News Release

iExalt to Operate Kirkbride Technology Unit

Louisville, KY—January 31, 2001 Kirkbride Bible and Technology Company, publishers of the respected Thompson Chain Reference® Bible, announced today that they have partnered with iExalt Electronic Publishing to operate their Kirkbride Technology unit. Under the arrangement, iExalt will produce and distribute electronic versions of Kirkbride’s print products in a variety of electronic formats, including STEP, Biblesoft, Logos, Microsoft e-book, and pdf.

“Since the technology of electronic publishing is so complex and rapidly changing, we’ve decided to form an alliance with a strong player that specializes in that medium,” said Marshall Gage, President of Kirkbride. “This will enable us to focus all of our attention on print publishing, which we’ve been doing for the better part of a century, and still benefit from the growth of new media.”

iExalt will work closely with Kirkbride on their document management process to facilitate conversion to different file formats for different uses. The resulting electronic books will be distributed in packaged CD products, via internet download, via unlock from CD, and directly on the internet using iExalt’s online iBible engine. Customers will be able to order the products from either Kirkbride or iExalt under the Kirkbride Technology brand. iExalt will manage development, production, fulfillment, end user technical support, and the online electronic bookstore where buyers can download or unlock electronic books, or order physical CD versions. iExalt is creating two new Thompson libraries that will be available in March. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible Library with 8 Bibles and 24 reference books is designed for topical study by laymen and students, and priced at $49.95. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible Library Deluxe with 11 Bibles and 52 reference books is directed at pastors and teachers, and priced at $249.95.

“We’re honored to be able to partner with one of the oldest and most respected names in Christian publishing,” said Randolph Beck, President of iExalt Electronic Publishing. “Kirkbride’s Thompson Chain Reference® Bible used a remarkably innovative data access concept implemented on paper before computers existed. We look forward to helping them carry on their good work in new media technologies as we begin the next century.”

Kirkbride Technology was one of the early entrants in the Bible software market with their HyperBible® product in 1988. The HyperBible rapidly gained popularity and won the Christian Computing “Reader’s Choice Award” in 1997. Kirkbride joined with iExalt, then NavPress Software, and other Bible software vendors in 1995 to create STEP, the first open standard for electronic Bible reference books. The continued popularity of several electronic Bible reference formats and the recent rise of new secular e-book formats prompted Kirkbride to select iExalt Electronic Publishing as a specialist partner to deal with the increased technical and marketing complexity in this market.

Founded in 1915 in Indianapolis, IN, the B.B. Kirkbride Bible Company continues to work on the advancement of its goal of providing the finest Study Bibles available. Kirkbride’s Thompson Chain-Reference Bible is now published in the NIV, NASB, NKJV, and the beloved KJV. Other Kirkbride products include the Thompson Exhaustive Topical Bible with over 9,000 Thompson topics, the Treasure Study Bible with over 500 topics for kids ages 8 to 12, and the NIV Thompson Student Bible with over 1,300 topics for ages 13 and up. All these products are available directly from Kirkbride or through Christian bookstores everywhere. For more information about Kirkbride, visit www.Kirkbride.com.

iExalt Electronic Publishing has been producing software and electronic books for the Christian market since 1987. Beginning in 1989, it operated as NavPress Software until becoming a part of iExalt, Inc, in July of 1999. iExalt Electronic Publishing markets nearly 500 volumes of electronic books in the STEP format for its WORDsearch ™ and LESSONmaker ™ software products. It was the first electronic publisher to introduce the process of unlocking electronic books from CD-ROM in 1995, and was a charter member of the STEP consortium.

Headquartered in Houston, iExalt, Inc. was formed to provide Christian products, services and Internet solutions. iExalt’s family of companies includes ISP filtering at www.iExalt.net; Christian Happenings, a Christian events magazine; Christian Times newspapers; ChristianSpeakers.com, the nation’s leading Christian speakers bureau; iExalt Electronic Publishing, a digital content library; CleanWeb, a multi-level filtered ISP; ListenFirst.com, a comprehensive contemporary Christian music site; Life Perspectives, a nationally recognized daily radio program; and PremierCare, healthcare management services for senior adults.

for more information, contact

Randy Beck, WORDsearch Corp.
3006 Longhorn Blvd. #110, Austin, TX 78758 1-800-888-9898
rbeck@wordsearchbible.com

WORDsearch™, LESSONmaker™, Bible Explorer®, and CROSS™ are trademarks of WORDsearch Corp. Other trademarks are property of their respective companies.