GERMANTOWN, Md., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is proud to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of the Gazette Politics and Business Exceptional 53 Maryland Business Awards. The awards program acknowledges the top 53 businesses and organizations in Maryland based on criteria that include the recipient company's annual revenue and employee growth, as well as noteworthy product or service innovations, community service efforts, and how the companies portray themselves as "good places to work."

Cliff Chiet, publisher of The Gazette P&B, remarked, "I applaud these exceptional Maryland businesses that are consistently on the leading edge of innovation and doing their part to help the region through their pro-active community service programs. To make the Exceptional 53 list is a great accomplishment and Hughes will be profiled in a special section of the Friday, Sept. 25, 2009 edition of The Gazette of Politics and Business."

Hughes was recognized for its exceptional growth during the last three years, as well as for its numerous community service programs including American Heart Walk, Disaster Relief through the American Red Cross, Relay for Life, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, and contributions to many other local, national, and global organizations.

"Hughes is honored to be recognized once more as one of Maryland's Exceptional 53," said Pradman Kaul, chairman and CEO of Hughes. "We are proud to call Maryland our home and strongly believe that it is not only our responsibility to provide quality products and services to our customers, but also to support the Maryland community by donating our time and resources as often as possible. We take pride in our community service programs. Also important to us is that we have created an environment where our employees can achieve a true work-life balance."

Hughes has also been recognized with the "Workplace Excellence" award each year since 2000 for its promotion of excellence in the workplace, including health and wellness programs, community involvement, diversity, and flexible work arrangements.

About the Gazette

The Politics and Business Gazette publishes weekly reaching over 17,000 business owners and politically savvy subscribers. The Newspaper focuses on the business and political news of the State of Maryland and is commonly recognized as the leading newspaper covering political activities at the state capital. The Politics and Business Gazette is the state's "must read" newspaper for news about the business and political affairs in the State. The Politics and Business Gazette is owned and published by the well-known Suburban Maryland top-rated Gazette Newspaper that distributes community newspapers in more than 50 communities in Montgomery, Frederick, Prince George's and Carroll counties in Maryland. Boasting a readership as high as 90 percent, Gazette publications reach about 1.5 million readers. Part of the Community Newspaper Group of Post-Newsweek Media Inc., a division of The Washington Post Company, The Gazette has been publishing weekly newspapers in the Maryland suburbs since 1959.

About Hughes Network Systems

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in providing broadband satellite networks and services for large enterprises, governments, small businesses, and consumers. HughesNet((R) )encompasses all broadband solutions and managed services from Hughes, bridging the best of satellite and terrestrial technologies. Its broadband satellite products are based on global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI and ITU standards organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A and GMR-1. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 1.9 million systems to customers in over 100 countries

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes maintains sales and support offices worldwide. Hughes is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: HUGH). For additional information, please visit www.hughes.com.

(C) 2009 Hughes Network Systems, LLC. Hughes and HughesNet are registered trademarks of Hughes Network Systems, LLC.

SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC