GE Antares Wins Middle Market Lender of the Year Award

Business Wire, March 7, 2008

NORWALK, Conn. -- GE Antares, a unit of GE Commercial Finance - Global Sponsor Finance, today announced that it was named Middle Market Lender of the Year by Buyouts magazine. The award recognizes the lender that best serves middle market private equity firms with timeliness, flexibility, or creativity in financing. In selecting GE Antares as this year's winner, Buyouts cited the firm's constant, reliable presence in the middle market, top market position, unique alliance with Allied Capital to provide a Unitranche lending product, and increasing commitment to the middle market through GE's acquisition of Merrill Lynch Capital.

"As this is the second time we have won the award in the past three years, it is a great validation from one of our industry's leading publications of the strong franchise we have built," stated David Brackett, Senior Managing Director of GE Antares. "We are pleased that our efforts have been recognized, and are very proud to accept this award."

While many lenders are on the sidelines, GE remains very active in the market. "Our access to GE's industrial expertise and AAA-rated balance sheet allow GE Antares to better understand business cycles and reliably deliver for our customers in all market environments," stated Brackett. "GE's recent acquisition of Merrill Lynch Capital further underscores our commitment to the mid-market sponsor space. It is our aim to make financing from GE Antares a sponsor's competitive advantage."

About GE Antares Capital

GE Antares Capital is a unit of GE Commercial Finance - Global Sponsor Finance. With over $13 billion in assets, and offices in Boston, Chicago, London, New York, and San Francisco, GE's Global Sponsor Finance businesses offer a "one-stop" source for GE's lending and other services offered to private equity sponsors. For more information on GE Antares, visit www.geantares.com.

About GE Commercial Finance

GE Commercial Finance, which offers businesses around the globe an array of financial products and services, has assets of approximately $300 billion and is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut. GE (NYSE: GE) is Imagination at Work - a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world's toughest problems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing and security technology to medical imaging, business and consumer financing, media content and advanced materials, GE serves customer in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.