ACG Chicago Hosts Annual Market Trends Breakfast Meeting

CHICAGO, April 2, 2007 — On April 13, 2007, more than 250 business and economic leaders from the Greater Chicago area are expected to attend the Annual Market Trends Breakfast Meeting – a comprehensive corporate deal-making event hosted by the Association for Corporate Growth Chicago (ACG Chicago).

The annual event will take place at The Standard Club and will provide professionals focused on corporate growth, corporate development and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) with an opportunity to hear from leading economic and business authorities on the state of the global economy and trends in the local deal-making environment.

Carl R. Tannenbaum, group senior vice president and chief economist at LaSalle Bank Corporation, will deliver the opening remarks. He will discuss the state of the local, national and global economy; forecast the remainder of 2007 and beyond; and address factors that may affect the deal-making environment.

Following Mr. Tannenbaum’s remarks, Stephen M. Burt, ACG Chicago member and managing director of Duff & Phelps, LLC, will discuss trends in investment banking and private equity activity. David E. West, managing director at Stout Risius Ross Advisors, LLC, will provide insight on trends in financing deals. Finally, Saul E. Rudo, ACG Chicago vice president of corporate growth and partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, will examine hot topics in the legal environment, including trends in deal documentation.

"The Annual Market Trends Breakfast Meeting will bring together several of the area’s leading experts to provide ACG Chicago members and guests with insight into current and expected economic activity and its affect on the M&A environment," said Tom Turmell, ACG Chicago vice president of professional development and principal at Golub Capital. "The increasingly global nature of business and continued activity in the middle market will be among the key themes discussed at the meeting.”

A recent ACG and Thomson Financial survey revealed that 99 percent of dealmakers in Chicago deem the current M&A environment good or excellent and 39 percent expect further merger acceleration to occur throughout the first half of 2007.

“M&A activity and equity financing remain strong in the Midwest and throughout North America," said Mike Sklar, ACG Chicago president and partner with DLA Piper US LLP. "This is optimistic news for our local economy and an indicator of national economic health. In the Midwest, the deal market continues to be robust in pricing, number of deals and availability of credit. This environment will likely persist well into 2007."

About ACG Chicago
With more than 850 members, ACG Chicago is the second-largest chapter in the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) global network. Its membership comprises a diverse and knowledgeable group of private equity investors, investment bankers, commercial lenders, corporate managers, attorneys, accountants and consultants. All share a strong commitment to leadership in the field of strategic corporate growth. ACG provides its members with professional and business opportunities as well as the most current information on deal-making through its ongoing luncheon series, breakfast seminars, regional conferences and social events. Visit www.acg.org/chicago for more information or call 630-455-1740.

Contact:
Jason Abrahams
KemperLesnik Communications
312.755.3533
jason.abrahams@kemperlesnik.com

This release was published on openPR.