Ducker Worldwide Names Capital Advisory Managing Director - Scott Merlis Joins Detroit Based Growth Strategy, Operations and Research Professional Services Firm

TROY, Mich., Jan. 2, 2008 -- Ducker Worldwide announces that Scott Merlis has been named a Managing Director with the firm's Capital Advisory practice, focusing on the automotive and industrial sectors.

As a Managing Director, Merlis will work with the firm's extensive portfolio of Corporates/Strategics and Private Equity clients. M. Scott Ulnick, Managing Partner and Chairman at Ducker Worldwide commented, "Scott is a tremendous asset to the firm and is highly respected by our CEOs and syndicate partners in the M&A community. Over the past six months, Scott has been instrumental in working with our auto and industrial teams to structure financings, achieve IPO and M&A transactions and develop portfolio companies."

Prior to joining Ducker Worldwide, Merlis spent 35 years as an Analyst and Investment Banker with Thomas Weisel Partners (headed their industrial growth group), Deutsche Bank (Portfolio Manager), Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein (Managing Director & Research Analyst covering advisory and restructuring assignments) and Shearson Lehman (Automotive Analyst). Scott has led growth strategy, operations and M&A capital advisory mandates across industries including automotive (OEM & aftermarket) & transportation, industrial products, metals/forming, electrical/electronics and building products. Mr. Merlis was founder and president of MAI, an independent automotive investment bank and research firm which served blue chip clients and participated in several significant corporate and private equity transactions. Throughout his career, Mr. Merlis has received top rankings in the major industry polls, including the Institutional Investor research poll, and the Wall Street Journal's "Best on the Street" poll in 1995 and 2005. In February 1990, the first Bush Administration appointed him to the "Auto Parts Advisory Committee (APAC)" to advise the President and Congress on auto parts trade. Mr. Merlis earned his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University, and two master's degrees from Columbia University in Business Administration (MBA) and Social Work (MSW).

About Ducker Worldwide

Ducker Worldwide was founded in 1961 and is unique in providing integrated advisory services previously accessible only through the use of multiple providers. By offering an integrated approach, Ducker Advisory fills the gap between market & product strategy consulting and investment banking for objective, research based advice, serving top management and private equity on issues relating to strategy, execution, organic growth, M&A, operations and productivity.