Contact: Public Relations, Guaranteed Express, Inc. (408) 729-9200 x102
For Release: 8:00 AM, ET, Wednesday, October 14, 1998

Mountain View, October 14, 1998: Guaranteed Express, Inc., based in Mountain View California, has been named one of the fastest growing companies in the country by Inc. magazine, which today released its annual ranking of the Inc. 500, the comprehensive guide to America’s fastest-growing private companies.

The Inc. 500, profiled in a special mid-October issue of the magazine, is an exclusive report on the companies and CEOs who are changing the face of American business. Noteworthy alumni include such household corporate names as Microsoft, Timberland Dominos Pizza, and Pategonia.

Guaranteed Express, which provides delivery and logistics services nationwide, is the 488^th company on the list. "…Our company’s growth has been fueled chiefly by two main elements. First, establishing the necessary infrastructure and critical business processes to support the growth rates we were trying to achieve, and second, fostering the development of a dedicated team of individuals that would do whatever it takes to achieve the service levels we believe are critical to our success," CEO Mark Whitcomb says.

When asked about future growth prospects, Whitcomb said, "…in the markets we operate in, it will become more and more critical to provide "one-stop shopping" to both our current and future customers. This means we must continue to build infrastructure and expand and improve our service offerings to remain competitive in the marketplace. Value-added items such as on-line ordering and real-time order statusing over the internet are just a few examples of what it will take for companies in this arena to remain competitive as we move into the new millennium".

California tops the Inc. 500 with 83 companies on the list; Texas is second with 44 firms. Replacing Virginia as the East Coast leader is Massachusetts, which boasts 31 companies – up from 28 in 1997. Rounding out the top five on the 1998 list are Virginia (26), New York (24); Florida and Illinois tie for fifth with 22 companies each. Firms on this year’s list had a banner year by an measure generating, in total, more than $12 billion in sales – a staggering 33.3% increase over last year’s Inc. 500 figures ($9 Billion) – with a record 14 companies breaking the $100 million sales barrier. This year’s companies generated 18% more jobs (71,464 in total) than the 1997 Inc. 500 group did. Computers and business services are the most heavily represented industries on the 1998 Inc. 500 (57% of all companies), followed by consumer goods and services (12%), telecommunications (7%) and construction (6%).

This year marks the 17^th year that Inc. has charted the progress of America’s most innovative and successful entrepreneurs. To be eligible for the Inc. 500, companies have to be independent and privately held through 1997, and must demonstrate a sales increase from fiscal year 1996 to 1997. Holding companies and regulated banks and utilities are not eligible. Inc. verified all information using tax forms and financial statements from certified public accountants, and by conducting interviews with company officials. Inc. is the only magazine written for the men and woman who own and manage small- to mid-sized fast-growing companies. Published 18 times per year, Inc. helps its 2.2 million readers by providing expert advice and practical solutions as they face the opportunities, pitfalls, and rewards of growing a company, from startup to fully-managed enterprise. Inc. Online (www.inc.com), the Web site for growing companies, was named Best Online Magazine by Folio in 1997 and Best Overall New Publication (all media) by the Computer Press Association.