NMIPA RECEIVES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT

Santa Fe, NM -- (9 June 2000) -- The New Mexico Internet Professionals Association (NMIPA) has announced that it is the recipient of a Regional Development Corporation (RDC) grant provided to stimulate economic diversification, viability and development in the Tri-County Area (Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties of New Mexico). The RDC grant supports the educational efforts of the NMIPA to improve small businesses' e-
commerce expertise and the enhancement of workforce education in skill sets required by Internet new media companies in the Tri-County Area. NMIPA will also develop and implement a marketing plan designed to promote Northern New Mexicos New Media industry nationally. This marketing plan will emphasize the strengths that New
Mexico has a home to New Media business and as a resource in the Internet industry.

The NMIPA also announced the employment of Nelson Ward as the organizations Executive Director. Mr. Ward, a retired CPA and business executive, has over 30 years of significant business experience. He will be responsible for establishing and sustaining the professional administrative infrastructure to meet RDC requirements and to achieve NMIPA goals.
Mr. Ward will office at the NMIPAs location at the Santa Fe Business Incubator, 3900 Paseo del Sol, Santa Fe, NM.

NMIPA is a state-wide trade association dedicated to enhancing the local market for Internet-related services. It
represents over 120 dues-paying members from 100+ organizations, employing nearly 1,000 New Mexicans and
serving tens of thousands of customers across the state, from Angel Fire to Las Cruces. These individuals are
engaged in a diverse range of professions, including web design, Internet access provision, network integration,
software programming, Internet marketing, online publishing, law, education, and consumer and business utilization
of the Internet for various purposes.

Among the NMIPA's programs are external promotion of New Mexico's rich new media resources, a monthly speaker series, regularly scheduled Internet education seminars for consumers and businesses, maintenance of a New Mexico Directory of Internet Services (www.InternetServices.org), job postings board (www.InternetJobs.org) and Calendar of Internet Events, policy advocacy and community volunteer projects. NMIPA provides a portal web site for emergencies within the state of New Mexico at www.fire.NMIPA.org. NMIPA can be reached on the World Wide Web at www.NMIPA.org or via email to exec_director@nmipa.org.

###

For more information contact:
NM Internet Professionals Association
Tim Fowler, Publicity Chair
e-mail: nmipa@abq.net
URL: www.nmipa.org
505- 424-4800 ext.23
3900 Paseo del Sol
Santa Fe, NM 87505-8472