Ernst & Young names Baron Services Founder Bob Baron 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year

ERNST & YOUNG NAMES BARON SERVICES FOUNDER

BOB BARON 2008 ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

AWARD WINNER FOR SOUTHEAST REGION

Award Recognizes Superior Leadership, Innovation in Technology Category

Contact: Jenna Shepard

256-881-8811

Jenna.Shepard@baronservices.com

July 1, 2008, HUNTSVILLE, AL – Robert “Bob” O. Baron, CEO and president of Baron Services, was honored with Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2008 Award in the technology category for the Southeast Region. The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award banquet was held on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at The Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead. Honoring the most outstanding entrepreneur of a technology-based company in the states of Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, the award recognizes vision, determination and leadership. Baron Services was one of 85 companies nominated and there were a total of 23 companies in 7 categories recognized as finalists.

“I am proud to accept this award on behalf of the more than 100 hard-working employees spread across the Baron group of companies,” said Bob Baron. “This award is a reflection of the technical innovation being developed in North Alabama, especially in Cummings Research Park. It was a huge honor just to be nominated for this award, and Ernst & Young should be commended for putting this celebration together to honor visionary entrepreneurs across the country.”

The award recognizes men and women who excel at growing and sustaining market-leading businesses. Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year program takes place in 135 cities across 50 countries. Every year, the annual awards celebrate the achievements of business leaders around the world.

Baron Services is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, with satellite offices in Oklahoma, North Carolina and Florida. Five specialized companies—Baron Services, Baron Mobile, WxWorx, Baron Radar and BAMS make up the group, which is over 100 employees strong. The Baron group of companies offers a comprehensive suite of weather detection technologies to a variety of markets including the broadcast, aviation, marine, emergency management and government industries. Last October, Baron Services was part of a team that won a 5-year, $43 million contract from the National Weather Service to provide the design, development and production services for a comprehensive upgrade of the NWS, FAA and DOD’s 171 NEXRAD radars to dual-polarization capability.

Bob Baron is now eligible for competition in the Ernst & Young National Awards Program, hosted by Jay Leno, and the World Entrepreneur of the Year programs sponsored by Ernst & Young. The National Awards will be presented during the national conference held November 12-16, 2008, during Ernst & Young’s second annual Strategic Growth Forum in Palm Springs, California.

This isn’t the first time Baron has been recognized for his outstanding achievements. His peers recognized him as the 1996 Small Business Executive of the Year by the Huntsville and Madison County Chamber of Commerce and in 1998 Baron Services received the Mass Mutual Blue Chip award for small businesses. In 2005, Mr. Baron was recognized as a candidate for Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2007, Mr. Baron was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce and was also selected as a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® awards.

The National Weather Association (NWA) presented Mr. Baron with a Special Achievement Award in 2006 for a history of innovations that have improved public safety and situational awareness during severe weather. That same year, the Alabama House of Representatives awarded him a commendation based on his companies’ contributions to the safety and well-being of the general public.

About Baron Services

Baron Services is a pioneer in sophisticated weather analysis and technology and a globally recognized industry leader in delivering technology for the communication of significant weather events. It offers a wide range of weather solutions and owns numerous weather technology patents. The company delivers cutting-edge radar systems, advanced forecast modeling, mobile weather analysis and localized weather displays. Operating primarily from Huntsville, Alabama, with offices in Oklahoma, North Carolina and Florida, Baron Services includes five specialized companies that continue to advance the weather industry by providing systems engineered to save both lives and property. The company has, to date, installed all broadcast dual-polarimetric radars in the world.

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