Pittsburgh, PA, and Cincinnati, OH (January 4, 2006). The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber have announced that they will co-sponsor a workshop on Open Innovation in conjunction with the Business Growth Alliance, LLC (BGA) on January 30, 2007, at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza in downtown Cincinnati, OH. The event is open to middle market business owners and executives in the Cincinnati regional area, and will provide insights on Open Innovation and P&G’s Connect + Develop strategy, which focuses on collaboration with external partners. Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss collaboration efforts with P&G. Middle Market businesses typically have revenues from $25 million to $500 million.

The subject of the workshop will be: Increasing Profit and Sustaining US-Based Middle Market Businesses By Accessing Fortune 500 Company Know-How & Development Support. The Cincinnati Workshop is the third in a series of regional meetings sponsored by BGA, which will be held over the next two years throughout the United States.

Many Fortune 500 corporations are interested in collaborating with middle market companies, who can access and profit from technologies and know-how these larger corporations have developed. Conversely, large companies are also interested in Intellectual Property, including technology, products, know-how, design, and packaging which have been developed by middle market businesses. This collaboration is commonly referred to as Open Innovation. P&G has embraced Open Innovation for the last five years, and now over 40% of all of its in-market products have a major component sourced from outside the Company.

Representatives from P&G's External Business Development group and yet2.com, a founding Affiliate Member of Business Growth Alliance, LLC, will be available to discuss collaboration opportunities at the workshop January 30th. In addition, representatives from other BGA Member Firms will be available to explain how a middle market company can improve its business strategy and results by gaining direct access to “know-how” and development support from larger companies.

Manning J. O’Connor II, Executive Director of BGA said, “The event will feature a speaker from The Procter & Gamble Company, an owner of an Ohio-based Firm which successfully licensed a product line from The Procter & Gamble Company, and from other BGA Affiliates that are geared to help middle market companies succeed and compete.” Mr. O’Connor added, “BGA is pleased and honored to collaborate with The Procter & Gamble Company and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber to present this middle market business owner/executive workshop. It is our hope that the information presented at this dynamic event will create growth opportunities for middle market businesses in the Cincinnati area.”

“Alternative ways to do business are vital to the future success of the region,” according to Mr. Patrick Sheeran, Vice President, Middle Market, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. “We know that alternative growth options such as technology licensing, transfer and acquisition programs provide a competitive edge to our area resulting in more high paying jobs and a more prosperous regional economy.”

“This event is just another example that P&G is open for business and collaboration,” said Mark Peterson, Director, External Business Development. “We are interested in identifying opportunities to work with middle market companies here in our own backyard, and think this event will be beneficial for everyone involved, including the city of Cincinnati.”

ABOUT BGA

Business Growth Alliance, LLC (BGA) believes that locally owned, privately held, growing and profitable medium-sized businesses are materially important contributors to the betterment of regional economies and the social fabric within communities. BGA has carefully selected and organized a National Affiliate Network of seasoned, professional services firms, which are dedicated to providing growth advisory and investment banking services to middle market and family-owned companies and their principals. In addition to their core growth advisory and investment banking services, BGA Member Firms collaborate to address the strategic growth, capital formation, owner liquidity, and governance needs of such businesses and their owners. The eight Founding Affiliate Members of BGA include: de Visscher & Co., Source Companies, LLC, yet2.com, The Pursuit Group, Tenzing Consulting, Value Defined Middle Market, LLC, Asher Training, and US China Business Solutions Inc.

About Procter & Gamble [NYSE:PG]

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Pringles®, Folgers®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Actonel®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella, Gillette®, and Braun. The P&G community consists of over 135,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

ABOUT THE CINCINNATI USA REGIONAL CHAMBER

The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber is the nation's fifth largest Chamber, representing the interests of more than 6,000 member businesses. It supports members and the Cincinnati USA region in pursuit of success in today's global economy. The Chamber provides numerous services, including business retention and attraction, programs and events, member benefits to improve members' bottom line, solutions to members' workforce challenges, government advocacy, and more to create and sustain a positive business climate for our community, including demonstrating a commitment to small and medium business assistance and economic inclusion. The Chamber's talented, professional staff of 80 people works with thousands of engaged member companies, volunteers and partners in an effort to create and sustain a dynamic Cincinnati USA, a region of 15 counties located in three states. The Chamber's member businesses and organizations represent approximately 350,000 employees throughout southwestern Ohio, northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana.

For further information, please contact:
Manning J. O’Connor II
Executive Director, Business Growth Alliance, LLC
Telephone (724)-933-6650
Email: moconnor@bgallc.net