WICKS Business Information Announces Sale of Briefings Publishing Group to Douglas Publications, Inc.

Fairfield, Connecticut (January 19, 2005) – WICKS Business Information (WBi) has sold Briefings Publishing Group of Alexandria, Virginia, to Douglas Publications, Inc. of Richmond, Virginia, Douglas J. Manoni, WBi’s Chief Executive Officer, announced today. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Briefings Publishing Group (www.briefings.com), a respected publisher of media aimed at improving workplace and managerial performance was built up through a series of acquisitions initiated by WBi in 1999. The Briefings portfolio includes nine business management newsletters—including Communications Briefings, American Speaker and Manager’s Edge—and an extensive library of books, videos and other training tools.

"The Briefings brand is highly respected as a portfolio of well-executed products offering practical business advice, and Briefings’ market focus is highly complementary to Douglas Publications, which recognized the quality and value of the product line," said Manoni.

"This acquisition represents an important next step in the evolution of our company," said Alan Douglas, President of Douglas Publications. "The future of business media belongs to those who can deliver solutions and training to today’s busy executives and managers."

"Briefings publishes first-rate business information products that are valued by tens of thousands of customers worldwide," Frank Finn, Douglas Publications’ Vice President & Editor-in-Chief commented.

With this sale, WBi will re-launch the business with a newly focused strategy built around the company’s core assets, Investment Advisor Group and Treasury & Risk Management magazine, centering on acquisitions in overlapping and related segments of the financial markets. "Briefings became a non-strategic asset as a result of our new strategy, which is why we decided to divest the business." Manoni said, "WBi has no plans for any further divestitures in the near future."

WBi (www.wbi.com) is a business-to-business information company based in Fairfield, Connecticut. In addition to the support and significant capital resources of The WICKS Group of Companies, the WBi management team has extensive experience in magazine, newsletter, and database publishing as well as event and other specialized information product management. The WICKS Group of Companies (www.wicksgroup.com) is a New York-based private equity investment firm focused on selected segments of the communications, information and media industries.

WICKS Business Information, LLC
1375 Kings Highway East, Suite 450
Fairfield, CT 06824

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