SOUTHFIELD ? Plante & Moran, PLLC has achieved Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status, demonstrating proven expertise in Microsoft products through certification, customer references and sales revenues.

Plante & Moran, the nation?s 11th largest CPA firm, has been involved in the Microsoft Partner Program, which has three, increasingly-difficult-to-attain membership levels?Registered Members, Certified Partners, and Gold Certified Partners?since 2000. Plante & Moran build both the GLIMA and Automation Alley web sites.

?It?s a win-win proposition,? says Adam Wilburn, a manager with our Web Development Team. ?Even basic membership affords organizations affiliation with the Microsoft brand, which offers instant credibility for clients. In addition, companies can gain a competitive edge by attaining Microsoft competencies, thus enabling them to increase their membership levels.?

So far Plante & Moran has achieved the Business Process and Integration and Microsoft Business Solutions competencies. Accomplishing these competencies is no easy task, as applicants must demonstrate proven expertise through certification, customer references, and sales revenue. The successful realization of these competencies is largely how the firm achieved the ?gold? status.

?This is an enormous accomplishment,? says Al Voss, a partner with our Technology Solutions Team. ?There are companies who won?t even do business with you unless you?re a Gold Certified Partner. It truly is instant credibility and worldwide acknowledgement. We?re very proud of the achievement.?

Plante & Moran has a staff of more than 1,400 professionals in 18 offices throughout Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Nashville, Tennessee, and Shanghai, China.