Fast Growth 100 Solution Providers Methodology

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CRN

began an aggressive e-mail and ad campaign in March of this year to encourage all solution providers, both publicly and privately held, to apply for inclusion in the

CRN

Fast Growth 100 List. All CMP Channel Group subscribers were e-mailed multiple invitations to apply, as were companies we identified through a search of Dun & Bradstreet and public records as fast-growing solution providers.

CRN

also ran print ads in

CRN

,

VARBusiness

and

Digital Connect

magazines asking for applications. Only companies that completed the online application could be considered for inclusion.

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Eligibility for the list is established by five criteria. A company must:

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(1) Maintain its company headquarters in the United States

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(2) Be independent (not a subsidiary of another company)

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(3) Have realized net sales of at least $750,000 in 2003

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(4) Have been operating since Jan. 1, 2003, or earlier

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(5) Be a "solution provider" as defined by

CRN

, not a vendor (seller of proprietary IT hardware or software) or distributor.

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To the greatest extent possible, all companies' claims of net income in 2003 and 2005 were verified against Dun & Bradstreet or public records. All companies on the list provided an affidavit signed by an owner or officer of the company, or a CPA representing the company, that attested to the accuracy of the numbers.

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Each applicant's two-year growth rate was calculated based on the change in calendar-year, accrual-basis net sales between 2003 and 2005. The applicants were then ranked in descending order by this growth rate and the top 100 were selected for the list.

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