Founded in 1986, our company's roots are in database development and software training. In the early days, the Burgiss Group was known for its database tools and books, with our particular focus on the support of Paradox, a relational database from Borland. The developer tools and books we created, including PlayRight, WaitPlus, and Paradox Programmers Guide: Pal By Example, won numerous industry awards. Our collaborations, particularly with Alan Zenreich, Mark Pauker, Kevin Smith, Joseph Fung, Adam Hiler, David Faulkner, Andy Appell, and Maggie Owens were habit-forming.

Those early days are long behind us, but the lessons learned, of building great products, the benefits of collaboration and the rigors of supporting thousands of demanding users are with us still.

private i beginnings

One of our early consulting assignments in 1988 was for Mitchell-Hutchins, a division of PaineWebber. This group's private equity unit was a gatekeeper to several large institutional investors, and we assigned the task of building a private equity database system. It's from that initial experience that we were introduced to the world of private equity. That DOS-based system was later installed at three large private equity investors: a large pension fund, a fund of funds, and a university endowment. This system was in use for almost ten years.

Timeline

1986 : The Burgiss Group is incorporated by a group that includes James Kocis, its President. We initially focus on commercial database and systems development services and database tools.

1987 : Our first commercial product, PlayRight Pro, is introduced. We begin a consulting project with PaineWebber to develop a system to better manage their alternative asset portfolio.

1988-1994 : We introduce and market a variety of software tools for database developers including WaitPlus Pro, ParaLex, ScriptView and TxtView. We continue to support and further develop the DOS-based private equity system developed for PaineWebber, as its use expands to
three additional clients. We continue to develop a broader database consulting practice in a wide variety of applications.

1995 : We shift our business strategy to creating solutions for limited partners in the private equity market. Clients include AT&T Investment Management Company, CommonFund Capital and the University of Notre Dame.

1997 : private i® software debuts. private i is a Microsoft-Windows database solution designed for investors and investment advisers to
manage private equity portfolios. private i  becomes our flagship software product. Russell/Mellon Analytics partners with the us to sublicense private i to its clients. We end the year with 16 clients.

1998 : The private i Direct Investments Module debuts. Directs provides functionality to track direct investments in companies.
Northern Trust partners with us to sublicense private i to its clients. We sign on our 40th client.

1999 : The private i Funds of Funds Module debuts, providing functionality to manage investor-side details in a fund of funds.

2000 : privateInformant® debuts, marking our expansion into financial services. We sign our 100th client.

2001 : The private i Benchmarking Module debuts. This analytical engine allows users to compare private equity performance with other investable indexes. We establish the privateInformant Advisory Board of four early adopter clients. The board's mission is to help set priorities
and establish best-in-class processes to ensure the highest quality of information relating to portfolio holdings.

2002 : Domestic and International code bases for private i are merged to better serve all of our clients. We roll out a completely rewritten Direct Investments module with lot-by-lot control. We begin work on a Post Distribution Management Module, which allows investors to track
public stocks after they are distributed from the general partner. We open our first international office, focused on supporting our European clients outside of Innsbruck, Austria.

2003 : PrivateArchivist!", a Web-based solution that provides access to your portfolio of partnership financial reports in PDF format, is released. PrivateiAnalyst!", a custom report writer for private i and privateInformant debuts after nearly three years in development. The Bank of New York signs on to offer private i and privateInformant to its custodial clients.

2004 : Our 150th client signs on. Joseph Fung joins The Burgiss Group as Managing Director. Under Joseph Fung, we begin our internal implementation of Microsoft CRM, deploy Groove Virtual Office throughout our organization, and launch our customer extranet. Private i 5.0 leaps off the drawing board as we start serious development along with a few new product initiatives. The privateInformant installed base grows rapidly
as more of our existing clients sign on. By the end of the year we have 165 clients.

2005: New client growth remains strong. We add new staff in Client Services and Data Services. Our software development team expands significantly as new products enter major project phases. Our first California office opens late in the year. Microsoft grants us Gold Partner status, a first in the private equity industry. Our custom reporting service grows exponentially. At the end of the third quarter, we have 178 clients.

2006 : The Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst ranks the Burgiss Group as the top provider to limited partners in Private Equity. Amid rapid growth, the Private Informant team is expanded and an additional office is added to accommodate the increased number of analysts. Document management services are added. Development and support teams are expanded. The demand for custom Private i and Private Informant reports continues to grow and Private i Analyst version 2.3 is released. US labs are held in; Pasadena, California, Chicago, Illinois, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The European lab is held in November in Amsterdam. By the close of 2006, the Burgiss group's client base has surpassed the 200 client mark.

2007 : Private i FrontOffice, a solution for due diligence and offering management is launched.

About Our Name

What about our name? Here's the short story. Back in 1986, our President, Jim Kocis, went on a retreat with a group of entrepreneurs-to-be for a weekend of brainstorming at a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. This cabin was owned by Tom and Nancy Burgiss. Shortly thereafter, he and three others formed the Burgiss Group. You'll find this cabin and pictures of Tom and Nancy at www.breakfastinn.com.