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Former Fortune 100 Executives team with Israel-based marketing professionals to help Israel's Hi-Tech penetrate North America markets

Ruder Finn Israel and U.S.-Based TechPar Group Launch “MarketLens,”
Providing Israeli Companies Access to U.S. Hi-Tech Decision-Makers

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL and HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY – September 4, 2006 – Strategic marketing firm Ruder Finn Israel (RFI) announced today that it has teamed with U.S.-based TechPar Group, a prestigious technology advisory group, to offer “MarketLens,” a new service that provides direct access to North American market decision-makers, thereby offering Israeli companies previously unavailable insight into how product purchase decisions are made in that crucial market.

Israeli companies will benefit from TechPar Group principals’ experience as former CIOs and CTOs of America's largest corporations – as well as from their access to current CIOs and CTOs – to better understand the potential market impact of their offerings.  TechPar Group’s principals also include seasoned veterans of the largest Systems Integrators. Then, RFI will utilize this credible market feedback to build positioning, messages and communication strategies. 

“Israeli technology companies’ greatest challenge is often the development of an effective marketing strategy, rather than innovation, where Israel excels,” said Glenn Jasper, CEO of Ruder Finn Israel. “By combining TechPar’s seasoned technology consultants with our experienced marketing staff, many of whom have run communications organizations in the U.S., MarketLens offers Israeli companies a bridge to high-impact go-to-market strategies for the North American market.”

The RFI-TechPar Group alliance translates into superior product launch, marketing and communications initiatives, based upon the in-depth understanding of prospective customers, partners and investors.

“Often times, great opportunities for both North American and Israeli players are challenged by cultural and business factors.  MarketLens will provide these promising companies with practical tools and on-the-ground resources to maximize business potential,” said Dr. Charles Popper, CEO of TechPar Group.  “Israeli businesses have never had such an opportunity for insightful access into North America, the world’s largest market.”

Two noteworthy features of MarketLens are TechPar’s rigorous “Blue Team” and “Red Team” processes for providing Israeli hi-tech companies with expert consultations from former CEOs and CIOs of leading U.S. firms. A Blue Team allows a company to test selected strategies and messages to current and former technology decision-makers, whereas a Red Team is a venue where a company can present a dress-rehearsal of a proposal to those who are and have been decision-makers.

This first-of-its-kind strategic marketing product will help Israeli companies that seek to penetrate markets in the United States and Canada in hi-tech, biotech, telecom and other sectors. Companies that purchase MarketLens will benefit from Ruder Finn's proprietary strategic research methodology, enhanced media and public relations campaigns and marketing communications implementation, as well as TechPar Group's unmatched team of experts with deep experience in applying technology to business problems in a wide variety of industries.

Ruder Finn Israel (RFI) is the largest public relations and strategic communications firm in Jerusalem. Established in 1997, it is part of Ruder Finn Inc., a privately held, family-owned communications agency with over 800 employees that serves the global and local communication needs of more than 250 corporations, governments and nonprofit organizations around in the world. In 2005, RFI was the only firm to win two Roaring Lion Awards by the Israel Public Relations Association (IPRA).  For more information, please visit www.ruderfinn.com.

TechPar Group is a boutique technology consultancy that focuses on delivering strategic and tactical advisory services to Technology Companies, Enterprises, and Investors.  TechPar provides product, market, and alliance strategy advice to Technology Companies – developers, manufacturers, and vendors of hardware, software, and telecommunications products and services).  It provides IT and business strategy advice to companies that depend upon the use of IT to compete in their markets and differentiate themselves from their competitors.  TechPar also advises investments firms such as private investment groups, venture capital firms, investment banks, and investment advisors in terms of due diligence and portfolio strategy. Israeli based clients include Ness, Actimize, ClearForest, Exanet, Tescom, Compwise and Failsafe Solutions.  Additional clients include Cognos, Teradata, Ascential, MetaMatrix, Aperture, DWL, Epok, Motive, Exanet, Freddie Mac, NY Life, B&H Photo, Israel Discount Bank, J&J, Weil Gotshal & Manges, and more.  For more information, please contact www.techpargroup.com.

Corporate Contact:
Yona Cymerman
Ruder Finn Israel
Tel: + 972 544 676 979
Email: yonac@ruderfinn.co.il

TechPar Group and The Oxbridge Group Form an Alliance

December 14, 2005: New York, NY. TechPar Group, a New Jersey based technology advisory firm, announced today the formation of an alliance with The Oxbridge Group, a New York based investment banker and broker/dealer. This groundbreaking alliance is designed to bring the investment banking services of the Oxbridge Group to TechPar's client base and expand the scope of The Oxbridge Group's activities in the technology arena.

"We are enthusiastic about working with The Oxbridge Group, as this really gives us the flexibility to offer a more comprehensive spectrum of choices for our clients that include financial transactions," said TechPar CEO, Dr. Charles Popper.

Fred Gorsetman, Managing Partner at The Oxbridge Group said "working with Charles and his team at TechPar gives strong financial access to technology advisors and also helps us make the right investment decisions in the technology market place."

TechPar Group provides strategic technology advisory services for technology vendors, users and investors, having serviced over seventy clients with its group of over fifty experienced advisors.

The Oxbridge Group is a boutique investment banking firm focusing on mid-cap and micro-cap, public and private companies. There are four main areas of its concentration:

• Equity and Debt Private Placements
• Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
• Valuations and Fairness Opinions
• Management of a Short Term Bridge and Mezzanine Finance Fund