SEATTLE - Casey Family Programs, the Seattle-based national nonprofit foundation whose sole mission is to provide and improve-and ultimately prevent the need for-foster care, was awarded a 2005 Pinnacle Award from Microsoft Corp. The award was announced at a ceremony March 9 in San Diego. Casey's departments of Technology Services and Finance Services were presented with the Excellence in Teamwork Award, one of the eight annual Pinnacle awards honoring customers that have achieved outstanding success with their Microsoft Business Solutions application. Casey Family Programs was selected from more than 75,000 customers worldwide.
Photo: Members of the Implementation Team Accept Pinnacle Award. Front Row (l. to r.): Sherry Poley, Casey Family Programs (CFP); Lisa Greene, CFP; Doug Burgum, Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS), Kim Anselmo, The Resource Group (TRG); Taryn Bailey, TRG. Back Row: Jim Fimiani, CFP; Jack Grey, MBS; Brady Curtis, TRG; Marty Schillaci, TRG; Ganesh Rajendrabose, CFP; Clayton King, CFP.

Casey's outstanding achievement-implementation of the Great Plains financial system-was a major accomplishment that demonstrated excellent collaboration in three areas: among departments within its organization; with its implementation partner, The Resource Group, a Seattle-based Microsoft Gold Certified Partner specializing in Great Plains; and with Microsoft Business Solutions, the division of Microsoft that offers integrated business applications and services.

Casey Family Programs staff members Jim Fimiani, Clayton King, Ganesh Rajendrabose, Sherry Poley and Lisa Greene attended a luncheon hosted by Microsoft executives including Bill Gates and Doug Burgum, senior vice president of Microsoft Business Solutions.

"This was a complete collaborative effort and would not have been successful without the dedication of all of our business partners," Fimiani said. "And it actually cost us less to implement Microsoft Great Plains than it would have to upgrade our old software. The cost savings we experienced will help Casey Family Programs direct more resources to youth and families."

The full implementation team included: