Unique Authentication Technology Garners 2003 Innovation Award for Authentify, Inc.

Chicago, IL - October 18, 2003 - Authentify, Inc. has been named a recipient of the 2003 Chicago Innovation Award. Authentify was honored for developing unique technology for verifying the identity of an Internet user. Authentify offers an effective deterrent to the growing challenge of identity theft and a cost effective mechanism for corporations to enable highly auditable self-service authentication of employees, customers and business partners.

The 2003 Chicago Innovation Awards are sponsored by the Wm. J. Wrigley Company, the Chicago Sun-Times Newspaper, and the consulting firm of Kuczmarski & Associates. The annual awards are given to celebrate the Chicago area’s history of innovation. A history which includes innovative products such as the car radio, the cellular phone and HDTV. Authentify, Inc. was honored alongside industry notables including Abbott Laboratories, Motorola and Shure, Inc.

“On a daily basis, Authentify touches thousands of individuals on behalf of our customers,” said Peter Tapling, President and CEO of Authentify, Inc. “The savings our customers experience using Authentify are well documented, but an even greater reward is the many instances in which we prevented the fraudulent use of a person’s accounts. It’s very gratifying to be recognized for our efforts.”

The patent-pending Authentify technology employs a process that synchronizes an automated telephone call with an Internet user’s online session. An undeniable exchange between user,computer and telephone is used to link the individual using the computer to the activity within the web session. Authentify is used by financial services firms, government agencies and corporations concerned with making certain they know who has access to their online accounts and materials. Customers include Associated Bancorp, AssureBuy, Hewlett Packard, PaymentOne, the U.S. Social Security Administration, Verisign and others.

The Chicago Innovation Awards judging panel selected Authentify from among more than 130 nominations for the 2003 awards. Nominees were judged based on the success of products and services introduced between January 2001 and June 2003 that uniquely satisfied unmet needs in the marketplace. "The goals of The Chicago Innovation Awards are to recognize, educate, and inspire," said Thomas Kuczmarski, president of Kuczmarski Associates. "The awards bring attention to locally developed innovations that are making an impact on our world."

About Authentify
Authentify, Inc. provides Internet identity management products and services that enable organizations to quickly and cost-effectively provide real-time user authentication during an Internet session. By leveraging the familiarity of telephone networks, Authentify ensures that deployment of an effective e-Security layer is practical for business and easy for consumers. The company's patent-pending process seamlessly integrates into existing online processes that have been developed for e-business, secure information access and the distribution of security credentials. The Authentify solution provides a trusted, real-time mechanism for the management of digital credentials and username/password systems for employees, trading partners and customers, while also ensuring the availability of a comprehensive audit trail. Authentify is privately held and based in Chicago, Illinois. Visit Authentify on the Web athttp://www.authentify.com, or call 773-243-0328 for additional information.

About Kuczmarski & Associates
Founded in 1983, Kuczmarski & Associates is the leading management-consulting firm based in Chicago that helps clients accelerate growth through new products and services and branding strategies. K&A clients come from both the public and private sectors and include many Fortune 100 companies across many industries. Kuczmarski and his staff teach new product development at organizations across the country, including the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. The firm has a strong and unsurpassed focus on innovation new product development.

Editorial contacts:

John Zurawski
Authentify, Inc.
773.243.0328
john.zurawski@authentify.com

News Overview

Press Releases

Upcoming Events