ACG Cleveland Salutes Northeast Ohio's Top Companies and Deal Makers at 12th Annual Deal Maker Awards Dinner.

CLEVELAND -- ACG Cleveland, the preeminent local organization for middle-market merger & acquisition professionals, will recognize the winners of the 12th Annual ACG Cleveland Deal Maker Awards at a sold-out dinner program February 7, 2008, in the main ballroom at the Cleveland Marriott at Key Center. The Deal Maker Awards recognize Northeast Ohio's corporate and individual deal makers who have been most successful in their efforts to achieve long-term corporate growth, especially through acquisitions, divestitures, financings and other transactions. The 2008 ACG Cleveland Deal Maker Awards winners are:

Corporate Turnaround

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: GT)

Akron, Ohio

Goodyear is Northeast Ohio's largest company ranked by revenue and one of the world's largest tire companies. For the last several years Goodyear has successfully pursued a turnaround strategy to accelerate the introduction of innovative new tires, reduce its cost structure, generate capital to support further investment, and strengthen its balance sheet. The July 2007 sale of its Engineered Products Division for $1.475 billion culminated the capital structure improvement. As a result of these actions, Goodyear had record sales in 2006 and sharply higher earnings for the first nine months of 2007. Its stock rose from a low of $3.35 in 2003 to a high of $36.90 in July 2007. The stock closed at $26.07 on February 1, 2008.

Corporate

TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE: TDG)

Cleveland, Ohio

TransDigm is a leading global designer, producer and supplier of a broad range of highly engineered aircraft components for us on nearly all commercial and military aircraft in service today. TransDigm was formed in Cleveland in 1993. Since then, company sales have grown from $48 million to nearly $600 million, and EBITDA has increased from $10 million to $258 million. The company has acquired 21 businesses since its formation, including four since October 2006. In March 2006, TransDigm issued common stock in its initial public offering at a price of $21 per share. The stock rose to a high of $51.60 in late 2007 and closed at $43.15 on February 1, 2008.

Corporate

First Communications, Inc. (AIM: FCOM)

Fairlawn, Ohio

First Communications is an integrated telecommunications company providing voice, data and other services to over 240,000 customers throughout the country. It has over 3,500 miles of fiber and a network traversing seven states. The company was formed in 1998 with FirstEnergy Corp. as one of its lead investors. It has achieved significant and sustainable growth and has had 24 straight quarters of profitability. Over the last three years it has successfully purchased and integrated seven companies. In July 2007, it completed an initial public offering on the AIM market (operated by the London Stock Exchange) that raised $50 million. A preferred stock sale to three investors in conjunction with the IPO raised an additional $40 million.

Buyout Firm

Kirtland Capital Partners

Beachwood, Ohio

Founded in 1977, Kirtland is a pioneer in the world of middle-market buyouts. In recognition of its successful transaction activity over the past two years, Kirtland has been selected as a recipient of the 2008 Deal Maker Award in the buyout firm category. Kirtland's disciplined and focused middle-market investment strategy has created long-term value in its portfolio companies and delivered superior returns to investors and the management teams of its portfolio companies. Kirtland has more than $325 million of capital under management and has completed 22 platform acquisitions and 28 add-on acquisitions.

Lifetime Achievement

William B. Summers, Jr.

Retired Chairman and CEO, McDonald Investments, Inc.

In June 2006, after more than 35 years, William B. Summers Jr. retired from McDonald Investments Inc., having served as chairman since 1998. He previously served as president and CEO of McDonald Investments, an independent public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, prior to the sale of the company to KeyCorp in 1998. He serves on the board of directors of RPM, Inc., Developers Diversified Realty, Inc., The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Baldwin-Wallace College, and United Way of Greater Cleveland. He also serves on the advisory boards of Molded Fiberglass Companies, Dix & Eaton and MAI Wealth Advisors LLC.

About ACG and ACG Cleveland

Founded in 1954, the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) is a global association for professionals involved in corporate growth, corporate development, and mergers and acquisitions. Today ACG stands at nearly 12,000 members from corporations, private equity, finance, and professional service firms representing Fortune 1000, FTSE 100, and mid-market companies in 53 chapters in North America and Europe. For more information, please visit www.acg.org

ACG Cleveland, with 405 members, is the preeminent local organization for corporate development and middle-market M&A professionals. The chapter celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2006. The annual Deal Maker Awards event is one 15 educational programs and other activities the chapter sponsors each year. For more information, please visit www.acg.org/cleveland.