ACG CEO Dan Varroney Announces Goals, New Staff.

CHICAGO -- Daniel A. Varroney, President and CEO of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) since June 2005, said while announcing his new staff today that the Association's chapters and members will be ACG's center of focus and support.

"If you're an ACG chapter or member this is your time," said Varroney, who looks to focus ACG's resources on chapters to increase networking opportunities and provide a powerful return on investment for members throughout the Association's global dealmaking community. ACG is the leading global authority for professionals involved in corporate growth, corporate development, and mergers and acquisitions.

Varroney announced the new staff alignment and a change in the Board of Director's structure geared to focus the Association's resources on chapters and members after ACG's Board of Director's met in Chicago in early October.

"ACG represents a powerful platform for executives involved in mergers and acquisitions and corporate growth," said Varroney. "Just since June, ACG has experienced a 13% increase in membership. ACG's chapters in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston have held Capital Connection dealmaker programs with attendance of more than 1,000 at each event. And the media is increasingly coming to ACG for information and to quickly gain access to knowledgeable ACG members. All of this signals that ACG is the place to be to do deals and to grow your business."

Outlining key priorities, Varroney said chapters and members can look forward to: a new website with functionality and information to create a virtual member relationship, ongoing surveys of member needs that will lead to studies which will provide insights into opportunities and challenges for member executives, as well as webinar and conference call programs to support members throughout the year.

"Our new staff members have the right mix of energy and skills to drive ACG's value proposition year after year," said Varroney, who joined ACG from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). "They realize the importance of meeting our chapter and member needs for information and programs that facilitate corporate growth and mergers and acquisitions, and for further developing ACG's brand."

Leading the marketing and media relations area is Bill Haynes, who has more than 15 years experience in marketing and public relations for national financial and professional services firms, and who recently launched his firm, BackBay Communications, Inc. Working with Bill are Judy Iacuzzi, ACG's marketing director for 10 years, and Pat Donnelly, new to the ACG area, who will serve as communications manager with heavy involvement in the developing ACG website.

"We are looking to boost ACG's visibility in the leading business media throughout the world so ACG becomes the obvious first choice for expertise in corporate growth and mergers and acquisitions," said Varroney. "Joint surveys, such as the ACG/Thomson DealMaker's Survey published twice a year, and a recharged ACG website program are major components to achieving our marketplace position of the leading authority on corporate growth."

Leading the ACG InterGrowth(R) Conference program (www.acg.org/conferences/intergrowth), the largest annual conference in the world focusing on corporate growth and mergers and acquisitions, are familiar faces Bill Padnos and Jim McCambridge. An employee of The Center for Association Growth (TCAG), Padnos has provided the lead staff position for InterGrowth for the last six years. TCAG employee McCambridge is going into his second year as sales manager. In his first year, he exceeded the InterGrowth sponsorship goal by 40%.

"These are solid ACG staff members," said Varroney. "The exceptional quality of the InterGrowth meeting and the record level of sponsorship are proof of their abilities and commitment to success."

Carol Jezierski, new to ACG but longtime assistant to Varroney at the NAM, will provide support to the ACG board and serve as the official ACG liaison to the executive directors and administrators working at the chapters.

"The administrators are a focal point for each chapter, and with Carol's help and friendly approach, we will stay closely in touch with the priorities and concerns of all 50 local ACG communities," said Varroney.

Leading the financial area is Doug Gustafson, who has provided this work for ACG over the last six years. Working with Varroney, the ACG board's Finance Chairman and Vice Chairman, Gustafson will make sure the Association focuses its financial resources on chapters and members and has the financial resources to continue to grow and achieve success.

About ACG

Founded in 1954, the Association for Corporate Growth (www.acg.org) is a global association for professionals involved in corporate growth, corporate development, and mergers and acquisitions. Today ACG stands at nearly 10,000 members from corporations, private equity, finance, and professional service firms representing Fortune 500, Fortune1000, FTSE 100, and mid-market companies in 48 chapters in North America and Europe.