Ultimate Software (Nasdaq:ULTI), a leading cloud provider of people management solutions, announced today that more than 1,300 of its customers attended the company’s sixth annual customer and partner forum, held March 12-15 at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. The conference featured opportunities for Ultimate’s customers to expand their UltiPro knowledge, gain insight into HR and payroll issues, collaborate with other UltiPro users, and interact with Ultimate’s leadership and industry influencers.

The 2013 Connections event brought together HR, payroll, and talent management leaders across diverse companies and industries that are focused on Ultimate’s end-to-end HCM solutions and services. Participants could choose from dozens of HR technology-related sessions on areas of interest, such as UltiPro best practices and UltiPro’s strategic roadmap, as well as popular industry topics and trends. During the conference, Ultimate’s Chief Technology Officer Adam Rogers also announced plans to expand global HCM support, introduce global payroll integration through a partnership with Celergo, enhance configurability, and extend integration capabilities through a partnership with Informatica.

“I am thrilled that Ultimate is so progressive and responsive, not only to its customers but also to the ever-changing context of our economic, political, and social work environment,” said Christine Langley, director of organizational development & HR at Raydon Corporation. “Once again, I loved that Connections wasn’t just about using UltiPro; it was about supporting my needs as an HR executive in developing strategies to drive Raydon’s workforce toward meeting the company’s objectives.”

“After attending Connections, I’m excited to return to work and carry out some of the things I’ve learned,” said Eric Niman, director of HR administration at P.F. Chang's China Bistro. “The Connections conference is great because I have the opportunity to learn how to leverage UltiPro while earning recertification credit hours. My organization benefits as well because I can bring back a wealth of knowledge about making the most of UltiPro that I would’ve never been able to accumulate so rapidly in any other way.”

Keynote speakers included Ultimate’s CEO Scott Scherr, Ultimate’s CTO Adam Rogers, as well as:

• Shawn Achor, author of the #1 national best-seller The Happiness Advantage and the world’s leading expert on the connection between happiness and success
• Pat Riley, the current president and former head coach of the 2012 Miami Heat, who presented his philosophy on winning, leadership, personal growth, and team dynamics
• Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson, the founders of CultureRx and co-creators of the Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE), who have been featured on the covers of publications such as BusinessWeek, Workforce Management magazine, HR Magazine, and HR Executive magazine as well as in The New York Times and TIME magazine.

Ultimate also recognized some of its customers that have demonstrated extraordinary success and impact to their businesses within the past year. Ultimate presented its 2013 Customer Innovation Awards to companies that have achieved significant business results or shown innovation in nine different categories. Each category highlights a customer that has excelled in a particular area of HCM through its partnership with Ultimate Software. The following organizations received a 2013 Innovation Award at this year’s Connections conference:

• Texas Rangers Baseball, Achievement in ROI
• P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc., Achievement in Technology
• The High Companies, Analytics for Measurable Returns
• SYNNEX Corporation, Success in Activating UltiPro
• CWS Apartment Homes LLC, Teamwork
• NASCAR, Strategic Talent Management
• Gate Gourmet, Supporting and Meeting Corporate Goals
• NVIDIA Corporation, Global Impact
• Vancity, Partnership

The conference featured an expo hall with dozens of partner and sponsor organizations, including Celergo, Informatica, Ping Identity, Yammer, CERTPOINT, Global Cash Card, Infor, Workforce Management, WEX rapid!® PayCard®, Wise Consulting, Mosaic Consulting, and many more. Representatives from the analyst and blogger community presented on HCM strategies and trends and were on hand to interact with attendees, including Ron Hanscome, research director for Gartner Research; Steve Boese, HR technology conference co-chair; Dr. Katherine Jones, director of HR and talent management technologies for Bersin by Deloitte; Brian Sommer, president of TechVentive; John Sumser, founder, principal, author, and editor-in-chief of the HRExaminer Online Magazine; Jennifer McClure, president of Unbridled Talent, LLC; and Ed Frauenheim, author and senior editor of Workforce Management magazine.

“Ultimate has done a great job establishing themselves as the ‘people company’ in the cloud HCM space. From the opening keynote to hallway conversations with customers, executives, and Ultimate employees, its focus on people is clearly a big part of the company's long track record for success," said R "Ray" Wang, principal analyst and CEO of Constellation Research. “In interactions with customers, it’s clear that Ultimate has built strong partnerships with customers.”

“We are very pleased to see record breaking attendance at this year’s Connections customer conference,” said Scott Scherr, president, CEO, and founder of Ultimate Software. “Looking at where we are and the road ahead, this is an exciting time for us, and spending time with our customers is an energizing experience for everyone at Ultimate. We are already looking forward to next year’s event.”

About Ultimate Software

Ultimate is a leading cloud provider of people management solutions, with more than 10 million people records in the cloud. Built on the belief that people are the most important ingredient of any business, Ultimate's award-winning UltiPro delivers HR, payroll, and talent management solutions that seamlessly connect people with the information and resources they need to work more effectively. Founded in 1990, the company is headquartered in Weston, Florida, and has more than 1,600 professionals focused on developing the highest quality solutions and services. In 2013, Ultimate was ranked #9 on FORTUNE'S list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.” Ultimate has more than 2,500 customers with employees in 144 countries, including Adobe Systems Incorporated, Culligan International, Major League Baseball, The New York Yankees Baseball Team, Pep Boys, and Texas Roadhouse. More information on Ultimate's products and services for people management can be found at www.ultimatesoftware.com.

UltiPro is a registered trademark of The Ultimate Software Group, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners.

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