Big Spring based Premiere Cinema Corp. and Brussels, Belguim based BARCO, Inc. have announced that nine Premiere technicians have completed Barco's Tier II digital certification training, becoming one of the first companies to achieve technical status of this magnitude. The certified class sponsored by Premiere and Barco includes Illinois-based George Smiley, Texas-based Vince Bienek, Gary Allen, Larry Delaney, Charlie Barker, Martin Watson and Lavone Crosby, Alabama-based Kobe Bone, and Florida-based Mike Fitzgerald.

The Tier II certification means the personnel are trained and qualified to both install and service Premiere's state-of-the-art digital projection systems provided by BARCO, Cinedigm, Doremi and GDC. Barco has previously established a Network Operating Center to monitor digital cinema performance at Premiere locations.

According to Joel Davis, Premiere's Vice President of Operations, both the establishment of the NOC and the certification of technicians were designed to help ensure picture-perfect presentations at Premiere's digital cinema locations. "By spreading our personnel geographically we've also ensured we can respond to virtually any technical issue almost immediately at any Premiere location."

Barco Vice President of Marketing Terri Westhafer was instrumental in arranging the alliance between the companies. "Premiere is an exceptional group," stated Ms. Westhafer. "Barco has had nothing but the best experiences with Premiere's top management and technical staff since 'day one' and we are very pleased to have deployed their entire circuit. In my 33 years experience, Premiere has the best trained and most accomplished team of upper-management personnel I've seen hands down."

Barco is a global leader in digital cinema projection manufacturing serving 90 countries with 3,500 employees.