Bentley has decided to morph the 2009 Be Conference into a six-month online seminar series called Be Connected, citing travel restrictions and other economic pressures. In addition, a good portion of the attendance at this event is State Departments of Transportation, and that’s a community that is particularly busy right now coordinating spending from the economic stimulus plan.

The event has typically taken place in May as an international gathering for all Bentley customers around the globe and representing all of the different software and application areas that Bentley covers. The Be Connected online seminar series will begin in June and will run through November. The series of solution and product seminars will be streamed online via the Be Communities website.

The popular Be Awards of Excellence that have run concurrently with the conference are also being retooled. The new Be Inspired Awards will take place in September in Charlotte, North Carolina as a one-day event for finalists and winners. The deadline for nominations for the awards have been extended to May 15, 2009.

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