FORT COLLINS, Colo., April 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The finalists in the Best of Tech Ed 2011 awards program were announced today by Penton Media's Windows IT Pro, SQL Server Magazine, DevProConnections and SharePoint Pro.  

The Best of Tech Ed 2011 awards recognize companies who offer innovative products for the industry. The judges reviewed 334 products and services submitted for the award and chose 47 finalists to be interviewed at the Microsoft Tech Ed North America 2011 conference in Atlanta, Georgia on May 16, 2011.  Winners will be announced at an invite only evening reception at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, May 18.  

"We received a record number of nominations this year—more than 300—and determining an array of finalists from that large, diverse field was difficult," said Jason Bovberg, Senior Editor at Windows IT Pro®. "The mix of products and services from year to year is ever-changing and exciting, and we feel that our 49 finalists represent highly distinguished products and services in their categories. We look forward to our show-floor interviews, which will lead to the determination of winners. We also look forward to determining a winner in our newest category, Best Cloud Computing Product/Service, which we'll choose upon seeing the offerings at the show. For all categories, as always, our judging process involves three criteria: strategic importance to the market, competitive advantage, and value to customers. Our winners will be particularly strong in those areas."

A complete list of the finalists can be seen at http://www.windowsitpro.com/awards/best-of-tech-ed.

About Penton Media

As a leading, independent, business-to-business media company, Penton knows business and how to create and disseminate vital content that moves markets. Penton is where professionals turn to gain the critical insight, expert analysis and relevant connections needed to compete and succeed. Headquartered in New York City, the privately held company is owned by MidOcean Partners and U.S. Equity Partners II, an investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP, and its co-investors. For additional information on the company and its businesses, visit www.penton.com.

CONTACT: MARIE EVANS
PHONE: (970) 203-2761
EMAIL: MARIE.EVANS@PENTON.COM

SOURCE Penton Media