BOSTON July 13, 2006 Microsoft Corp. today announced the winners of the 2006 Microsoft® Partner of the Year Awards. The awards recognise Microsoft Registered, Certified and Gold Certified partners that delivered exemplary solutions for their customers during the past year. Award winners were chosen from a group of finalists from around the world. Winners were announced at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference 2006, the company's premier annual event for industry partners, held this year in Boston. In addition, Microsoft announced the winners of the Global Enterprise Services and Technology Partner of the Year, Global ISV Partner of the Year, Customer Experience, and Winning Customer awards.

More than 2,400 entries were submitted by partners worldwide; the award winners were selected from a group of finalists based on their dedicated use of Microsoft technologies to provide solutions for their customers needs. Finalists for each category were chosen from defined regions of the world: Asia-Pacific; Canada; China; Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); Latin America; Japan; and the United States.

New Horizons was awarded the Learning Solutions Technology Innovation Partner of the Year, for it's innovative and highly successful implementation of the Walk-In™ Classroom learning method, which utilises customised software, virtual network environments and 1:1 interactive training with certified trainers.

Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference provides Microsoft's partner community with access to key marketing and business strategies, leadership, and information regarding specific customer solutions designed to help partners succeed in the marketplace. Along with informative learning opportunities covering sales, marketing, services and technology, the Worldwide Partner Conference is an ideal setting for partners to garner valuable knowledge from their peers and from Microsoft. More information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jul06/07-13WWPCAwardWinnerPR.mspx