Crisis Management Services and CLEO Consulting Partners Merge.

LAS VEGAS -- Crisis Management Services of Las Vegas, Nevada has merged with Los Angeles-based CLEO Consulting Partners. George Langis founded Crisis Management Services in 2000 to provide interim CEO, COO, CFO and CRO services to companies in crisis. CLEO Consulting Partners provides consulting and interim management services to distressed, underperforming and transitioning companies. Speaking about the merger, Mr. Langis says, "I'm pleased that the combined experience of these two companies have successfully worked with well over 100 different SIC codes ranging from defense to orange juice, healthcare to construction and technology to apparels.

Andrew Harvey of CLEO Consulting Partners describes the addition of Mr. Langis: "George has spent a career making businesses successful. His recent experience working on behalf of a private equity sponsor on a Houston company providing engineering, construction and maintenance services is one example. George's hands-on, focused leadership transformed this $100 million company saddled with excessive debt and significant operating losses into a profitable and growing company in 18 months restoring the confidence of the owners, lenders, employees, vendors and clients of the firm. George can step into a troubled company and get it back on track."

In addition to his Houston-based client, Mr Langis' company, Crisis Management Services, has provided CEO services to a landscape company in Las Vegas, Walter Industries of Tampa and other middle market companies throughout the US. CMS has also provided CFO services to Vitality Beverages (Tampa) and Connector Services Corporation (Chicago). Finally, they have provided general consulting services to the publishing, metal production and residential construction industries on matters ranging from generational transitions for family-owned business, diversifying business markets, mergers and acquisitions and other business issues.

Mr. Langis, speaking about the merger between CMS and CLEO Consulting Partners, observed, "There are far too many companies that unnecessarily produce disappointing financial results. The combination of these two firms gives us the ability to provide a team of professionals as required to help companies in most industries deliver healthy financial performance." Explaining further his interest in merging with CLEO, he explained, "I've worked with the principals of CLEO in the past and have a great respect for their breadth of knowledge and proven experience quickly developing innovative strategies and solutions to tough problems confronting our clients."

In addition to working with distressed and underperforming companies, CLEO also helps family-owned and founder-owned companies manage succession. Andrew Thornburg, also a founding Principal of CLEO, points out, "Successful family-owned and closely held businesses often benefit from a neutral advisory to help transition to a new management team or to prepare family members to run the family business." CLEO's professionals have successfully assisted dozens of private companies as advisors, interim executives and as board members.

CLEO Consulting Partners with the addition of CMS will focus on companies that are private, family owned, private equity owned or publicly traded. The combined firm has experience in manufacturing, energy, construction, engineering services, natural resources, defense, aerospace, technology, publishing, as well as other industries. The firm will offer additional specialized expertise in R&D performance, human resources and information technology as well as its existing financial and operational consulting and interim management services.