Internet Professional Network

A fierce battle has erupted for the leadership of one of Southern California's biggest technology networking associations. In just seven months, the Internet Professionals Network has grown into a thousand-member group by hosting meetings several times a month featuring technology industry speakers such as Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer. IPN has branches in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Orange County and Westlake Village, with another set to open this month in San Diego.

The two factions in a legal battle for leadership of the Internet Professionals Network, one of the largest technology networking groups in Southern California, are negotiating to dissolve the organization into two separate organizations. Under the tentative agreement, IPN President Don Baarns will continue to operate the 9-month-old group in Pasadena, Orange County, Westlake Village and San Diego under the new name Tier One Network, the parties said.

The two factions in a legal battle for leadership of the Internet Professionals Network, one of the largest technology networking groups in Southern California, are negotiating to dissolve the organization into two separate organizations. Under the tentative agreement, IPN President Don Baarns will continue to operate the 9-month-old group in Pasadena, Orange County, Westlake Village and San Diego under the new name Tier One Network, the parties said.

A fierce battle has erupted for the leadership of one of Southern California's biggest technology networking associations. In just seven months, the Internet Professionals Network has grown into a thousand-member group by hosting meetings several times a month featuring technology industry speakers such as Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer. IPN has branches in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Orange County and Westlake Village, with another set to open this month in San Diego.

The following organizations and companies served as the Los Angeles Times' Small Business Strategies Conference Advisory Team, helping to design the conference and find speakers. The Anderson School at UCLA 110 Westwood Plaza, Suite B201 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1481 (310) 825-6121 http://www.anderson.ucla.edu E-mail: mba.admission@ anderson.ucla.edu * Asian Business Assn. 988 N. Hill St., Suite 119 Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 625-2221 http://www.asianbiz.com * Black Business Assn. of Los Angeles.