January 21, 2009. Detroit.  BBK, an international business advisory firm providing financial, strategic and operational services to its clients worldwide, has announced nine promotions and two new hires.

Demonstrating their continuous commitment to BBK and strong focus on client success, nine professionals have been promoted: Keith Updike from Senior Director to Managing Director; Walt Ledger from Director to Senior Director; Jason Bonin, Paul Dhruvan, Steve Gordon, David Hess, Doug Murray, and Lonnie Williams from Manager to Director; and Steve Sadowski from Associate to Manager.

"These hard-earned promotions reflect the professionals' dedication to BBK and the success we all bring to clients," said William G. Diehl, President and CEO at BBK. "Their drive to deliver excellence propels BBK forward as a premier international business advisory firm positioned to offer clients solutions to optimize financial results, improve operational performance and implement strategic decisions."

As a Managing Director and head of BBK's Nashville office, Updike will continue to successfully strengthen and form relationships with clients in the Southeast.  He provides BBK clients with extensive expertise in world-class manufacturing practices and continuous improvement methodology - targeting improvement in the areas of manufacturing, quality, supply chain and materials management. 

Ledger is a Senior Director and is dedicated to business turnaround and renewal. He assists troubled domestic and international clients, providing results-oriented analysis, assessment and solutions for performance improvement.

As a Director, Bonin focuses on creating value and restructuring resources to maximize overall profitability for BBK's clients.  He has extensive experience in management, manufacturing, engineering and product launches.

Dhruvan is a Director and provides financial consulting services to automotive OEMs and Tier I suppliers to mitigate distressed supplier expense and supply continuity risk.  He recently spent time in Shanghai working with BBK's clients in China.

Gordon is a Director and assists company leadership teams with prioritizing projects, implementing quality systems, and executing efficient problem solving strategies.  He has vast experience in working with troubled suppliers within the automotive industry. 

Hess brings to BBK clients his knowledge of manufacturing systems, materials management and warehouse management as a Director.  His success in overall supplier management has brought much success to clients.

As a Director, Murray has expertise in financial reporting, detailed financial analysis, budgeting, rolling forecasts, product costing, information technology and purchasing.  He has the hands-on experience and detailed analytical skills necessary to provide clients with the information they need to make sound business decisions.

Williams delivers value to BBK clients through his expertise in operations, finance, general management and business development as Director.  He has considerable experience in the manufacturing and distribution sectors and a proven ability to help clients improve processes and reduce costs.

Sadowski is a success-driven Associate at BBK and his strategic and tactical financial expertise combined with his strong business knowledge produce bottom-line results for BBK's clients. 

New Additions to BBK

BBK also announced two new hires who will join the Southfield, Mich. office: Raphael Macioce as Manager and William McIntyre as Analyst-BBK Ratings.

Macioce is a results-oriented financial professional with 20 years of experience in the manufacturing and automotive industries. Macioce was Group Controller at Meridian Automotive Systems before joining BBK and was responsible for the financial oversight of nine plants and worked to ensure that both financial and operational performance met company targets.

As an Analyst-BBK Ratings, McIntyre will review, analyze and interpret the financial statements of companies around the globe, via BBK Ratings, a proprietary tool that is used to evaluate both public company and private company financial data to determine the overall financial strength of a company. Most recently, McIntyre was a Capital Planning Analyst, Detroit Gear and Axle Business Planning Group at American Axle & Manufacturing.

BBK, an international business advisory firm established in 1977, provides financial and operational services that enhance the growth, profits and stability of its clients. BBK has an extensive network of professionals throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, and has completed thousands of engagements for a variety of clients, including Fortune 500 corporations, mid-sized companies, financial institutions, law firms and private equity firms. For more information, visit www.e-bbk.com.

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