COSTA MESA, Calif., May 27, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- RSM EquiCo Capital Markets LLC, a global investment bank, will host its third annual Aerospace & Defense Conference, which will focus on an array of salient and timely issues facing the industry. More than 75 senior-level executives are expected to attend the exclusive half-day conference, which will take place on June 4, 2008 at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina Del Rey, Calif.
Retired British Maj. Gen. Charles Vyvyan will serve as the event's keynote speaker. Other speakers include:
* Joseph Berenato, chairman and chief executive of Ducommun Inc.;
* Ed Carson, chief operation officer, and Mark Kokosinski, vice
president of commercial sales, for HITCo Composites Inc.;
* Mark Jrolf, partner, Heritage Partners;
* Ted Kramer, partner, Hammond, Kennedy, Whitney & Company; and
* Jeff Weber, principal, Veritas Capital.
Topics to be covered include combined U.S.-U.K defense readiness; supply chain stress in an era of global procurement; and the M&A implications for the fast-growing composites sector.
"Aerospace and defense continues to be one of the most active industry sectors for mergers and acquisitions," said Paul Weisbrich, the senior managing director who leads RSM EquiCo's A&D Investment Banking Group. "Interest in American A&D companies has been hyper-stimulated by three distinct factors. First, the U.S. dollar is soft when compared to either the pound sterling or the euro, which has made American companies attractively priced for international buyers. Second, the U.S. defense budget -- the world's largest at $500 billion -- and the broad success of Boeing on the commercial-aerospace side means business is strong in the U.S. Third, with consensus projections of great health for at least the next five years, the A&D sector has rotated back into favor with private equity groups."
For more information contact Tom Vondran at 714.327.8578 or visit: http://www.rsmequico.com/Events/3rdAnnualAerospaceDefenseConference/tabid/707/Default.aspx
About RSM EquiCo Capital Markets
RSM EquiCo Capital Markets LLC (www.rsmequico.com) is a global provider of investment banking services to private and public companies with annual revenues of up to $1 billion. The firm's services include mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, capital raising, fairness opinions and restructurings. RSM EquiCo Capital Markets, which offers in-depth expertise in 12 distinct industry sectors, brings together companies, capital and creativity on a national and international scale to help clients achieve their personal and strategic objectives.
RSM EquiCo Capital Markets is affiliated with RSM McGladrey Inc., a professional services firm providing accounting, tax and business consulting. Both firms are units of H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB), the world's preeminent tax services provider.
RSM EquiCo Capital Markets' international headquarters are located in Costa Mesa, Calif. It also has offices in Chicago, Boston, New York and London. The firm is a member of FINRA and SIPC.