Charleston Regional Development Alliance

Berkeley, Charleston & Dorchester Counties

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Benefitfocus.com designated "Fastest Growing Tech Company in South Carolina"

Sep. 1, 2005
PR Newswire
CHARLESTON, S.C., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The South Carolina Technology
Alliance has officially recognized Benefitfocus.com as the fastest growing
technology company in the state. Research of the alliance's databases and
technology records, as well as other state economic development databases
available to SCTA, supports its top ranking of Benefitfocus.

"Benefitfocus' record growth is very exciting for our state, other growing
technology companies and the push we have all been making in the knowledge
base economy for our state," says Tom Persons, President and CEO of the South
Carolina Technology Alliance.

The South Carolina Technology Alliance is a non-profit, technology-
orientated think tank that develops and advances economic development
policies. It creates collaboration between a diverse cross-section of
business, academic and legislative leaders and South Carolina's economic and
community development sectors. It has been recognized by the governor's
office, the Small Business Association and the United States Department of
Commerce for its vision and efforts on behalf of the state's innovation
economy.

"We saw 236% growth in 2004 and are incredibly proud to be recognized as
the fastest growing technology company in our state," says Shawn Jenkins,
President and CEO of Benefitfocus.com, Inc. "The next 24 months promise to be
a very exciting and rewarding time for Benefitfocus, as our industry is about
to see a fundamental shift of the $2 trillion of healthcare spent annually in
the country into the hands of the consumer."

The Mount Pleasant-based company makes Internet-based software that
replaces the traditional paper forms employers use to administer their worker-
benefit plans, such as health coverage. Its clients include over 14 Blue Cross
Blue Shield plans, covering over 89,000 employer groups and 12.5 million
members in all 50 states and countries as far away as Japan, Mexico, Chile and
Poland.

South Carolina's technology businesses employ over 42,500 tech jobs in the
fields of computer systems design, telecommunications services, engineering
services, and many other related technology services. Nationally, technology
wages average 84% more than other employment sectors. One important point that
the South Carolina Technology Alliance has been making for the last eight
years is that the state's technology industry pays over 65% more in wages than
other private sector employment.

Formed five years ago with just 18 employees, Benefitfocus will be moving
its headquarters to a new $16 million, 143,000-square-foot headquarters on
Daniel Island in 2006. The company also recently expanded its presence in the
Upstate with a new facility in Greenville. Additionally, it plans to double
its payroll to over 400 associates by 2008. Several regional colleges and
universities will be asked to partner with the company to provide more high
tech jobs to South Carolina graduates.

Sixty-seven percent of Benefitfocus associates have bachelors' degrees in
science and engineering, which is a major growth target of the South Carolina
Technology Alliance in its measurement of the state's technology business
environment. With over 74% of its associates employed as high tech engineers
or analysts, Benefitfocus both attracts and retains a world-class workforce.

About Benefitfocus.com:
Benefitfocus.com, Inc. (Benefitfocus) is the leading provider of software
and services for benefit enrollment, electronic billing, and data exchange. It
offers employees and employers secure, online access to benefits and human
resource information. Benefitfocus' suite of products and services includes
large and small group electronic enrollment, electronic billing, and data
exchange services. It replaces time-consuming, expensive and error-prone paper
processes allowing companies to administer all of their benefit offerings
through one interface. This one-to-many platform substantially speeds up
benefit enrollment and administration while reducing overall costs and greatly
improving communication to the employee. For more information, please visit
www.benefitfocus.com.

About the South Carolina Technology Alliance:
The South Carolina Technology Alliance is a non-profit, technology-
orientated Think Tank next economy innovation catalysis that develops and
advances visionary economic development policies. It creates collaboration
between a diverse cross-section of business, academic and legislative leaders
and South Carolina's economic and community development sectors. It identifies
and helps develops technology workforce skills, working to create investment
capital for our entrepreneurial knowledge-based technology companies. For more
information, please visit www.sctech.org. 		related information