DRIVING END-USER DEMAND IS FOCUS OF INGRAM MICRO PROGRAM FOR GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION RESELLERS
3Com, Cisco, Compaq, IBM, Iomega, Microsoft sponsor Partnership America membership program.

Ingram Micro first introduced Partnership America in 1995 as a program to support government resellers. Today, the distributor announces dynamic additions to the program, which will keep the name that represents value and quality to resellers and end users alike.

The new Partnership America is a membership-based program for resellers that dedicate more than half of their business to servicing public entities, such as federal, state and local government and universities, schools and libraries. Members will meet several times annually to network with vendors and other resellers and will communicate regularly via a Web site.

Ingram Micro has kept the valuable services resellers enjoyed in the previous program -- bid support, firm-fixed pricing, product discounts, GSA schedule support -- and added benefits such as end-user sales leads, a Web-based community, marketing pass-through funds, training and key sponsorship with an increased focus from six of the industry's leading manufacturers. In addition, Ingram Micro has committed to strategically marketing the Partnership America value proposition to the end-user community. These government and education end users will receive the highest-quality service and total IT solutions from resellers that are recognized as market experts.

Membership for the first year is expected to reach 500 resellers, VARs and systems integrators. Recruitment kicks off here at COMDEX, where Ingram Micro customers can sign up as charter members in Ingram Micro's booth (No. L6464).

Shelly Talbott, vice president and general manager of Ingram Micro's Government and Education Division, said: "Ingram Micro is well-positioned to help resellers grow their sales in this market. As the largest supplier of IT products and services to the U.S. government and education market, we are right there in the trenches with our customers every day, providing an army of knowledgeable and experienced professionals to help them be successful. Our customers have told us they want even more help increasing sales. The new Partnership America program is our way of helping resellers grow their business through end-user demand generation. This is a substantial opportunity for resellers that are willing to make the commitment."

Just how much of an opportunity is there for VARs? This year, IT expenditures in the federal, state and local government markets alone will amount to an estimated $76 billion opportunity, according to Federal Sources, a government market consultancy in McLean, Va.

Partnership America is sponsored by nearly 300 manufacturers with key sponsorship from 3Com, Cisco, Compaq, IBM, Iomega and Microsoft. Key sponsors have committed to providing reseller training, demand-driven pass-through dollars, and special events and promotions in conjunction with Partnership America.

Driving Demand
Ingram Micro will market Partnership America to the government and education end-user community via direct mail, advertising and electronic marketing. All promotions will drive end users to the Partnership America Web site (www.partnershipamerica.com), a real-time virtual government and education community. Here, end users will find technology news, product information, presentations, and, most importantly, a Partnership America dealer profiler. The profiler will provide the end user details of each pre-qualified Partnership America member in their area, as well as links to the members' Web sites, where orders can be placed.

"Today's Partnership America is an innovative, new way to help VARs expand their business in the government and education market. It emphasizes the value of the VAR as a relationship provider -- a partner in the end user's success. When it comes to government procurement of IT products and services, government purchasers are looking for the best-value buy. Partnership America allows VARs to bring even more value to that equation," said Pam Smith, senior director of strategic marketing for Ingram Micro's Government and Education Division. "Our job is to help end users realize the value our resellers provide as the best option for purchasing technology."

As an added value to the reseller, the program provides proposal and bid support as well as long-term, firm-fixed pricing. Resellers also can outsource back-office services to Ingram Micro to save money that otherwise would be spent on costly infrastructure investments. Back-office services include channel assembly and configuration through Frameworks, Total Integration Services; marketing and advertising support; value-added services from the basic break-and-fix to extended warranties; as well as electronic commerce tools.

Resellers Targeted For Membership
Partnership America helps resellers target four technology market segments: federal government, state and local government, higher education and kindergarten to grade 12 schools. Recruitment for membership will include systems integrators, commercial resellers with field support, minority-owned resellers (8(a)'s), Campus Computer Resellers and local VARs that specialize in the government and education market.

Membership Benefits
Partnership America provides members with innovative tools and benefits, including:

• Access to end-user leads from the Partnership America Web site; leads will be tied to the reseller's e-commerce strategy, starting second quarter 1999
• Marketing pass-through dollars from program sponsors
• 8(a) database and locator
• Advisory Board (board membership is rotational and by invitation)
• Dedicated Ingram Micro account manager
• Special benefits from sponsoring vendors, including training, marketing funds, special promotions and contests
• Attendance at regional membership events, where members can network with each other, Ingram Micro and vendors
• Access to a dedicated Web-based community: www.partnershipamerica.com
• Manufacturer product information libraries
• Partnership America membership kit, which includes marketing tools, training materials, newsletter, brochure and the Partnership America logo

Membership Requirements
Membership fees and qualifications will apply. Qualifications will be based on experience in the market and business with Ingram Micro. Product service authorizations also will apply. Resellers new to the market will be supported by JumpStart, a program that acquaints them with the government and education business and helps them eventually qualify for Partnership America membership.

Resellers can apply today at www.ingrammicro.com/partnershipamerica; Ingram Micro username and password are needed. The site will go live in January 1999. For details, resellers may call their Ingram Micro sales representatives or visit the company's COMDEX booth this week.

About Ingram Micro Inc.
Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE:IM), headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif., is the world's largest wholesale distributor of technology products and services, and a leading provider of assembly and integration services with sales of $20.9 billion for the past four quarters. The company and its affiliates operate in 31 countries and distribute more than 190,000 products to more than 115,000 resellers in 120 countries.

Global Micro Computer Technology (K-12 education reseller)
"Ingram Micro is making significant investments and forging strategic partnerships that will help us grow our sales in the educational market," said Andy Howard, district area manager of Orem, Utah-based Global Micro Computer Technology, an Ingram Micro reseller. "We find the vendor discounts go a long way in providing our customers the best value solution. By taking advantage of Partnership America services, we are able to be even more competitive in the market."

EnPointe Technologies (national government reseller)
"We have had a long, successful relationship with Ingram Micro and the Partnership America program," said Kevin Schatzle, executive vice president for sales of En Pointe Technologies (NASDAQ:ENPT). "We look forward to additional benefits like end user leads that will broaden our reach into the government market. That added reach will bring us new and incremental business," said Theresa Cassese, national director, government and education sales for El Segundo-based En Pointe Technologies, an Ingram Micro national reseller and a leader in government sales.

3Com
"We are pleased to join Ingram Micro in their efforts to reach out to government and education resellers. We are not just a sponsor in Partnership America; we are a true partner to Ingram Micro and a partner in the members' efforts to increase their sales into the public sector. We are committed to arming these resellers with the information and tools they need to be even more successful. We look forward to a successful program," said Ralph Godfrey, 3Com's senior vice president of sales for the Americas.

Compaq Computer
"Ingram Micro is always looking for new ways to help their resellers be competitive. Compaq is especially proud to participate in Partnership America and help government and education resellers realize the opportunities of this market. We can leverage even greater success through this innovative reseller program, which complements Compaq's current efforts," said Don Weatherson, vice president, Government, Education and Medical, Compaq Computer.

Cisco Systems
"Like Ingram Micro, Cisco is dedicated to helping resellers increase their sales in the government and education market. We support the quality measures Ingram Micro has built into the Partnership America program. We believe government and education resellers would prefer to purchase Cisco products from a pre-qualified and trained distributor. The Partnership America program gives resellers an added advantage over their competition because they have that symbol of high quality and service," said Tushar Kothari, director, U.S. distribution for Cisco.

IBM
"IBM is working with Ingram Micro to provide Partnership America members with tools and benefits, such as training and IBM product rebates. Government and education end users can benefit from buying IBM technology from a qualified reseller that knows and understands their businesses," said Mark Enzweiler, vice president, North American channel sales, IBM's Personal Systems Group.

Iomega
"Iomega is excited about Ingram Micro's new Partnership America program and its potential impact on the government and education market. Iomega, in collaboration with Ingram Micro's Partnership America program, will work to better serve these resellers and offer the types of services, programs and options they need to be even more successful in this market," David Hellier, vice president, Americas sales and marketing, Iomega.

Microsoft
"State and local governments and educational end users represent a substantial sales opportunity for resellers that sell and support Microsoft products. Microsoft is a partner in Ingram Micro's Partnership America program because we want to do everything we can to support resellers that service these markets. We look forward to working with Ingram Micro's Government and Education Division and the members of Partnership America to provide the latest software solutions to the government and education market," said Joe Vetter, vice president of Western region sales, Microsoft.

Contact:

Cindy Ragland Media Relations Ingram Micro Inc. (714) 382-3364