RegistryPro Announces Additional Professional Eligibility to .Pro Internet Registry

More Professionals to Benefit from Enhanced Security, Validated Identities

September 8, 2004; 12:37 AM

CHICAGO, September 8, 2004 - (DomainInformer.com) - Dentist, architects and engineers are among several groups of professionals and organizations who soon will be able to register .Pro top-level domains (TLD) on the Internet. RegistryPro, operator of the .Pro registry, said it would announce eligibility dates for these and other professions during the coming months.

Since June 1 of this year, doctors, lawyers and accountants have been the only professionals eligible to register domain names with the distinctive .pro extension and built-in security certificates.

"Many individuals and organizations are enjoying the value of the .Pro space and want to participate," said Michael DelCiello, General Manager or RegistryPro. "After much discussion and consultation, we decided to allow applications from members of fifteen additional professions. These groups have many important characteristics in common - strong ethics, association involvement, and public interest."

The next professionals planned to be admitted to the .pro space will be:

• Architects (arc.pro)
• Certified Financial Analysts (cfa.pro)
• Certified Financial Planners (cfp.pro)
• Dentists (dds.pro)
• Engineers (eng.pro)
• Nutritionists (ntr.pro)
• Optometrists (opt.pro)
• Pharmacists (pha.pro)
• Physician Assistants (pa.pro)
• Podiatrists (pod.pro)
• Psychologists (psy.pro)
• Educators (ed.pro)
• Veterinarians (vet.pro)
• Physical Therapists (pt.pro)
• Public Relations (pr.pro)

The .Pro TLD provides both a distinctive and secure Internet presence for their Web site, email traffic and confidential transactions. Each .Pro domain registration includes digital certificates for authenticating Web site-based transactions or email communications. Professionals must undergo a verification process to validate their eligibility for using a .Pro name extension.

The .Pro top-level domain provides three important new benefits over other domain names:

• Exclusive online identity for their businesses and for their electronic communications;
• Independent verification of that identity to give their clients a high level of assurance and confidence;
• Increased security through encryption and validation of all electronic communication.

RegistryPro has established .Pro domain registration procedures with more than 20 Internet registrars. Prospective registrants may visit www.registrypro.Pro for links to participating registrars and for more information on registering .Pro domain names.

DelCiello said RegistryPro will begin offering the new extensions later this year within the United States and also expects to expand the registry in the same timeframe to Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

About RegistryPro

RegistryPro operates the .Pro top-level domain (TLD), an Internet registry exclusively for professionals who meet specific eligibility requirements and undergo a verification process. All .Pro names are issued with a digital certificate, an online passport that facilitates secure communications and transactions. RegistryPro provides a new way for professionals to distinguish themselves on the Internet by using the .Pro extension. Initially offered to doctors, lawyers and CPAs, the .Pro domain name provides a solution for professionals who require heightened confidentiality and security in their online communications. RegistryPro is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hostway Corp., a global leader in Web-hosting and other managed services.

Contact: Mark Smith, StrongForce Group, 312-371-6443, [email protected] or [email protected]