Former Dura Automotive CEO Joins Goldsmith Agio Helms

    MINNEAPOLIS--May 14, 2003--Goldsmith Agio Helms is pleased to announce that Karl Storrie has joined Goldsmith Agio Helms as a senior advisor in our industrial products/manufacturing industry group. Prior to joining us, Karl was president and chief executive officer of Dura Automotive Systems , a tier one global supplier to the major OEM automotive companies.
    "Karl brings unique and exciting capabilities to our very successful industrial products/ manufacturing industry group, a group that has completed over 175 M&A assignments," according to Jack Helms, Managing Partner of Goldsmith Agio Helms.
    Karl began his 12 year tenure at Dura by successfully executing a classic turnaround. Subsequently he led the company through an impressive global expansion program, growing annual sales from just over $100 million in 1991 to more than $2.5 billion in 2002. During the last 5 years of his tenure at Dura, Karl engineered the successful acquisition and integration of 15 other automotive parts supply companies. In addition to his extensive experience in a variety of highly engineered automotive products, Karl has substantial experience in aerospace manufacturing derived from the important positions he held with Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Northrop and Lockheed.
    Dave Santoni, head of the firm's automotive industry group, stated, "Karl will be working in concert with our practice groups to provide our automotive and aerospace industry clients with M&A advisory, distressed company advisory, private placement advisory, and valuation and strategic advisory services."

    Goldsmith Agio Helms (www.agio.com) is the nation's leading private investment banking firm that specializes in representing sellers of public and private middle-market businesses. The firm completed 49 assignments in 2002. Goldsmith Agio Helms provides sell-side M&A advisory services, private placements of debt and equity, distressed company advisory services, special purpose valuations, and fairness opinions through its offices in Minneapolis, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Naples, Florida.