Annika McCrea Selected to Lead Advantage Performance Group Nationwide

Business Wire, April 16, 2008

Seasoned Management Expert to Help Consulting and Training Network Continue Growth

LARKSPUR, Calif. -- Advantage Performance Group (Advantage), a premier U.S. consulting and training network, today announced the appointment of Annika McCrea as President & CEO. McCrea replaces Advantage founder John Hoskins to lead the company. John Hoskins will continue as strategic counsel to Advantage's 31 franchise partners and 14 selling affiliates across the United States.

A unique, nationwide network of sales and management training consultants, Advantage is backed by a premier team of thought-leading alliance partner organizations with engaging and effective solutions tailored to emerging business issues. In its 18-year history, Advantage has supported hundreds of top organizations in achieving their business objectives in areas like sales & service excellence, leadership & management development and team & individual performance.

"Our goal at Advantage is to be a trusted advisor to companies seeking innovative training solutions with verifiable business results," said McCrea. "Our growth over the years is a testament to the importance of APG partners to training departments trying to navigate the fragmented training market."

"With Annika, Advantage has a forward-thinking leader who will continue the organization's success, growth, and commitment to excellence," said John Hoskins, founder of Advantage. "I think I speak for all of our Advantage partners when I welcome her energy and experience to the group."

Key to Advantage's success is its objectivity and independence from parent company BTS. In August 2006, the world's leading business simulation and discovery-learning company BTS acquired Advantage, which it recognized as one of its most valuable sales channels. BTS leadership has been careful to insulate the fully-owned company from influence; and McCrea intends to maintain that objectivity and independence.

"Advantage's network of highly experienced Learning & Development professionals demand results from its solutions, from whatever provider," said McCrea. "This model holds enormous value for its clients, for Advantage partners, and ultimately BTS," said McCrea.

In charge of leading the integration of Advantage with BTS since Advantage's acquisition in Aug. 2006, Annika McCrea has been with BTS for over 11 years in the roles of consultant, seminar leader, account manager, project leader and general manager of the San Francisco office. In 1998, McCrea opened the BTS San Francisco office which has grown to be the company's second largest office in the world. Some of the clients that she has been involved with include Eastman Kodak, Nortel, ABB, Texas Instruments, Tektronix, Weyerhaeuser and Genentech. Prior to BTS, McCrea worked for a management development and training company, MCE (Management Centre Europe) in Brussels, Belgium. McCrea has an MBA from the University of Lund, School of Economics, Sweden.

About Advantage Performance Group

Advantage Performance Group is a unique consulting and training firm that specializes in helping our clients accelerate business results, increase sales and improve the way that people work together. Our network of senior partners works with our clients to get verifiable business results. Unlike other consulting and training companies that provide only one approach to development, Advantage provides a continuous stream of learning solutions to meet clients' evolving business needs, with specialties in Sales and Service Excellence, Leadership and Management Development, Team and Individual Performance and Business Acumen. In addition, Advantage guarantees measurable business impact - not only improved job performance, but results on the bottom line through our Advantage Way process. Advantage guarantees--in writing, complete with financial assurances--that when a company implements The Advantage Way system, their organization will achieve documented business results as well as improved job performance. They will be able to measure the business impact of training--solid proof of its value to their organization. Advantage has a rich 18-year history and representatives in major U.S. cities, as well as working relationships in Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia. Advantage is fully resourced to provide customers with just-in-time delivery and implementation support across all geographies. APG can be reached at www.advantageperformance.com and 800-494-6646.

About BTS

BTS is the world leader in customized business simulations and other discovery learning solutions that enable leading corporations to change, grow and succeed. We partner with our clients to develop the mindset and capabilities that their people need to accelerate change and improve business results.

BTS has 300 highly talented professionals serving over 400 clients, including 40 of the US Fortune 100 companies and 25 of the Global Fortune 100 world's largest corporations. Select BTS clients include AT&T, Ericsson, Kimberly-Clark, Nokia, Sony, Toyota, Unilever and Xerox.