Dell, NFIB Announce 10 of Nation’s Most Innovative Companies as Part of Global Small Business Excellence Award

Dell and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the leading small-business association in the United States, today announced the 10 U.S. finalists for the Fifth Annual Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence Award.

“The No. 1 reason small businesses use technology is to better serve customers, and no one is doing that better than this year’s 10 finalists,” said Frank Muehleman, vice president and general manager of Dell Small and Medium Business. “These companies are applying technology in innovative ways to break new ground and raise the bar. We’re proud to recognize their success and help tell their stories.”

Selected by students at George Washington University, finalists receive a Dell business-class laptop and one-year NFIB membership and go on to compete for the national award to be announced June 9, 2008, at the NFIB National Small-Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
“Our research shows that small firms are twice as innovative per employee as larger firms, and the companies who entered demonstrate that fact,” said NFIB President and CEO Todd Stottlemyer. “These companies are the cream of the crop, representing the top 5 percent of entries. We are proud to showcase the finalists and emphasize how technology can help our members thrive and grow their businesses.”

Once named, 12 national winners from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France (launching May 13), Germany, Italy, Japan (launching May 19), Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States will be considered for the inaugural global Dell Small Business Excellence Award worth $50,000 in Dell technology and services. All national winners will be announced by September, and the global winner will be announced in the fall 2008.

The U.S. 2008 Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence Award finalists include:

• Escape Technology , Roseville, Calif., builds ERP Finance, HR and Payroll applications for public school systems in California.
• Glance Networks , Arlington, Mass., provides a simple, web-based, desktop sharing service designed to make online meetings, remote presentations and web conferences easy enough for anyone to host or view, from any computer, anywhere in the world.
• MedApps, Inc. , Scottsdale, Ariz., produces a mobile wireless health monitoring system that helps monitor patients with Diabetes, Asthma, Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and other chronic diseases.
• RNs On-Call , LLC, Greensboro, N.C., provides cost effective telehealth services and contact call center solutions that improve patient's access to quality healthcare. Provides cost effective telehealth services and contact call center solutions that improve patient's access to quality healthcare.
• Rugroden Drafting & Design , Onalaska, Wis., is a residential drafting and design service that creates construction drawings and incorporates the latest 3-D technology allowing customers to digitally walk through their virtual home.
• ServusXchange, LLC , Pompano Beach, Fla., runs MyOnlineToolbox.com, an Internet-based community platform that allows residential property contractors to manage front- and back-office processes.
• TecAccess , Rockville, Va., employs individuals with physical, emotional and intellectual disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, to work in leading IT roles that help federal government agencies and large corporations design and use technology that is more accessible and user-friendly for all.
• TechMD , Fountain Valley, Calif., is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) that offers a full service virtual IT department to non-profit businesses at an affordable price.
• Transport Designs, Inc. , Montoursville, Pa., manufactures highly customized enclosed trailers and truck conversion motor homes, adapting to customers’ needs on a detailed design level. Your Beauty Network , Carlsbad, Calif., is a membership-based business support service for salon and spa professionals in the U.S. and Canada.

Global 2008 Small Business Excellence Award Value

• $50,000 in technology and services from Dell;
• Featured in an entrepreneurs summit;
• Lifetime membership to the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), and
• Engagement with Endeavor’s network of business leaders and high-impact entrepreneurs in emerging markets worldwide.

U.S. 2008 Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence Award Value

• $25,000 in Dell products and services;
• Day of best-practice sharing with Dell executives, including Chairman and CEO Michael Dell, andLifetime membership to NFIB.