The Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I; http://www.ws-i.org) today announced four new members at the Contributing level: Booz Allen Hamilton (http://www.boozallen.com/), Eviware (http://www.eviware.com/), GBO.Overheid (http://gbo.overheid.nl/english/) and Schneider Electric (http://www.schneider-electric.com/). WS-I is an open industry organization chartered to establish and document Best Practices for Web Services interoperability.

"The diversity displayed in our newest members – which include a government agency and services, software, and manufacturing firms from four different countries – demonstrates the value of involvement in WS-I across industries and across continents," said Steve Holbrook, WS-I Board of Directors Chair. "We welcome the participation and special expertise of each of these organizations."

More information on the new members follows:

• Booz Allen Hamilton, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, USA, provides a broad range of services in strategy, operations, organization and change, information technology, systems engineering, and program management.
• Eviware Software AB is an open source company dedicated to creating next-generation SOA-tools, with headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden.
• GBO.Overheid, based in The Hague in The Netherlands, is the Dutch governmental shared service organization for information and communication technologies (ICT), responsible for the development and management of a number of ICT services for all government agencies.
• Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centers/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications.

WS-I’s members are drawn from a number of countries and all industry sectors. Membership is open to any company or organization interested in contributing to Web services interoperability. Current members include software and hardware vendors, companies that are building or deploying Web services, and standards development organizations.

Benefits of membership in WS-I include the following opportunities: to influence the WS-I agenda by submitting real-world interoperability requirements; to influence industry direction by participating in the development of interoperability guidelines; to gain competitive advantage through early access to WS-I deliverables; and to collaborate and network with industry leaders and influencers.

WS-I offers a range of membership choices: organizations may join as Contributing Members, Associate Members or as Advocates. WS-I also offers non-membership participation and support programs. More information can be found at http://www.ws-i.org/join/Default.aspx.