Brafasco and Unified Business Solutions Recognized for Outstanding Business Achievements 

Earns Microsoft Business Solutions Pinnacle Award for Innovation 

CHICAGO, IL — March 21, 2005.  Brafasco, an industrial supplier of fasteners and safety equipment, was recently honored by Microsoft Business Solutions, a leading provider of integrated business applications, with a 2005 Pinnacle Award for outstanding business achievements. Brafasco received recognition for its Pinnacle Award for Innovation at Convergence 2005, the annual Microsoft Business Solutions customer conference.  Brafasco selected Unified Business Solutions, LLC, a Des Plaines, IL. Certified Microsoft Business Solutions Reseller to design and implement a customized solution that would fulfill all of their needs resulting in reduced costs and an enhanced customer support experience for their customers.

The Pinnacle Awards, established in 1997, are presented yearly and recognize Microsoft Business Solutions customers that have achieved notable accomplishments with their Microsoft Business Solutions applications.

The 2005 Pinnacle Awards were presented in eight categories: Customer Service, Education, Evangelism, Fast Track, Financial Reporting and Budgeting, Innovation, Teamwork and Overall Excellence.

Microsoft Business Solutions selected Brafasco for the Innovations award because of the creativity, vision, customer service, and the overall benefits that the company has realized because of its Great Plains Enterprise and Supply Chain Management solution implementation.

“Brafasco prides itself on superior customer service, and has a niche market in special orders and custom-made items for specific applications” said Robert San Julian, the company’s President and CEO. “Microsoft Business Solutions and Unified Business Solutions, LLC gave us the ability to provide exemplary customer support while reducing our cost of operations.” Jack Hahn, Brafasco’s Vice President for Information Systems, worked closely with Microsoft Business Solutions and Unified Business Solutions to realize its award-winning solution.

About Brafasco 

Founded as a single store in 1966 and currently headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, Brafasco sells fasteners, safety equipment, and other industrial supplies to industry, trade, and maintenance departments. Brafasco also develops and sources hard-to-find products for specific, custom applications.  The company just opened a new facility in Chicago as part of a Midwest expansion that will continue throughout 2005. Brafasco employs 200 people at its 24 warehouse stores in North America. More information is at www.brafasco.com.