NEW YORK, March 6, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, an international investment bank, today announced that it is hosting its Inaugural Basic Industrial Conference, "Achieving Global Competitiveness," on March 9, 2006 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
The day-long event will focus on global competitiveness for U.S. industrial companies, addressing the challenges and solutions to some of the most important global business issues of the 21st century. The program features five in-depth and interactive panel discussions covering a wide range of topics: "Creating Shareholder Value through M&A," "Financing for Growth," "Asia: Identifying and Unlocking Opportunities," "Legal and Labor Issues: Impacts on Competitiveness," and "Product Pricing in Today's Energy and Commodity Environment."
Confirmed panelists include representatives from the following companies: General Electric; United States Steel Corporation; Gibraltar Industries; The Shaw Group; Apollo Investment Corporation; The Carlyle Group; Cerberus Capital Management; Ares Management; MTD Ventures; Danaher Corporation; CITIC Provident; Crimson Investments; Lincoln Electric Holdings; The Wall Street Journal; PROS Pricing Solutions; Celeste Industries Corporation; Brush Engineered Materials; Wolverine Gasket -- EaglePicher Industries.
Dan R. Dalton, Dean Emeritus of the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, will serve as the luncheon speaker, with a presentation on "The Leading Edge of Corporate Governance."
The event will open with introductory remarks by William G. Peluchiwski, Managing Director at Houlihan Lokey and Head of the firm's Basic Industrial Group. He said: "Today's global business climate is more challenging than ever for industrial companies of all sizes. Houlihan Lokey's Basic Industrial Conference brings together some of the leading experts in U.S. global competitiveness to debate the key issues facing our economy today and provide insight into successful strategies. I'm excited to hear what they have to say."
Over 300 participants are expected to attend the conference, including senior company executives, public and private investors, senior debt and mezzanine lenders, consultants, attorneys and academics. Admission is by invitation only and complimentary to registered attendees. To register to attend, please visit Houlihan Lokey's Web site at www.hlhz.com, or contact Anita Morell at amorell@hlhz.com or 212-497-4153 for further information.
About Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin
Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, an international investment bank, provides a wide range of services, including mergers and acquisitions, financing, financial opinions and advisory services, and financial restructuring. Houlihan Lokey has ranked among the top 10 M&A advisors in the U.S. for the past six years, has been the No. 1 provider of M&A fairness opinions for six consecutive years, and has one of the largest worldwide financial restructuring practices of any investment bank. Established in 1970, the firm has over 700 employees in 11 offices in the United States and Europe. We annually serve more than 1,000 clients ranging from closely held companies to Global 500 corporations. For more information, visit Houlihan Lokey's Web site at www.hlhz.com.
Conference agenda is as follows:
Inaugural Basic Industrial Conference Achieving Global Competitiveness WALDORF-ASTORIA HOTEL, NEW YORK Thursday -- March 9, 2006 8:00 am -- 9:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast 9:00 am -- 9:30 am Introductory Remarks William G. Peluchiwski, Managing Director Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin 9:30 am -- 10:40 am Creating Shareholder Value Through M&A Moderator: J. Francis Lavelle, Managing Director Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin Panelists: Chet Akiri, Corporate Business Development General Electric Michael J. Hatcher, General Manager -- Business Development United States Steel Corporation David W. Kay, Chief Operating Officer Gibraltar Industries, Inc. Michael S. Landry, Vice President The Shaw Group, Inc. 10:40 am -- 10:50 Break 10:50 am -- Noon Financing for Growth Moderator: Ronald Lee, Managing Director Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin Panelists: Arthur Penn, Chief Operating Officer Apollo Investment Corporation Leo A. Helmers, Managing Director The Carlyle Group -- Mezzanine Partners Kevin P. Genda, Senior Managing Director Cerberus Capital Management, LP R. Kipp deVeer, Managing Director Ares Management Noon -- 1:30 pm Lunch/Networking The Leading Edge of Corporate Governance Speaker: Dan R. Dalton Founding Director of the Institute for Corporate Governance, Dean Emeritus, and Harold A. Poling Chair of Strategic Management, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University 1:30 pm -- 2:40 pm Asia: Identifying and Unlocking Opportunities Moderator: William G. Peluchiwski, Managing Director Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin Panelists: Timothy F. Driscoll, President MTD Ventures LLC James A. Lico, Executive Vice President Danaher Corporation Gene Nesbeda, Managing Director CITIC Provident Ian Morton, Partner Crimson Investments 2:40 pm -- 3:50 pm Legal and Labor Issues: Impacts on Competitiveness Moderator: William G. Peluchiwski, Managing Director Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin Panelists: Vincent Petrella, Chief Financial Officer Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. Daniel A. Pryor, Managing Director The Carlyle Group Joseph White, Detroit Bureau Chief Wall Street Journal 3:50 pm -- 4:00 pm Break 4:00 pm -- 5:00 pm Product and Pricing in Today's Energy and Commodity Environment Moderator: J. Francis Lavelle, Managing Director Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin Panelists: Steven R. Haskin, Group Vice President PROS Pricing Solutions Dr. Elwood "Woody" M. Miller Celeste Industries Corporation Richard J. Hipple, President and Chief Operating Officer Brush Engineered Materials, Inc. Jay Pittas, President Wolverine Gasket -- EaglePicher Industries, Inc. 5:00 pm Networking Cocktail Reception