Colorado Software and Internet Association is Accepting Nominations for its Inaugural '2001 APEX Awards'.

LAFAYETTE, Colo., Feb. 20 /PRNewswire/ --

The Colorado Software and Internet Association (CSIA) announced last week at its annual meeting the call for entries into its "2001 APEX Awards -- Experience X-Tech." Nominations for the awards will be accepted until March 23, 2001 with winners being announced at a ceremony scheduled for Thursday, May 17, 2001. The awards event will be held at the Paramount Theater in Denver.

CSIA wants to recognize Colorado's top climbers and "X-Tech shredders" and celebrate those companies, products, services, and individuals who have reached the "Peak of Performance" in their respective classes. Apex Awards will be given in the following categories: Business Product of the Year; Consumer Product of the Year; Most Promising New Company of the Year; Service Provider of the Year; Connectivity Provider of the Year; Web Site Design of the Year; and Colorado Woman Technologist of the Year.

"Just as skiing, snowboarding, skydiving, and just about any other sport you can think of has taken it to the limits and gone X-treme, we believe that there are technology companies and individuals who have also taken their products and businesses to the X-treme," explains Cathy Ewing, Executive Director of CSIA. "Our inaugural theme is X-Tech -- and it starts right here in Colorado."

The APEX Awards are given to companies who have registered offices in Colorado and to the individuals who work in Colorado, adding their input into Colorado's already strong technology industry. Additional information, including information on the individual awards, awards criteria and how to enter, is available online at www.coloradosoftware.org. All entries will be accepted by mail up until 5:00pm MST on Friday, March 23, 2001. Panels of top industry professionals will judge all entries and anyone involved or interested in the industry are invited to witness who makes it to the top at the APEX Awards -- Experience X-Tech: A Multimedia Event on Thursday, May 17, 2001.

APEX Awards Ceremony -- Experience X-Tech: A Multimedia Event

Winners of the 2001 APEX Awards -- Experience X-Tech will be announced Thursday, May 17, 2001 at the Paramount Theater with all the high-tech energy available in Colorado. The event will be fast-paced, fun and over-the-edge. The evening begins at 5:30pm with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. CSIA will provide updates, sneak peeks of entrants, finalists and the ceremony at www.coloradosoftware.org. As the event draws closer, information on registering to attend the awards ceremony will also be found on the CSIA web site.

About CSIA

The CSIA was founded in 1994 as a trade organization representing the interests of the information technology community in Colorado. The association has grown to include over 340 member companies representing the diversity of the Colorado IT industry. Counted among members are software developers, system integrators, telecommunications companies, Internet developers, ISP's, ASP's, content developers and more. CSIA focuses the strengths and influence of the IT community on issues that impact the IT industry and the economic prosperity of our state.

For more information, visit CSIA at www.coloradosoftware.org.