HAWTHORNE, N.Y., May 2, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Working Values,(r) Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of SmartPros Ltd. (AMEX:PED), a leading developer of accredited continuing professional education, today announced that Orsborn Partners, Inc. has agreed to join Working Values' proprietary national network of affiliated ethics services providers, comprised of globally recognized experts in the field of corporate ethics, compliance and reputation management.
Orsborn Partners is a senior level management consultancy providing reputation management services to clients in the public relations, advertising and marketing industries, as well as to in-house managers of internal and external communications programs. Led by Dr. Carol Orsborn, a 25-year veteran of the public relations field and noted ethics expert, Orsborn Partners serves a number of top 10 global public relations firms and Fortune 1,000 companies.
"Engendering an ethical culture in a large enterprise is a complex issue that is best served by a team of specialists. Orsborn Partners has unique expertise in bridging the fields of ethics and communications, which is a vital requirement for successfully building integrity-based organizations," said David Gebler, President of Working Values. "We are delighted to welcome Dr. Orsborn and her team to our growing network of expert affiliates, and expect that they will play an important role in advancing Working Values' efforts to advise our clients on developing integrity-based cultures engaged in best practices."
"Strategic communication is an essential tool in the creation of trust, both with employees at all levels of organizational life and with external stakeholders," noted Dr. Orsborn. "Through consulting and training, we are able to create alignment between the organization's values and public perception."
As part of its growing solution provider network, Working Values has also announced an affiliation with FIRSTGlobal Investigations(sm), a division of BDO Seidman LLP, which takes a proactive approach to managing fraud prevention and detection.
About Working Values, Ltd.
Working Values,(r) Ltd., a SmartPros(r) company, is an industry leading developer of integrated values-based corporate responsibility and ethics awareness and compliance learning programs. Since 1993, Working Values has helped organizations such as America Online, JP Morgan Chase, Coors Brewing Company, Schering Plough and Raytheon align workplace behavior with standards, values and ethical principles. For more information, visit www.workingvalues.com.
About SmartPros Ltd.
Founded 1981, SmartPros Ltd. is an industry leader in the field of accredited professional education. Its products and services are primarily focused in the accredited professional areas of corporate accounting, financial management, public accounting, governmental and not-for-profit accounting, engineering, and ethics and compliance. SmartPros' customers include over half of Fortune 500 companies, as well as the major firms and associations in each of its professional markets. SmartPros provides education and content publishing and development services in a variety of media including Web, CD-ROM and video. Our subscription libraries feature hundreds of course titles and 1,000+ hours of accredited education. SmartPros' proprietary Professional Education Center (PEC) Learning Management System (LMS) offers enterprise distribution and administration of education content and information. In addition, SmartPros produces a popular news and information portal for accounting and finance professionals that services 300,000+ visitors and 100,000+ subscribers per month. For more information, visit www.smartpros.com.
About Orsborn Partners, Inc.
Orsborn Partners is a senior level business consultancy providing reputation management, ethics training, consulting and intervention services to leaders interested in creating alignment between individual values, organizational goals and results. The ethics practice is dedicated to building individual and organizational reputation in the fact of conflicting demands and complex ethical issues. The firm was co-founded by Dr. Carol Orsborn, a management consultant noted for her work with clients on a wide range of marketing and values issues. She is the author of fifteen books on business, career and life success including The Art of Resilience (Three Rivers press), American Management Association's Inner Excellence at Work (Amacom) and, with co-author Judith Rogala, Trust, Inc: The Alignment of Individual Values, Organizational Goals and Results. Her books have been translated into 14 languages and sold around the globe. Dr. Orsborn has been featured on The Today Show, Oprah, Good Morning America and NBC Nightly News, and in The New York Times, Fortune, Wall St. Journal, People and hundreds of other media outlets, as an expert on subjects related to success and quality of life. For more information, visit www.orsbornpartners.com.
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