Alvarez & Marsal Expands Transaction Advisory Group and Builds on World-Class Tax Experience to Deepen Integrated Due Diligence Capabilities for Private Equity Investors.

Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group Adds Five New Professionals; Alvarez & Marsal Tax Advisory Services Adds Two Experienced M&A Tax Advisors

NEW YORK -- Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), the independent, privately-held global professional services firm, has been steadily building its talent base and capabilities to serve the transaction needs of private equity investors, hedge funds and corporate acquirers. Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group, LLC, an affiliate of A&M, and Alvarez & Marsal Tax Advisory Services, LLC, an affiliate of A&M and one of the largest tax practices in the world, have expanded the firm's formidable financial and tax due diligence capabilities with the addition of several new professionals in New York and Chicago.

Joining Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group in Chicago are: Michael Gacek, formerly of Deloitte & Touche, as director, and Brandon Crawley, formerly of PricewaterhouseCoopers, as an associate. Joining the group in New York are: Kevin Karl, formerly of PricewaterhouseCoopers, as manager, as well as Scott Francis and Ryan Rockwood, both formerly of KPMG, as associates.

Joining Alvarez & Marsal Tax Advisory Services in New York in support of the Transaction Advisory Group are experienced mergers & acquisitions tax advisors Lauren Byrne, formerly of Ernst & Young, and Martin Williams, formerly of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Both have been named senior directors.

"Our Transaction Advisory Group continues to add talented professionals with significant experience and a broad perspective, giving us the unique ability to look beyond the numbers to help investors make informed decisions and maximize value," said Paul Aversano, managing director and co-head of Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group. "At the same time, the independent and objective platform offered by our Tax Advisory Services division continues to become increasingly attractive to clients. The addition of Lauren and Marty further enhances our firm-wide capabilities and strengthens the integrated capabilities we offer to investors."

Mr. Gacek specializes in providing buy-side financial due diligence services to private equity investors. He has experience across a wide range of industries, including general manufacturing and distribution, automotive, telecommunications, and consumer and business services. Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Gacek was a senior manager with the M&A Transaction Services practice of Deloitte & Touche in Chicago. Before that, he was with the audit practices of both Deloitte & Touche and Arthur Andersen in Chicago. He received a bachelor's degree in accountancy from the University of Illinois, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in the state of Illinois and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Ms. Byrne focuses on advising financial and strategic buyers and sellers on tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions, including reorganizations, spin-offs, financings, repatriations and bankruptcies. She has advised on domestic and cross-border transactions across a wide range of industries such as media and entertainment, pharmaceutical and industrial products. Prior to joining A&M, Ms. Byrne was a senior manager with the Transaction Advisory Services practice of Ernst & Young, where she worked on both domestic and cross-border transactions, focusing on tax due diligence, structuring and merger integration. She holds a bachelor's degree in communication arts from Villanova University; a master's degree in business administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; and a juris doctorate from Albany Law School. Ms. Byrne is admitted to the state bars of New York and Massachusetts.

Mr. Williams specializes in advising financial and strategic investors on tax aspects associated with mergers and acquisitions and other transactional related matters including leveraged buyouts, reorganizations, spin-offs, cross-border financing, and cash repatriation. Prior to joining A&M, he was a senior manager with the Mergers and Acquisitions Tax practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Before that, he spent several years with the Financial Services audit practice of KPMG. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from McGill University; a master's degree in business administration, with a concentration in accounting, from Pace University; a juris doctorate, with a concentration in taxation, from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; and a master of laws degree in taxation from the New York University School of Law. Mr. Williams is admitted to the state bars of New York and New Jersey and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in New York.

Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group

For more than 20 years, Alvarez & Marsal has set the standard for working with organizations to solve complex problems, boost performance and maximize value for stakeholders.

Alvarez & Marsal's Transaction Advisory Group works with mid- and large-cap private equity firms, hedge funds and corporate acquirers to identify and maximize value at every point in the transaction lifecycle. Seamlessly integrating the firm's deep operational heritage with world-class finance, accounting and business consulting expertise, A&M works closely with clients to make informed investment decisions as well as improve the performance of assets they already own - providing independent and objective analysis that goes well beyond routine due diligence.

With a team of seasoned professionals based in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America, Alvarez & Marsal's suite of professional services includes: Turnaround Management, including Performance Improvement, Turnaround Advisory, Crisis & Interim Management, Creditor Advisory and Claims Management; Business Consulting; Real Estate Advisory; Dispute Analysis & Forensics; Corporate Finance; Tax Advisory; and Transaction Advisory.

For more information, visit www.alvarezandmarsal.com.

Alvarez & Marsal Tax Advisory Services

Alvarez & Marsal Tax Advisory Services, LLC, an affiliate of Alvarez & Marsal, a leading global professional services firm, is an independent tax group comprised of experienced tax professionals dedicated to providing customized tax advice to clients in a broad range of industries. Its professionals extend Alvarez & Marsal's commitment to offering clients a choice in tax advisors free from audit-based conflicts of interest, serving clients with knowledge, experience and a commitment to excellence in client service.

Alvarez & Marsal Tax Advisory Services, LLC, is a founding member of the Taxand global alliance which is comprised of independent tax firms in countries around the world which provide our multinational clients with international tax advice. With more than 1,500 global tax professionals and 250 global tax partners worldwide, Taxand provides clients with an alternative to the Big Four audit firms for global tax services.

For more information, visit www.alvarezandmarsal.com.