Leading web site design and web hosting company Americaneagle.com has announced the redesign and enhancement of the United States Naval Institute (USNI), launched in time for the sponsored PBS series, Americans at War. The United States Naval Institute (USNI) is recognized as the professional organization of the nation's sea services with over 60,000 active members.

As a long-established organization, USNI was in need of a Web site design that would leverage online technology to modernize the site's design yet accurately reflect USNI's history, mission, and efforts. The reinvented USNI.org encompasses many features that work simultaneously to celebrate the organization's purpose and enhance the user experience. "The design and functionality of the site were improved to provide visitors with the best possible forum to responsibly raise their voices on issues related to U.S. national defense," said Mike Svanascini, Chief Operating Officer of Americaneagle.com. "With a wider design, the site now takes full advantage of the canvas size of the screen, allowing USNI to make the most of the space on their content-rich site. Furthermore, a Flash-based slideshow on the homepage engages visitors with vivid photography, while simple side navigation bars organize the site's many pages of content."

In addition to design elements, the site now has several enhancements that contribute to an improved user experience. As a publisher of leading magazines and books that deal with national security, USNI relies on its site to share content with members and to promote and sell publications and merchandise to help underwrite the mission. The organization therefore chose Americaneagle.com's idev® e-commerce platform as the foundation for its online store. On the front end of the site, shoppers can now navigate products by category and subcategory, view full product details, write and read reviews, see related items, and more. The main page of the online store also automatically updates to showcase the top 10 best selling products by pulling data from the site's back-end order history.

On the back end of the site, the idev® platform was customized to integrate seamlessly with four databases, so that USNI can now manage all orders, membership data, conference registrations, and donations through its newly built Content Management System. What's more, the Content Management System utilizes XML import capabilities, allowing USNI staff to upload full magazine issues, images, and any content without changing existing document formats. This technology streamlines the entire process of moving materials to the Web, saving USNI time and money and allowing it to concentrate on growing the site. Areos Ledesma, project manager at Americaneagle.com added, "We built the Content Management System to effectively deploy new marketing campaigns and strategically influence user behavior. USNI now has a robust online publishing platform that emphasizes its membership values and synchronizes all marketing efforts."

"Since 1873, the U.S. Naval Institute has served as an independent forum for the recognition and interaction of U.S. Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen," said MAJGEN Thomas L Wilkerson USMC (Ret.), CEO of USNI, "and we are confident that our new Website will succeed in expanding our membership and impact. The new USNI.org will ensure that our members' voices are heard on matters relating to national defense and national security, and we are excited about our ongoing partnership with Americaneagle.com to achieve these goals."

To explore the site, please visit www.USNI.org