BRISBANE, Australia, Tuesday, March 1st, 2004 - Progress Software has named Brisbane-based developer and supplier of e-commerce and enterprise management software solutions, Markinson Business Solutions the inaugural Progress Australian Partner of the Year.

Progress Software, a leading supplier of technology that simplifies the development, deployment, integration and management of world-leading business applications, recognised Markinson for its collaborative efforts as a member of the Progress partner community and as a Progress evangelist among its growing customer base.

Markinson has been a Progress partner for 12 years. The company's flagship product, MomentumPro(tm), is built on Progress Software.

"Markinson Business Solutions exemplifies the true meaning of partnership through its technology innovation, and its willingness to exchange ideas and provide thoughtful feedback as a long-standing Progress partner and member of the Progress Software Developers Network," Larry DiLoreto, Vice President Asia Pacific for Progress Software, said.

The success of the partnership was demonstrated by Markinson's continued growth in customers, revenue and staff levels over the past year, according to Markinson Business Solutions Managing Director Paul Watts.

"We have worked closely with Progress since we started using their technology in 1992. It is a very tight partnership through which we support each other for mutual benefit and for the benefit of our mutual customers," Mr Watts said.

"Our company was founded with clear core values including a strong commitment to customer relationships. Our close partnership with Progress helps us provide the technology and services needed to deliver on that commitment."

Other finalists in the 2003 Australian Partner of the Year award were System 77, GBST and Pulse Logistics.

About Progress Software Corporation
The Progress Company and its community of more than 2,000 global partners supply more than US $5 billion in Progress-based applications and services to the marketplace annually. Over 50,000 organizations across over 120 countries - including over 90 of the Fortune 100 - rely on Progress technology to keep their businesses running. In fact, the Progress Company and its partners have the second largest installed base of business application software in the world. The heart of our technology offering is the Progress® OpenEdge(tm) Business Platform.