prairieFyre President receives Top 40 Under 40 Award

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Ottawa, CANADA, May 9, 2005 – Chris Courneya, President of prairieFyre Software, is among the winners of the coveted Ottawa business award: the Ottawa Business Journal‘s 2005 Forty Under 40 Awards. A judging panel selects 40 recipients from a "list of nominees that embody the (Ottawa) region‘s entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen, while at the same time giving something back to the community," states the Ottawa Business Journal. "This award is well-earned." says Clarke La Prairie, founder and Chairman of prairieFyre Software. "Chris deserves recognition for his hard work and dedication. He is a key player in the success of our company. Chris sets the tone: work hard and have fun doing it!" Mr. Courneya has directly enabled prairieFyre to grow from a start-up (at 35-40% per year) to a company with 3,500 installations worldwide. prairieFyre simply would not have achieved the success it has to date without his strategic leadership, vision and perseverance. Mr. Courneya targeted the sweet spot in the market that would differentiate prairieFyre’s products from those of its competitors, and deliver a unique value proposition to customers. Using leading-edge technology, the company was one of the first real-time, web-based contact centre software solutions providers available in the market. Recognizing people as the company’s greatest asset, Mr. Courneya has also launched employee satisfaction initiatives to support professional development and team performance with a focus on communication, motivation, mentorship and career development. This has contributed significantly to prairieFyre’s retention rate of over 90% per year. Within prairieFyre, Mr. Courneya is known for his positive and inspiring influence--a true leader. While he is always professional, his staff finds him approachable and open to new ideas. The breadth and depth of Mr. Courneya‘s knowledge of industry trends and prairieFyre‘s products benefits colleagues and customers alike. Both professionally and personally, Mr. Courneya has demonstrated leadership through his involvement in many community-based and charitable organizations. He has helped facilitate praireFyre’s contribution to local and international charities ranging from the Kanata Food Cupboard, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and Ottawa Dragon Boat Races and associated fund raisers to Engineers without Borders and Tsunami Relief (Asia). For over seven years, Mr. Courneya has donated his time as editor of Hockey Made Easy, a hockey instructional manual targeted to coaches, parents, and children. A gala reception on June 20, at the Ottawa Congress Center, will honor the 2005 award recipients. For more information about the Ottawa Business Journal‘s Forty Under 40 Awards and recipient profiles, visit http://www.fortyunder40.com/.