ViaWest Attains Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Status

Earns Competency in Advanced Infrastructure Solutions; Recognized for Expertise and Impact in the Technology Marketplace

Denver, Colo. — September 5, 2006 — ViaWest, provider of adaptable colocation and managed hosting solutions, today announced it has attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program with a competency in Advanced Infrastructure Solutions. As a Gold Certified Partner, ViaWest has demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and proven its ability to meet customers’ needs.

“We have built a strong reputation for exceptional customer service and achieving Gold Certified Partner status from Microsoft is further validation of this level of service,” said Roy Dimoff, CEO of ViaWest. “We will pass on the advantages we receive as a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner to our customers through enhanced offerings and expanded IT knowledge."

One of the requirements for attaining Gold Certified Partner status is identifying a Microsoft Competency. ViaWest earned a competency in the Advanced Infrastructure Solutions category, which is designed for partners with proven expertise in designing and/or implementing complex infrastructure solutions. As customers are increasingly asking to do more with less, partners with the Advanced Infrastructure Solutions Competency can identify their unique skill in helping customers access management solutions, improve operational efficiency and reduce security risks.

“Our industry partners allow us to deliver high-quality solutions and applications to our customers. And we’re always looking at ways to improve our relationships,” said Paul Flessner, senior vice president of the Server Applications at Microsoft Corp.

The Microsoft Partner Program was launched in October 2003 and represents Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to the success of partners worldwide. The program offers a single, integrated partnering framework that recognizes partner expertise, rewards the total impact that partners have in the technology marketplace, and delivers more value to help partners’ businesses be successful.

About ViaWest
ViaWest provides a unique set of colocation, managed hosting solutions and comprehensive services to mid-sized businesses. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with additional Tier 1 data centers in Utah and Oregon, ViaWest offers broad and deep expertise to furnish its customers with leading technology infrastructure solutions and the critical resources to support their unique business needs. Partnering with ViaWest allows businesses to focus on their core competencies enabling them to increase profitability and expand their business. ViaWest currently serves thousands of customers nationwide including Frontier Airlines, the Denver Broncos, Exclusive Resorts and Chipotle. For more information, please visit www.viawest.net or call 1-877-448-9378.

VIAWEST ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF FORTIX

Enters Third Major Market with Purchase of Portland-Based Managed Service Provider

Denver, Colo. June 19, 2006 – ViaWest, provider of dependable colocation and managed hosting solutions, today announced it has acquired Fortix, a Portland, Oregon based managed service provider that serves the midsize market.

The acquisition of Fortix allows ViaWest to enter a third major market with another Tier 1 data center and strengthen its leadership position. The move also reinforces the company’s commitment to offer customers a unique combination of deep IT expertise, managed hosting, colocation and business continuity solutions. With more than 1200 customers, ViaWest continues to increase its ability to scale with its customers’ growth while providing exceptional customer service.

“ViaWest is market dominant in Colorado and Utah and has been successfully servicing mid-sized companies since 1999,” said Roy Dimoff, chairman and CEO, ViaWest. “There are many synergies between the two companies that make this a strategic fit including the fact that Fortix also has been working with mid-sized businesses in Oregon for more than seven years. The addition of the Fortix team, its data center facility, customers and first-rate reputation allows ViaWest to become a significant force in a third major market.”

The acquisition offers Fortix customers access to ViaWest’s enterprise suite of products and services including use of data centers in Utah and Colorado, which will provide greater reliability and data protection options for disaster recovery planning. Additionally, ViaWest expects the acquisition to expand development capacity, helping set the stage for bringing new product and services to market more rapidly.

“ViaWest is exactly the type of company with which Fortix wants to be associated,” said Gerald Hagan, CEO, Fortix. “ViaWest has the same philosophy and approach to the market as we do, and similar to Fortix, a consistent reputation for providing exceptional customer service.”

Fortix provides a broad range of IT outsourcing solutions including hosted application services and business continuance systems. The purchase of Fortix adds a portfolio of additional service offerings that complement ViaWest’s existing managed hosting and colocation solutions.

About ViaWest
ViaWest provides a unique set of colocation, managed hosting solutions and comprehensive services to mid-sized businesses. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with additional Tier 1 data centers in Utah and Oregon, ViaWest offers broad and deep expertise to furnish its customers with leading technology infrastructure solutions and the critical resources to support their unique business needs. Partnering with ViaWest allows businesses to focus on their core competencies enabling them to increase profitability and expand their business. ViaWest currently serves thousands of customers nationwide including Frontier Airlines, the Denver Broncos, Exclusive Resorts and Chipotle. For more information, please visit www.viawest.net or call 1-877-448-9378.

Denver, Colo. June 19, 2006 – ViaWest, a provider of dependable colocation and managed hosting solutions, today announced it has secured $31 Million in debt financing from a leading New York financial institution.

“ViaWest consistently shows record financial growth and is on target to continue strong top line and earnings growth, and close a solid second quarter,” said Mike Krza, senior vice president of finance, ViaWest. “Securing this level of financing is a show of market confidence not only in our management team but in our ability to execute against our strategic growth plan.”

Of the $31 Million secured, ViaWest will use $13 Million to repay existing debt and fund the immediate acquisition of Fortix, a Portland Oregon-based managed service provider. The acquisition of Fortix allows ViaWest to enter a third major market with a Tier 1 data center and significantly increase its leadership position.

The remaining $18 Million is earmarked for additional expansion and acquisition opportunities that strategically align with ViaWest’s business in its three existing geographic markets or helping the company expand into yet a fourth market.

“ViaWest has successfully completed 16 acquisitions since 1999,” said Roy Dimoff, chairman and CEO, ViaWest. “We are confident in our expansion plans including identifying additional, strategic acquisition targets similar to Fortix that will allow us to enter additional major markets and expand our footprint across the U.S.”

About ViaWest
ViaWest provides a unique set of colocation, managed hosting solutions and comprehensive services to mid-sized businesses. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with additional Tier 1 data centers in Utah and Oregon, ViaWest offers broad and deep expertise to furnish its customers with leading technology infrastructure solutions and the critical resources to support their unique business needs. Partnering with ViaWest allows businesses to focus on their core competencies enabling them to increase profitability and expand their business. ViaWest currently serves thousands of customers nationwide including Frontier Airlines, the Denver Broncos, Exclusive Resorts and Chipotle. For more information, please visit www.viawest.net or call 1-877-448-9378.

The rankings for the 2006 Best Companies to Work for in Colorado will be released at an awards luncheon at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 3, 2006, at the Westin Hotel Westminster, Westminster, CO. The event’s master of ceremonies will be 9News Business News Reporter Greg Moss. Event tickets and corporate tables can be purchased at www.COSHRM.org.

This initiative was designed to:

• honor companies in Colorado that show dedication to their employees’ growth and quality of life;
• develop definitive information to help existing companies in Colorado retain their workforce; promote Colorado’s best employment opportunities to attract new workers; and
• distinguish businesses in Colorado that attract and retain Colorado’s talented workforce.

The competition recognizes participants in two different categories in Colorado: medium-sized companies (25-199 employees) and large-sized employers (200 employees or more). Ranking companies were evaluated and chosen by the Best Companies Group, and their participation will lead to long-term benefits for Colorado.

To be eligible for consideration, companies must meet the following criteria:

• Be a for-profit or not-for-profit business
• Be a publicly or privately held business
• Have a facility in the state of Colorado
• Have a minimum of 25 employees in the state of Colorado

The awards program is a first of its kind offered statewide in Colorado, and is modeled after Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work for in America,” and other statewide Best Places to Work programs administered in 15 other states. Best Companies is a collaborative effort among its many partners, which include Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Colorado State Council, Boulder Area Human Resource SHRM Colorado State Council Association, Colorado Springs Society of Human Resource Management, Northern Colorado Human Resource Association, High Country Human Resource Association, Western Colorado Human Resource Association, Jobing.com, Colorado Biz Magazine, and the Best Companies Group.

The Best Companies Group, assisted by ModernThink, LLC, conducted an assessment of participating companies that was a two-part process designed to gather detailed data about each company. In part one, the employer completes a questionnaire and in part two, employees of the company complete an employee survey.

The survey data was then combined to enable the experts at ModernThink, LLC to determine the strengths and opportunities of the participating companies. The companies were then ranked based on this data. ModernThink, LLC also created Assessment Findings Reports that are returned to each participating company. General comparisons of a company’s data to the rest of the field are also included. The information companies received will be almost as valuable as finding themselves on the final list.

Listings of the finalists from both the medium-sized and large-sized companies, arranged alphabetically, are included with this release. Company ranking in each category will be announced at the August 3, 2006 award luncheon.

For more information on Best Companies to Work For in Colorado, please visit www.BestCompaniesCO.com. For more information on the SHRM Colorado State Council, please visit www.coshrm.org.

Finalists Announced for 2006 Best Companies to Work For in Colorado

*** Not in Ranked Order ***

2006 Large Companies

Company	City
Abacus	Broomfield, CO
Baxa Corporation	Englewood, CO
Compass Bank	Englewood, CO
Education Sales Management	Highlands Ranch, CO
Edward Jones	Various Locations in CO
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Inc.	Broomfield, CO
Merrick & Company	Aurora, CO
Quest Diagnostics	Denver, CO
Simpson Housing Limited Partnership, LLLP	Denver, CO
The Medical Center of Aurora & Centennial Medical Plaza	Aurora, CO
TrueLogic Financial Corporation	Englewood, CO
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)	Boulder, CO
Wells Fargo Bank	Denver, CO

2006 Medium Companies

Company	City
ADA Technologies, Inc.	Littleton, CO
CBIZ Accounting, Tax & Advisory of Colorado, LLC	Denver, CO
ERA Tradewind Real Estate	Longmont, CO
Leopard	Broomfield, CO
Levine, Hughes & Mithuen, Inc.	Denver, CO
McStain Neighborhoods	Louisville, CO
Milesbrand	Denver, CO
R.A. Nelson & Associates Inc.	Avon, CO
Rally Software Development	Boulder, CO
Union Colony Bank	Greeley, CO
ViaWest	Denver, CO
WR Starkey Mortgage	Denver, CO