About Synectic Technologies
Synectic Technologies is a Silver Certified reseller in the Avaya BusinessPartner program and is recognized for its ability to incorporate communications technology into effective business management and marketing systems. Headquartered in Sacramento, Calif., and with locations in the Bay Area and throughout California, the company has expertise in both small, mid and enterprise accounts. Voice, data, Internet, call center, e-commerce and IP telephony equipment and services. With more than 17,000 satisfied customers, Synectic has been honored with Avaya's prestigious Alti award both for its commitment to customer service and for its significant revenue growth in the sale of Avaya products. For more information, visit www.synectic.us.

About Avaya
Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including over 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®. Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services.

Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications - and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services - Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results.  For more information visit the Avaya website: www.avaya.com.

Press Release
Source: Synectic Technologies
Thursday, October 26, 2006

Synectic Technologies Achieves “Small and Medium Business Expert” Distinction from Avaya

Sacramento, CA – Synectic Technologies announced today that it has been designated as a “Small and Medium Business (SMB) Expert” by Avaya Inc. (NYSE:AV), a leading global provider of business communications software, systems and services.

To achieve ranking as “SMB Expert,” certified resellers who are part of Avaya’s BusinessPartner program must demonstrate that their account executives and systems engineers are proficient in core areas that include customer support, technology knowledge and expertise, sales revenues and marketing support. 

The program is the first such specialized ranking established by Avaya for certified resellers in North America who are part of Avaya’s BusinessPartner program and serve the SMB market.  It includes training that focuses on IP telephony and Avaya solutions, sales and technical training on Avaya IP Office, one of Avaya’s leading IP telephony solutions for small and medium businesses.  IP Office is a secure, intelligent, and easy-to-use converged voice and data system designed especially for small and medium businesses.  Avaya has sold 80,000 IP Office solutions to companies around the world.  
Synectic sells Avaya communications systems, design and implementation services to businesses across the state of California as well as across the United States.

Sam Towne, president and CEO, Synectic, said: “It is extremely important for our staff to maintain high levels of technical acumen. With these certifications, we can help our customers navigate down the sometimes confusing but necessary path of technology advancements. Our desire is to empower our customers through technology, enabling them to have more effective and satisfied employees, better communications with their vendors and a competitive advantage in their specific fields.”

Synectic has consistently received top honors from Avaya, including the Alti Award and Silver Certification, and the National Association of Women Business Owner’s Award.

“Smaller companies need crystal clear information on the capabilities of IP telephony and the difference it can make to the way they operate their businesses, because whatever change they make can have a huge effect on their bottom line,” said Patricia Hume, global vice president, Small and Medium Business solutions, Avaya.  “Certified Avaya resellers in our BusinessPartner program who achieve ‘SMB Expert’ status are sending a message to their customers that they have the professional and technical expertise that’s honed for the smaller firm.  Because Synectic is now qualified as an ‘SMB Expert’, they have increased credibility with their smaller customers, and it reaffirms Synectic’s commitment to excellence in serving small and medium firms with the highest standards and with the communications solutions from Avaya specifically designed to meet smaller companies’ needs.”

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Press Release
Source: Synectic Technologies
Monday, May 2, 2005, 8:06 am PST

Number One Western Region, Voice Over IP, Avaya Business Partner, Opens New Technical Demo Center and Business Offices in Novato, Ca.

• Synectic Helps Businesses to Implement VoIP Technology
• New Offices and Technical Demo Center for VoIP Technology and Basic Communication Systems and Service

NOVATO, CA. Synectic, the Number One Provider in the Western Region, of the Avaya IP Office Product, today announced that they are expanding their physical locations to include a new technical demonstration center and business offices in Novato, California. Synectic has been an Avaya Business Partner since 1995. Avaya is the leading global provider of communications networks and services for businesses.

The Novato location will provide customers in the San Francisco Bay Area local support and a newly designed technical demonstration center and lab. Synectic Technologies supplies customers with communication sales, installation and service of basic telephone and voice mail systems, wiring schematics, wireless networks, Enterprise Communication Solutions and Voice over IP Technology.

The Voice over IP Technology is based on an Avaya IP Office solution, which was recently named as a Product of the Year winner for 2004 by Internet Telephony® magazine. Part of Avaya's industry-leading IP telephony portfolio, IP Office supports up to 360 users and offers a choice of communication protocols so that small- to mid-sized organizations can move to IP telephony at the pace they choose. The system also incorporates the kinds of comprehensive voice and data applications normally reserved for large businesses.

The Avaya IP Office supports multiple communication protocols, and is able to use a mix of digital, analog and IP handsets and to incorporate Avaya IP-based Softphones for secure, remote access to telephony and systems administration capabilities from a laptop or personal computer. The IP Office Avaya Phone Manager Pro application is used to manage call activity and preferences. Through the application's simple graphical interface, users can establish speed dials, control their voice mailboxes and call directories, and "click to dial" from a PC screen. Avaya Phone Manager also allows the school receptionist to see all 106 analog and digital extensions and IP Softphones and to determine whether they are busy.

Synectic’s new offices will be celebrating their Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with the Novato Chamber of Commerce, on Thursday June 2, 2005 at the Novato offices. For information about the Open House, please contact Amy Lawrence at (877) 521-8821 x 50XX.

Ledson Vineyards Transforms Communications with One of 35,000 Avaya IP Offices Sold Worldwide to Small and Medium Firms

California wine country landmark harvests benefits of Avaya IP telephony system to give its customers a taste of superior customer service; New software launched in customer trials will bring additional business features to small and medium companies

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Press Release
Sonoma Valley, Calif., US
October 24, 2004

Ledson Vineyards Transforms Communications with One of 35,000 Avaya IP Offices Sold Worldwide to Small and Medium Firms

California wine country landmark harvests benefits of Avaya IP telephony system to give its customers a taste of superior customer service; New software launched in customer trials will bring additional business features to small and medium companies

Ledson Vineyards, a 5th generation winery that prides itself on customer service for the thousands of aficionados in its wine club, is using one of the 35,000 Internet Protocol telephony small and medium business solutions sold by Avaya Inc. (NYSE:AV), a leading global provider of business communications software, systems and services. Using this solution, the winery can more efficiently handle calls and provide superior customer satisfaction.

IP telephony, a technology that uses VoIP to transmit voice as data over a computer network, empowers businesses with mobility, cost-savings, increased productivity and business continuity. Avaya's early recognition of IP telephony and IP contact centers as two of the fastest-growing segments in the telecommunications industry earned for Avaya market leadership for both of these segments globally1.

Ledson sales increased 68 percent with Avaya IP Office
Located in the heart of Sonoma Valley, Ledson sells its award-winning wines exclusively at its winery and through direct sales to club members. That places much of Ledson's success in the hands of the agents in the company's contact center, who telephone club members to make them aware of special reserve wines and other offers available throughout the year.

"Our biggest challenge is customer service," said owner and vintner Steve Ledson. "There are a lot of companies that make good wine, and we believe the way we serve our customers distinguishes Ledson from its competitors.

"The Avaya IP Office used by Ledson Vineyards is an "all-in-one" office communication solution that brings together voice, data and communications applications for small and mid-size businesses. Since its introduction in 2002, Avaya has sold 35,000 IP Office systems to businesses worldwide.

An Avaya IP Office call center application gives Ledson the reporting tools managers need to measure and improve agent productivity, allowing the company to make management decisions that have resulted in a significant jump in bottom-line revenues. With a new Avaya IP Office solution in place, Ledson has improved the productivity of its customer service team and increased sales by 68 percent.

"In addition to superior customer service, we are a volume business, and it is absolutely critical to keep in constant touch with our customers," Ledson said. "One way we provide excellent service is with the IP Office call handling feature, which enables us to ensure our customers aren't sent into a recorded voice mail message. So we route our incoming calls, allowing them to ring at the main reception no more than three times before the call is routed to an extension where we know it will receive personalized service.

"Of equal value are the reports Ledson creates with the IP Office, because they help ensure that his high volume business stays high volume. "For example," he said, "we can compare our outgoing call volume with our data base of customers, and determine when we need to add another sales person to make additional customer contacts. In fact, since the advent of IP Office and the reports we can compile on all our call center activity, some of our top sales people have doubled the number of daily phone calls they make to clients, because they are striving to improve their productivity levels.

"In addition to call routing, the call handling features of IP Office give small and medium firms "big business" features they can tailor for their operations — from messaging and call accounting to multiparty conferencing on demand.

New software for IP Office launched in customer trials
This week, Avaya introduced new software for IP Office, which will bring additional features to the solution. With the new software on IP Office, mobile phone users will be able to record calls when it's not possible to take notes, and use their laptop as a phone. The system will work as a "key system," the type of phone system many small and medium businesses use, with telephone lines illuminated on the phone sets for a visual display of a line in use, making it simpler for more people in an office to see incoming calls and provide coverage; and system setup and upgrades will be faster and easier, with more installation tools available.

The new software, which will be in trials at 40 sites globally, will be generally available worldwide in December.

The IP Office for Ledson Vineyards was sold and installed by Avaya BusinessPartner Synectic Technologies (www.synectictech.com). Based in Sacramento, Calif, and with locations in the Bay Area and throughout California, Synectic Technologies is a Gold certified Avaya reseller, with more than 25,000 enterprise customers. The firm specializes in incorporating communications technology into effective business management and marketing systems and has expertise in voice, data, Internet, call center, e-commerce and IP telephony equipment and services.

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Press Release
Source: Avaya Inc.
Tuesday January 20, 2004 8:06 am ET

High-Tech San Jose High School Uses Avaya IP Office to Support a Flexible Workplace

• Helps Teachers Stay in Touch With Parents and the Community 
• Enables School to Incorporate New Communications Technology at its own Pace      

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Avaya (NYSE: AV - News), a leading global provider of communications networks and services for businesses, today announced that Presentation High School in San Jose, Calif., a leader in the use of state-of-the-art educational technology, is using an Avaya IP Office solution to help teachers stay in touch with parents and the community. 

A private school for women, Presentation High is located in the heart of Silicon Valley and prides itself in offering high-tech computer labs and other state-of-the-art technology to enrich student learning. When the school decided to replace its out-of-date telephony system, it looked for a solution that not only would fit its high-tech environment, but would also support a flexible workplace. 

"We were looking for a number of specific features to help parents reach teachers and staff members who are on the move throughout the day and share classrooms, offices and phones," said Jeffrey Martin, information technology manager for Presentation High. "In addition, though we aren't ready yet, we wanted a system that would give us the option of moving to new technologies like IP telephony. Avaya offered us a flexible, forward-looking platform and was the only vendor able to demonstrate all of the specific capabilities we needed." 

The system for Presentation High, designed and installed by Synectic Technologies, is based on an Avaya IP Office solution, which was recently named as a Product of the Year winner for 2003 by Internet Telephony(r) magazine. Part of Avaya's industry-leading IP telephony portfolio, IP Office supports up to 360 users and offers a choice of communication protocols so that small- to mid-sized organizations can move to IP telephony at the pace they choose. The system also incorporates the kinds of comprehensive voice and data applications normally reserved for large businesses. 

To address the issue of shared classrooms, offices and phones, IP office allows Presentation's teachers and staff to look at a phone display and see who the incoming caller is trying to reach. Avaya was the only vendor evaluated by the school to offer this unique capability. Employees also can program calls and messages to follow them as they move throughout the school day and can see and access voice messages from their Microsoft(r) Outlook(r) email inbox. As a result, they have easy access to messages from any phone or PC-whether in a classroom, the teacher's lounge or a school office. 

Since IP Office supports multiple communication protocols, Presentation High is able to use a mix of digital, analog and IP handsets and to incorporate Avaya IP-based Softphones for secure, remote access to telephony and systems administration capabilities from a laptop or personal computer. 

The school is using Avaya PhoneManager Pro to manage call activity and preferences. Through the application's simple graphical interface, users can establish speed dials, control their voice mailboxes and call directories, and "click to dial" from a PC screen. Avaya PhoneManager also allows the school receptionist to see all 106 analog and digital extensions and IP Softphones and to determine whether they are busy. 

In a unique blending of telephony and data applications, Presentation plans to use IP Office to automate attendance reports -- eliminating the need for staff to take phone calls from parents and then to enter the information via PC. Instead, parents will call a dedicated extension to report absences, with IP Office logging their verbal and touch-tone responses. The information will be automatically transmitted to the school's data base, freeing up staff time. 

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The Modesto Bee

Sunday, November 29, 1998

Jeanette Towne never intended to start her own company. The Modesto mother of four simply wanted to spend more time with her children. So she fled the voracious time and travel demands of the corporate world and retreated to the "virtual office" tucked in her garage.

Towne Communications started four years ago as her part-time solo venture. Now she manages 20 employees, five subcontractors and more than $3million in annual sales in the surging telecommunications industry. "Our sales tripled our second year, then tripled again, then doubled the fourth year," said Towne, 41, whose company helps businesses take advantage of the latest advances in telecommunications. She projects annual sales will top $5 million in the year 2000.

But some fundamental things have stayed constant for Towne; She still puts her family first, works part time and runs everything from her home.

Towne paved her own path along the high-tech highway. The one-time nursing student graduate, rose quickly through the technical sales ranks of industry leaders like Motorola and AT&T before giving it all up for her family.

"Once I had those babies, my whole life's focus changed," said Towne, recalling the birth of her twins six years ago. The constant traveling required as an AT&T account executive overwhelmed her. "I wanted to be with my babies, but they didn't have anything that worked for part-time hours."

She confided in her friends at Central Valley Christian Fellowship.

"They said, 'Why don't you just trust God and quit,' "she recounted. "So that's what I did. I quit."

That was in December 1994. One month later, AT&T asked if she would consider working part-time as a private contractor selling telecommunications systems to small and medium-sized businesses.

Towne Communications was formed. Now it sells products from Lucent Technologies (formerly a part of AT&T) and Nextel Wireless Communications, along with assorted computer hardware. Her company sets up telecommunications systems, including phone, data and high-speed Internet connections (like ISDN lines), voice mail, call centers and communication networks (like LANs and WANs). It provides installation, training and financing options.

"At the start, I picked my own hours and worked from home 10 to 15 hours a week," Towne said, noting her company's modest beginnings.

Controlled Growth

But as her babies grew, so did her business. Nine months after she started Towne Communications, she hired her first employee. The growth - of both her family and her business - has been steady since.

"If we wanted, we could have 50 employees now, but we've opted for controlled growth instead," she said. These days, she works 25 to 30 hours per week and spends much of her time managing and training her staff.

One of her key hires has been her husband, Sam Towne, who joined the firm as vice president.

"I've been sucked out of my plastics company and now I'm doing this full time," said Sam Towne, who owns the KFM Inc. manufacturing plant in Modesto.

He now specializes in integrating telephone and computer systems. "Getting up to speed in this industry is like trying to climb on a rocket," said Sam Towne, 40, whose desk is a few feet away from his wife's in the garage.

He and the entire Towne Communications staff go through constant training to stay current on products in the ever-changing market.

"Bell Labs alone is registering three new patents a day," Jeanette Towne said.

Helping businesses throughout the Central Valley take advantage of technological advances is Towne Communications' focus. Finding employees who can provide such technical advice is a challenge.

"You want someone who is both a techie and a people person," she said, noting that she posts job openings exclusively on the Internet.

'Virtual offices'

The big advantage she offers high-tech employees is the one she sought when she was in their shoes: The option of working from home.

"Most of our employees are mothers with kids who work in virtual offices," she said.

They are scattered throughout California, and they communicate with each other primarily through telephones and computers. When meeting with customers, they have the option of using Lucent Technologies' demonstration site offices.

Customers, for instance, never visit the Towne home or see the couple's cramped work space.

Not everyone - nor every family - is cut out for work out of a home office. "You have to be self-motivated," Jeanette Towne stressed. "Sam and I, for instance, are always in our office by 8 a.m."

They never meander in wearing pajamas, she assured. They dress in casual business attire or better.

And while their commute to the office takes just a matter of seconds, the Townes contend they maintain a tight focus on work while they're there.

"When I'm in here, I get my job done so I can get off to my life out there," Jeanette Towne said. The children, who have a full-time nanny, know the drill. "They've been trained to understand this is the office."

The Townes also know the difference between home and work.

"We never answer business calls when we're inside the house," Jeanette Towne said. she even has her pager programmed to turn itself off during evenings and weekends. "Otherwise, we could be overwhelmed by the calls. It's easy to put in too many hours when you work from home."

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Sacramento Bee

Local businesswomen honored:
Chapter recognizes seven success stories

By Mark Glover
Bee Staff Writer
(Published Nov. 18, 1999)

The Sacramento chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners' second annual Outstanding Women Leaders awards luncheon on Wednesday might well have been subtitled "Beating the Odds."

Recipients of this year's OWL awards at the Sutter Club either started from humble beginnings or overcame major obstacles to succeed in business.

Janis Agopian started in sales in 1973, a time when businesswomen faced a tough climb up the corporate ladder. Today, Agopian is vice chairman of Rocklin-based TASQ Technology, a service provider to the payment-processing industry. In its five years of existence, TASQ revenues have grown to $80 million.

On Wednesday, Agopian won the Wise Woman Award as the area's businesswoman of the year.

Jeanette Towne of Walnut Grove-based Towne Communications won the Woman Innovator Award, recognizing success in a nontraditional business.

Today, Towne oversees 22 employees, many of them mothers who work in virtual offices. Agopian and Towne said business opportunities for women are increasing but added that they succeeded with approaches universal to all business people.

"I didn't plan the growth we have had," Agopian said, "but I think it's something that happens when you work to improve every single day. And then the next day, you start doing it better."

Towne joked that she and her husband figured they could get jobs in fast-food restaurants if her gamble had not worked.

"But it didn't come to that," Towne said. "We were determined and we played it out."

Dorothy Lombard, a partner with Porterfield & Co. certified public accountants in Sacramento, won the Lifetime Achievement Award. OWL recognized Lombard for her trailblazing efforts locally, including heading up some of the area's most powerful business organizations.

Other award recipients were:

Linda Rogers, head of Linda Rogers & Associates in Folsom, won the Woman On the Way Award, recognizing accomplishments by a woman in business for less than five years. Rogers' company specializes in searching for and placement of high-tech personnel and services. Revenues have doubled for four straight years.

Lisa Kohl, chief executive officer of Community Resource and Business Alliance Inc., was recognized with the Luminary Award for service and mentoring in the community. Besides heading her organizational management and consulting firm, Kohl volunteers 20 to 25 hours a week as the director of the Sacramento Young Women's Christian Association.

Susan Irwin, a vice president and general manager of Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Sacramento, won the Executive Woman Award. She oversees 61 Enterprise outlets throughout Northern California.

Big Hairy Dog Information Systems, a Sacramento firm that sells and supports computer software and networks for the retail industry, won the Vision Award for providing opportunities to businesswomen. Sandy Malaney is the company's co-founder and chief executive officer.

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For further information regarding this press release please contact:

Jeanette M. Towne
Senior VP of Sales & Marketing
Synectic Technologies
(877) 521-8821 x 5025
jmtowne@synectictech.com