Robert J. Kinsella with Charles W. Weikel

Chicago, Illinois - October 18, 2008 Robert J. Kinsella, President of Chicago-based Kinsella Group, a boutique investment bank and business advisory group, and Charles W. Weikel, Director, M&A, recently served as panelists at the 8th Annual Chicago Asia-Pacific Business Conference 2008, hosted by the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business (GSB). The day-long event was held at the university's Charles Harper Center on October 18, 2008, and included prominent academics, business people and senior government officials from around the world as speakers and special guests.

The theme of this year's conference was "Changing Landscape: Asia at the Backdrop of Credit Crunch and Global Inflation." Organized by the 300-member Chicago Asia-Pacific Group, one of the oldest and largest student organizations in GSB, the conference examined Asia's current economic development amid unprecedented global market turmoil, the long-term implications of the financial slowdown in the West, and opportunities and risks for businesses in Asia.

Mr. Kinsella and Mr. Weikel served as members of the conference's opening panel, entitled "Fasten The Seatbelt on the Bumpy Road: Navigate in the Asian Financial Market amid Credit Crunch." The session was moderated by Ziguo He, Assistant Professor of Finance in GSB, and also included Feng Xue, a partner in the law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP. The panelists focused on the future of business in Asia and examined possible timelines for a market recovery, the long-term impact of the credit crunch on Asian economies, and the possible role of Asia in the rapidly changing global financial marketplace.

In particular, Mr. Kinsella spoke on the continuing desire of Chinese companies to globalize, and their process for doing so through licensing agreements and strategic alliances as opposed to outright acquisitions. At the close of the conference, Mr. Weikel noted, "In this time of shifting markets and economic challenge, the forum demonstrated how institutions and people can learn from each other to overcome problems."

Mr. Kinsella has nearly three decades of experience in business acquisitions, sales, investments and turnarounds. He has successfully led a number of acquisition search initiatives for middle-market, privately held clients, divisional searches for billion-dollar-plus publicly traded clients, and platform searches for private equity firms worldwide. He is a regular participant in trans-Pacific trade missions, roundtables and business events, including several sponsored by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Chinese governmental officials in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang, China.

Mr. Wiekel is a management professional with extensive experience leading medium- and small-sized businesses in environments demanding change. His expertise is in strategic development issues that increase shareholder value, including acquisitions, divestitures, new-product development, corporate refocusing and entry into new markets.

Founded in 1988, Kinsella Group has particular expertise advising U.S. and Chinese clients on the intricacies of cross-border merger, acquisition and joint-venture transactions. In helping promote these transactions, Kinsella Group focuses on enabling Chinese businesses to enter into strategic transactions that also enhance the profitability and market share of selected U.S. businesses. For the past several years, Kinsella Group has seen a significant increase in these alliances, and is rapidly becoming the "go-to" firm for both U.S.- and China-based businesses interested in exploring these opportunities.

Kinsella Group's ongoing participation in the Chicago Asia-Pacific Business Conference and similar events is a result of its commitment to continue and expand its services and value to current and prospective business clients in both China and the United States. Acting as middle-market investment bankers, Kinsella Group helps clients and other key parties recognize and execute forward-thinking value propositions that build on the unique strengths of successful Chinese and North American enterprises.