Pittsburgh, PA, and Denver, CO (November 7, 2007). Business Growth Alliance, LLC (BGA) is pleased to announce that JD Ford & Company, a leading Rocky Mountain Region investment banking firm serving the middle market, has joined BGA’s growing network of Affiliates. JD Ford & Company, founded in 1996 in Denver, CO, is a specialized investment banking firm focused on providing strategic growth advice and transaction & valuation services to owners of middle-market companies. Mr. Joseph M. Durnford, Chairman & CEO, JD Ford said, “JD Ford is excited to join BGA, which shares common goals to provide buy-side and sell-side representation to quality family owned and closely held middle market companies throughout the United States.” BGA has appointed Mr. Durnford to the BGA Affiliate Advisory Board.

BGA, founded in 2005, is an expanding national alliance of growth advisory and investment banking firms dedicated to providing services to controlling owners of family-owned and closely held middle market businesses. BGA has assembled a strategic mix of market leading firms, which share back office data platforms and research and business performance analytical tools, to provide advisory and transactional services to clients throughout the United States. BGA is currently comprised of twelve Affiliate Member Firms aggregating a professional team, which by year-end 2007 should number roughly 200 professionals.

Manning J. O’Connor II, Executive Director of Business Growth Alliance, LLC said, “BGA continues to grow and be made stronger by the very welcome addition of JD Ford & Co.” Mr. O’Connor added, “JD Ford understands the needs of middle market business owners, especially companies in which succession management becomes critical as controlling owners begin to plan for their eventual retirements and exits from the businesses. JD Ford’s expertise, resources, and technology will help better meet the needs of BGA’s middle market business owner clients. After co-authoring, How to Run Your Business So You Can Leave It in Style, Mr. Durnford has become widely recognized as a leader in providing advice and transactional guidance for owners of middle market companies.”

“The addition of JD Ford strengthens BGA’s position as it expands westward across the nation by providing BGA with strong market coverage and practice experience in the important Rocky Mountain Region of the U.S.,” said Francois M. de Visscher, Co-Chairman of BGA.

“With an Affiliate practice now located in Denver, BGA has significantly expanded its capacity to support clients and BGA’s marketing partners by having an experienced team in place in the strategically important Mid-Continent Region.” said James C. Bly, Jr., Co-Chairman of BGA. “Adding a seasoned, talented investment banking firm like JD Ford to our team helps ensure the success, unique capabilities and national scope of BGA”, he said.

ABOUT BGA

Business Growth Alliance, LLC (BGA) (www.bgallc.net) believes that family-owned and closely held middle market 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 Three Cornerstones that are needed by most successful middle market companies: Growing Business Value, Managing Capital and Liquidity, and Perfecting Governance and Control. The twelve current Affiliate Members of BGA include: de Visscher & Co.; Source Companies, LLC; FOCUS, LLC; JD Ford & Company; yet2.com; The Pursuit Group; Tenzing Consulting; Alliance Cost Containment; Value Defined Middle Market, LLC; Asher Training; US China Business Solutions, Inc; and Herbein Consulting, Inc.

ABOUT JD FORD & COMPANY

JD Ford & Company is a specialized investment firm focused on privately held middle market companies in the consumer products, manufacturing, distribution, business services and specialty retail sectors. The Denver, Colorado based firm is involved in business development and merger and acquisition transactions throughout the United States. (www.jdford.com)

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