Bob Beard, With 25 Years of M&A Financing Experience, Joins FOCUS as a Managing Director Located in the Atlanta, Georgia Office

Washington, D.C. (August 17, 2009) – FOCUS LLC, a national middle market investment banking firm providing merger, acquisition, divestiture and corporate finance services, is pleased to announce that Bob Beard has joined FOCUS’ Atlanta, Georgia office as a managing director.

According to Jonathan Wilfong, regional managing partner of FOCUS, “Bob has more than 25 years of merger and acquisition placement and financing experience. He has structured over 50 transactions involving more than $700 million of capital. He specializes in raising capital and this specialty will expand our business and provide a higher level of service to our clients.”

Prior to joining FOCUS, Mr. Beard managed his own financial advisory practice, Diversified Financial Solutions. While at Diversified, he arranged the successful placement of over $200 million of debt and equity capital for specialty financial services firms and other diversified entities. In addition, he assisted private equity investors in developing platforms to originate and service specialty finance assets.

Mr. Beard was co-founder of Capital Business Credit, a specialty finance division of a public diversified financial services firm. He assisted in building the business to a $100 million platform in three years. He led the sale of the division to a commercial bank for more than double the contributed capital. He served as regional manager of the commercial finance subsidiary of the acquiring bank and assisted the bank in acquiring $400 million of specialty finance assets.

Mr. Beard previously served as the Southeast Region underwriting manager for the cash flow lending group of Heller Financial. He was previously employed by Price Waterhouse, rising to manager in four years. While at Price Waterhouse, Mr. Beard advised a number of diversified industrial clients. He was engaged to assist a number of clients in various merger and acquisition opportunities, highlighted by an extensive engagement to divest a $500 million joint venture between two Fortune 500 companies.

Mr. Beard has been a licensed CPA in the state of Georgia. He received an MBA from Emory University and a BA from Davidson College. He serves on the board of directors of a variety of civic organizations in metropolitan Atlanta.

About FOCUS LLC

FOCUS LLC provides a range of middle market investment banking services with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and corporate finance. FOCUS is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with regional offices in Atlanta and Chicago. FOCUS specializes in business units with transactions or revenues in the $5-300 million range, serving entrepreneurs, corporate owners and various types of investors across a broad range of industries, throughout the U.S. and worldwide. FOCUS bankers are seasoned operating and financial executives with extensive transaction experience. Securities transactions conducted by Wm. H. Murphy & Co., Inc. registered Broker Dealer member FINRA/SIPC. For more information on FOCUS, visit www.focusbankers.com.

Kahla Cooper is the Director of Marketing at FOCUS. In this role, Ms. Cooper designs and implements the overall marketing strategy. Ms. Cooper works with each industry team leader to define programs in order to promote and brand FOCUS’ suite of capabilities.