LeadFirst Learning Systems, LLC Acquires LeadFirst & Associates, Inc.

Charlotte, North Carolina: April 3, 2006 – LeadFirst Learning Systems, LLC, the corporate culture revitalization firm, today has announced it has acquired LeadFirst & Associates, Inc., the 245-year-old executive leadership development company.

The combination of the two firm’s knowledge assets, copyrights, research databases, and organizational change expertise solidifies LeadFirst Learning Systems’ position in the areas of corporate culture change, senior-level leader development, executive coaching, strategic succession management, executive on-boarding, and leadership assessment.

LeadFirst Learning Systems’ chief executive officer, Gerard F. McDonough, said, “The causal connection between a healthy corporate culture and long-term financial and shareholder performance is compelling. The combined company is well positioned to offer executive advisory, analytical and implementation services to develop high-performance, leadership cultures.”

Rick Vipperman, LeadFirst’s founder and chairman emeritus, added, “I’ve dedicated nearly a quarter century of my life building LeadFirst & Associates, Inc. into a premier leader development company, recognized as such by some of the world’s most admired companies. After a year-long search for a successor, I believe I’ve found the perfect acquiring partner in Gerry McDonough and his team from LeadFirst Learning Systems. Our clients, current and prospective, will benefit greatly from the capabilities of the combined companies.”

Mark Albrecht, Senior Vice President of Handleman Company, a LeadFirst client for four years, states:

“… Handleman has invested in LeadFirst as a partner in developing strategic core competencies in the current and future leaders of our company. We wish to become the indispensable link in the supply chain, build strength through diversity and to create customers for our customers. This requires strong leaders. We are very pleased with LeadFirst as a strategic partner to help us achieve our leadership development goals.”

To coincide with the acquisition, Hexstream Media has revamped the LeadFirst website, www.leadfirst.com, to provide expert content to individuals who seek to develop their leadership capabilities and organizations that seek to develop high performance, leadership cultures. LeadFirst Learning Systems will continue to operate from its current headquarters in Charlotte.


For more information, please contact:
Ms Tammy Krauthamer
Business Manager
1.800.792.1255
tammy@leadfirst.com