Sacramento, California. February 10, 2006
Leading on-hold messaging provider Audio Messaging Solutions, LLC (“AMS”), an SJ Partners portfolio company, has announced that it has successfully completed the acquisition of Sacramento area Company, Performance Audio Marketing, LLC (“PERFORMANCE”). This will be AMS’ second transaction in California. AMS completed the acquisition of the assets of northern California based AD TEL GROUP in May of 2005. AMS will be keeping PERFORMANCE’s Sacramento office open to help service AMS’ entire West Coast customer base.
“We are pleased to announce this partnership with AMS. Our clients will continue to receive the outstanding service they are used to, and they will have more on-hold and related products to choose from. AMS has in-house studios, providing faster turn-around time and a larger selection of professional voice talent. . .I look forward to working with AMS,” stated Barbara Bussey, President of Performance and board member of the On Hold Messaging Association. Bussey will be staying on as General Manager of AMS’ West Coast operations.
“We look forward to working with PERFORMANCE’s clients as we continue to integrate both Companies. With nearly 3000 client locations in California and other Western states, AMS felt the time was right to establish a local presence. Barbara really impressed us with how she built PERFORMANCE from a home-based business to one of the largest providers of custom written telephone messaging in the Capital region. We could not think of a better operator as a partner. With its diverse business and economic base and its positive business climate, Sacramento seemed to be a natural fit for us,” said Mitchell Keller, President of AMS.
AMS will be introducing new products like In-Store Music and Messaging plus introducing new technology. This will allow new and existing customers to take advantage of this key customer touch point and extend their brand in new and exciting ways.
About AMS
Initially founded twenty years ago, AMS is a premier provider of messaging on hold services. The Company writes, records, and delivers telephone on hold messaging. AMS has a diversified base of over 12,000 accounts with many major national clients such as Merrill Lynch, The United States Postal Service, Coldwell Banker, and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. AMS also distributes messaging on hold equipment. AMS is the exclusive on-hold messaging provider for Avaya, the nation’s largest manufacturer of phone systems. More information about AMS is available on their website: www.amsonhold.com.
About Performance
Initially started as a home based business in 1994, Performance has grown to become an innovative provider of on hold messaging services throughout the nation. Performance has a diverse set of clients including Airgas, Lyon Real Estate and U.S. Homes. In addition to traditional on-hold services, PERFORMANCE also provides web-audio, audio e-mails and on-line newsletter services. Know for its superior production quality and exceptional customer service, Performance has experienced steady growth and a client retention rate of 97.5% annually.
About SJ Partners, LLC
SJ Partners (SJP) acquires and advises middle market businesses. SJ Partners invests in consumer and services companies with $1-5 million in cash flow. Industries of particular interest include food distribution and consumer products. SJP also provides select investment banking services. SJP’s resources provide a deep base of operating and research knowledge. SJP’s founder and CEO Scott Johnson was trained as an equity analyst and was a member of a #2 rated Institutional Investor rated team at Merrill Lynch. The firm also benefits from its affiliated relationship with the NPD Group, one of the nation’s largest private consumer market research companies. Lastly, SJP works with a set of operating partners who each have over 20 years of experience in the distribution, consumer and services industries.
For more information, please contact:
Scott Johnson, CEO, SJ Partners, LLC,
(212) 767-9571,
Mitch Keller, President, Audio Messaging Solutions,
(800) 584 4653,
Barbara Bussey, Audio Messaging Solutions,
(800) 584.4653 Ext. 333