BY KEVIN BARRETT
FREDERICTON - It was a big night for Kevin Francis and the gang at CenterBeam in Saint John.
First off, Mr. Francis, CenterBeam's president and chief executive officer, was named the industry person 
of the year during Thursday's provincial Knowledge Industry Recognition and Achievement awards at the Delta Fredericton.
And CenterBeam, a highly technical operations support centre based in Saint John, won another category for employment growth in New Brunswick for its efforts in 2004.
"It is a special honour for me to be named KIRA's IT person of the year, because it is recognition from a community that has meant so much to me for so very long," said Mr. Francis, a Sydney, N.S. native who was named to his current role in May, 2002.
"By building CenterBeam's North American Solutions Center in Saint John, we're tapping the area's rich vein of IT talent and doing our part to revitalize the city's downtown."
Housed in CenterBeam Place, the company announced plans to launch a Saint John office last April, pledging 300 jobs, with the support of the provincial government, over three years.
Currently, there are approximately 60 employees working in Saint John but company spokesman Brian Johnson said in an email interview that total could jump to almost 100 this year.
The company, a leader in IT outscoring services, was named the Best Place to Work by Computerworld, and it has gained a reputation as a place where engineers can practice their profession using the best tools in a professional setting.
The company, whose headquarters are based in San Jose, California, partners with other organizations to deliver strategies to manage basic technology infrastructure. It provides readily accessible support service and back up services.
"Our success continues to be built on the foundation of our dedicated employees," said Mr. Francis. "I'm happy to know our work is making a difference."
