The Seattle area's latest networking event took off to a great start yesterday evening at the top floor of the Rock Bottom Brewery in Bellevue.

The Bellevue Tech Connect (www.bellevuetechconnect.com), which attracted some 80 hi-tech business professionals, definitely was the scene to plenty of business card exchanges.

Speakers in the house included James Hathaway COO of Veracicom, who talked about ASP's and the great advantages of utilizing them and Patrick Phipps VP of Sales for New World Commerce who provided information on the latest in e-marketing.

The next event is scheduled to take place on February 9, 2001.