Frost & Sullivan Announces Winners of 2006 CEOs' Choice Awards

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has announced the award recipients of their 2006 CEOs' Choice Awards.

"Our research clearly shows that companies that take a global perspective, base their growth decisions on integrated research methodologies, focus on implementing best practices, and perform competitive benchmarking and strategy workshops are the companies with the greatest potential for future growth and outpace the industry growth average," says Frost & Sullivan Chairman David Frigstad. "These Best Practice Awards help to identify who those companies are."

"The CEOs' Choice Award research covers a variety of categories of which CEOs are asked to evaluate products, services and processes based upon their professional and sometimes personal experience," says Tonya Fowler, Director of the Choice Award Program. Specifically, Frost & Sullivan asks CEOs to choose the "best" products, services and processes being tested.

"In 2006, we evaluated products and services in several different industries, thus, this resulted in various companies being recognized for their outstanding performance in areas related to innovation, quality, reliability and service, as well as many other product and service-specific related categories" said Fowler.

The 2006 CEOs' Choice research resulted in the following companies being chosen as "best" for the following categories:

    Airlines among United States CEOs ...
    -- Southwest Airlines was perceived as best for their Customer Service,
       Economy-Class Program, Least Delays and Cancellations, Short Notice
       Prices, Value, and Website
    -- United Airlines was voted best for their Business-Class Program,
       Convenient Flight Schedules, and In-Flight Services
    -- American Airlines was chosen as best for their First-Class Program and
       Frequent Flier Program


    Airlines among European CEOs ...
    -- British Airways was voted as best for their Customer Service,
       First-Class Program and In-Flight Services
    -- Lufthansa was chosen as best for their Convenient Flight Schedules,
       Economy-Class Program and Least Delays and Cancellations
    -- Ryanair was perceived as best for their Short Notice Prices and Value


    Desktop Computing Products among United States CEOs ...
    -- Dell was voted as best for their desktop computers for their Customer
       Service, Quality, Reliability, and Value.  Furthermore, Dell's monitors
       were also recognized as best for their Customer Service and Value.
    -- Apple was selected as best for their Design and Looks for their desktop
       computers and monitors
    -- HP was selected as "overall best" for their printers and scanners
    -- Logitech was chosen as "overall best" for their keyboards
    -- Sony was perceived as "overall best" for their projectors


    Executive Vehicles among United States CEOs ...
    -- Lexus was perceived as best for their Customer Service, Most
       Environmentally Friendly, Innovation, and Quality & Reliability
    -- BMW was voted as best for their Road Performance and Road Handling
    -- Volvo was chosen as best for their Safety Features -- standard and
       optional
    -- Mercedes was selected as best for their Style


    Executive Vehicles among European CEOs ...
    -- BMW was voted as best for their Innovation and Road Performance and
       Road Handling
    -- Mercedes was perceived as best for their Customer Service and Optional
       Safety Features
    -- Jaguar was chosen as Most Stylish
    -- Lexus was selected as Most Environmentally Friendly
    -- Volvo was perceived as best for their Standard Safety Features


    Golf Products among United States CEOs ...
    -- Footjoy was voted as the "overall best" for their Golf Gloves and Golf
       Shoes
    -- TaylorMade was selected as the "overall best" for their Drivers and
       also as Most Innovative for their Fairway Woods
    -- Callaway was perceived as the "overall best" for their Irons and as
       having the best Quality for Fairway Woods
    -- Cleveland was chosen as the "overall best" for their Wedges
    -- Odyssey was voted as the "overall best" for their Putters
    -- Titleist was selected as the "overall best" for their Golf Balls
    -- Adams was perceived as best Value for their Fairway Woods


    Mobile Communication Products and Services among United States CEOs ...
    -- Verizon Wireless was chosen as the "overall best" for their Wireless
       Network
    -- Motorola was chosen as best for their Mobile Handsets for their
       Bluetooth Headsets, Design & Looks, Digital Cameras, Displays,
       Innovation, and Quality
    -- Palm was recognized as best for their Smartphones regarding their
       Applications, Design & Looks, Innovation, and Multimedia Capabilities
    -- Nokia was selected as having the best Value for their Mobile Handsets
    -- RIM/Blackberry was perceived as having the best Quality Smartphone


    Mobile Computing Products among United States CEOs ...
    -- Dell was voted as best for their Laptops regarding their Customer
       Service, Quality, Reliability, Use in the Office, and Value
    -- Apple was chosen as the best for their Laptops regarding their Design &
       Looks, Innovation, Multimedia Capabilities, and Screen Quality
    -- RIM/Blackberry was selected as best for their PDAs regarding their
       Customer Service, Ease of Use, Quality, Reliability, and Wireless
       Capability
    -- Palm was perceived as best for their PDAs regarding their Design &
       Looks, Innovation and Screen Quality
    -- Sony was recognized as having the best Travel Laptop


    Mobile Computing among European CEOs ...
    -- Dell was voted as best for their Laptops regarding their Customer
       Service, Reliability, Use in the Office, and Value
    -- Apple was selected as best for their Laptops regarding their Design &
       Looks, Innovation and Multimedia Capabilities
    -- RIM/Blackberry was perceived as the "overall best" for their PDAs

"Our 2006 CEOs' Choice research recognized many outstanding companies. This research -- and future research among CEOs -- can be very powerful as these business leaders are highly influential in their organizations, industries and communities," says Fowler. "CEOs' perceptions and opinions of various products and services -- professionally and personally as consumers -- can provide authority and prestige to a company."

"Due to the success of the 2006 CEOs' Choice Program, we will continue to repeat many of the projects conducted in 2006. We anticipate there will be some repeat winners but we might also find some surprise winners, especially among product and service categories where markets are fragmented and competition is fierce," notes Fowler. "We are excited to start this year's research and look forward to contacting the 2007 award recipients."

Specifically, Frost & Sullivan's panel of CEOs was utilized for this research and will be used for other upcoming CEO research. If you would like to be a member of Frost & Sullivan's Professional Forums -- as powered by Greenfield Online -- please visit http://www.FrostForum.com. There are many panels in which to qualify in addition to Frost & Sullivan's CEO Panel. As a member of any of Frost & Sullivan's panels, one can wield influence in the products and services routinely used, as well as glean information that is happening in markets right now.

Frost & Sullivan's Competitive Benchmarking Services is a division of the Customer Research team that conducts independent, non-sponsored research among end-users to evaluate and measure companies that are top performers for their products, processes and services. Specifically, Competitive Benchmarking Services surveys respondents that are deemed experts (i.e., CEOs, CIOs, Automotive Technicians, Paint Contractors, etc.) in the wide range of industries that Frost & Sullivan supports.

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1,000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit http://www.frost.com

    Contacts:
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    Global Manager, Corporate Communications
    P: 210.247.2403
    F: 210.348.1003
    E: dwhite@frost.com

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