Telesphere Honored as One of 2008 "Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch"

Telesphere will be honored at an awards ceremony during the third annual Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch event, November 11 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

"Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch awardees are one of the reasons that Arizona leads the country in economic growth. Through the efforts of great employees who deliver innovative products and services, these companies are growing at over four times the national average!" says Joan Koerber-Walker, CEO of the Arizona Small Business Association. "ASBA is proud to be supporting this growing community of excellent companies. It's about time they got the recognition they so richly deserve," Koerber-Walker adds.

"We are truly honored to be recognized for this prestigious award," says Clark Peterson, CEO of Telesphere. "Our growth serves as evidence that companies really are searching for smarter ways to do business. Telesphere's technology and service offerings are the smart choice in today's telecommunications market because they give customers a more productive and cost-efficient product, which allows them to focus more of their capital on their core business -- something that is especially important in today's challenging economic climate."

Companies considered for the Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch list must be second-stage companies, defined as having 10 to 100 full-time-equivalent employees and generating $750,000 to $100 million in annual revenue or working capital from investors or grants. In addition, the companies must be privately held and headquartered in Arizona.

Judges evaluated the companies for their demonstrated intent and capacity to grow based on one or more of the following:

-- Employee or sales growth.

-- Exceptional entrepreneurial leadership.

-- Sustainable competitive advantage.

-- Other notable factors that showcase the company's success.

Information about Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch can be found at www.asba.com and www.AzCompaniesToWatch.org.

The 2008 Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch Awardees will be honored at the third annual awards ceremony November 11 the Phoenix Convention Center from 6-9 p.m. In addition, five companies will receive the Spotlight Awards in the following areas: Company Culture, Customer Service, Change/Innovation, Community and Commerce at the event. Until then, it is top secret.

Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch is presented by ASBA (the Arizona Small Business Association), Arizona's number one business association in collaboration with the Edward Lowe Foundation. The Edward Lowe Foundation supports entrepreneurship through research, recognition and educational programs, which are delivered through entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) like ASBA, with a focus on second-stage companies.

ABOUT TELESPHERE

Telesphere is a nationwide managed services provider that delivers an innovative package of IP telephone service and internet access to businesses throughout the United States. Telesphere's services allow small to medium-sized businesses to enjoy all of the latest voice and data features of large businesses without the costly investment of on-premise equipment.Telesphere fully manages its customers' services over a private IP, facilities-based network. It allows Telesphere customers that are spread across multiple offices throughout the country, from small business, medium business, and even home business, to function seamlessly as if they were in the same location. For more information visit Telesphere online at www.telesphere.com.

SOURCE: Telesphere

Telesphere, Phoenix Angela Leavitt, 480-289-7410 aleavitt@Telesphere.com