Mentor Graphics Wins "Ten Best Web Support Sites" Award

WILSONVILLE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 15, 2003--Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq:MENT) today announced it has received a "Ten Best Web Support Sites" award from the Association of Support Professionals (ASP) and is the first electronic design automation (EDA) company to win this award.

Mentor was recognized for its secure, full-service customer support Web site, SupportNet, which provides a comprehensive range of technical information, advanced interactive features and product updates tailored to the needs of each customer.

"Mentor Graphics provides the best overall customer support in the EDA industry and their Web support is superior," said Steve Herbstman, senior PCB design engineer, MSL Engineering & Design. "SupportNet offers all of the tools I need to keep me and my team on track should we encounter any issues."

The "Ten Best Web Support Sites" awards showcase excellence in online service and support. Winners for this year's awards were selected by a panel of Web support design and implementation experts using a scoring system based on 25 separate performance criteria. Web sites were evaluated on several areas, including overall usability, design, and navigation, knowledgebase and search implementation, interactive features, personalization and major site development considerations. Mentor Graphics received high marks -- exceeding ratings averages -- for such criteria as the overall look and feel of its SupportNet Web site and the functionality of the site's KnowledgeBase system. Mentor's SupportNet Web site was also recognized for making it easy for customers to access live support and escalate problems as appropriate. Other award winners include BEA Systems, Dell Computer, Hewlett Packard, Macromedia, Novell, and Xilinx.

"Mentor Graphics customers not only create complex designs, but they use complex tools and methodologies to create them," said Jeffrey Tarter, executive director, ASP. "To provide customer support on this level via the Web requires a truly innovative and intuitive Web support site and Mentor Graphics excels in this area. We are delighted to name them as our first award winner in the EDA industry."

Mentor Graphics SupportNet Web site features the SupportNet KnowledgeBase(SM) system, a powerful support database that provides customers with instant access to current product information and solutions to commonly encountered design problems. The site also offers forums that allow customers to interact directly with each other, regardless of geographic boundaries, to exchange information about Mentor products and methodologies. Personalized e-mail notification of product updates, technical notes and customized content for selected customers, providing crucial design information specific to each location, are also available. SupportNet helps companies manage their software assets through personalized licensing reports to enable centralized management of global software entitlements, licenses and updates for all sites within a large company.

"The delivery of complex customer support and our dedication to providing superior support has earned us several awards. Mentor is continually recognized by customers as the only 5 STAR support in EDA," said Tom Floodeen, vice president and general manager of the Customer Support Division at Mentor Graphics. "We have devoted significant resources to creating and providing superior online customer support and this award from the ASP helps validate our commitment and efforts."

About Mentor's Award Winning Customer Support

Mentor Graphics global customer support organization offers leading customer support solutions online, by phone and in-person. The company's continued investments in call tracking systems, Web-based customer information systems, customized support options and new support offerings allow the company to provide thousands of customers around the globe the flexibility they require. Mentor's customer support division is the EDA industry's only five-time winner of the Software Technical Assistance Recognition (STAR) Award in the Complex Support category from the Service and Support Professional Association (SSPA). This prestigious award recognizes companies that consistently provide a superior level of support for software used in high-end, mission-critical applications in fields such as engineering, science, telecommunications and other technical environments. For more information on Mentor's award-winning support services, visit www.mentor.com/supportnet.

About Mentor Graphics

(Nasdaq:MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of about $600 million and employs approximately 3,500 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777; Silicon Valley headquarters are located at 1001 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, California 95131-2314. World Wide Web site: www.mentor.com.

Mentor Graphics is a registered trademark and SupportNet KnowledgeBase is a service mark of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Mentor Graphics
             Leanne White, 503-685-1984
             leanne_white@mentor.com
             or
             Suzanne Graham, 503-685-7789
             suzanne_graham@mentor.com