of Fame" dinner will honor and induct Dr. Jim Kajiya and Dr. Dinesh Patel. Kajiya, an Academy Award winner, is a computer graphics hardware and software designer as well as developer of programming languages. Patel, father of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals in the Mountain West region, has founded or co-founded three companies and been an investor in numerous others. "They have both globally impacted and changed their respective fields," said Richard Nelson, president and CEO of UTC. "The Utah Technology Council is excited to welcome these two influential leaders as the newest members of the UTC 'Hall of Fame.'"

This year's inductees will be joining prior "Hall of Fame" inductees Drew Major, Homer Warner, Kevin Rollins, Shane Robison, Alan Kay, James Clark, Nolan Bushnell, David Bailey, Thomas Stockham Jr., David Spafford, Spencer Kirk, Edwin Catmull, Stephen Aldous, John Warnock, Bruce Bastian, Ivan Sutherland, Ray Noorda, Philo Farnsworth, David Evans, and Alan Ashton.

The Utah Technology Council's black-tie invited "Hall of Fame" celebration begins with a networking reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The cost is $250 for UTC members and $400 for non-UTC members. For information on sponsorships and tables, contact Mark Lehnhof at 801-568-3500 or mark@utahtechcouncil.org. Major sponsors include Omniture. Proceeds will help foster the growth of Utah's technology community.

About Utah Technology Council

As the premier professional organization for Utah's more than 3,700 technology companies, the Utah Technology Council, the power of UITA and ULSA, exists to form closer relationships with industry and community leaders, develop superior management talent, sharpen professional skills and help gain access to capital. For more information on UTC, please visit http://www.utahtechcouncil.org.