Two Sunbelt Office Owners Earn M&AMI Certification

CLEVELAND, OH, June 26, 2007 – Sunbelt®, the world’s largest business brokerage network, is pleased to announce that two of its office owners have earned Merger & Acquisition Master Intermediary (M&AMI) certification from M&A Source, a division of the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA). New M&AMIs were recently honored at the IBBA’s Conference for Professional Development in Memphis, Tennessee.

“Earning M&AMI certification requires significant dedication to education and the brokerage industry,” stated Ed Pendarvis, Sunbelt Founder and Chairman Emeritus. “These recipients are part of an elite group of intermediaries and we are honored to have them as a part of our network.”

Recipients of the M&AMI certification are Charles Broadwater, Jr., owner of the Richmond, Virginia office, and Karen Tipton, owner of the Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma offices.

Business brokers are honored as an M&AMI after the completion of 32 hours of educational credit. In addition, brokers must have previously earned the IBBA’s Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) designation, attended three M&A Conference and Deal Mart Expos, and completed three M&A transactions in which the total transaction value is $1 million or greater. Earning M&AMI certification requires approval by a credentials committee, consisting of three M&A members and the Chair of the CBI credentials committee.

Sunbelt specializes in helping individuals and companies buy and sell businesses in all four areas of the private business market: Main Street, Franchise Sales, Franchise Resales and Mergers & Acquisitions. Sunbelt is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merrymeeting®, Inc. (MMI), a Cleveland-based investment firm specializing in the acquisition and development of franchised brands. MMI currently operates four franchise systems with more than 1,400 franchised locations worldwide. To learn more, please visit either www.sunbeltnetwork.com or www.merrymtg.com.