Press Releases

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Expo Holding, Inc. (PINK SHEETS:EXPH - News), ThorSport Racing has joined forces with Easy Transitional Cabinetry for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series' season-opening NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona International Speedway scheduled for Friday February 12, 2010.

etc. and its EasytoInstall.com website will be the primary sponsor of the No. 98 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill and share co-primary status with Curb Records' recording artist and country music superstar Tim McGraw on the team's No. 13 truck driven by Johnny Sauter.

James D. Brown, CEO, stated, "This is a great opportunity build relationships within the racing industry. Our largest customers support racing, and we support racing. Many other prospective customers are involved in the sport, and the brand awareness generated with the general public is incredible. We are proud to be part of the Thorsport team in Daytona, alongside Menards, Tim McGraw, and our friends at southerncandle.com."

"The entire team is happy to have etc. and EasytoInstall.com on board for Daytona," said ThorSport driver Johnny Sauter. "Duke and Rhonda Thorson have built a great team that can challenge for wins and championships on the track, and that gives our sponsors and partners a lot of leverage off it. Hopefully we'll put on a good show for all of our sponsors this weekend and kick off the season with a win."

Expo Holdings operates in North Wilkesboro, NC. D&D Displays is a wholly owned subsidiary of Expo Holdings, which specializes in custom cabinetry and high end store fixtures for retail vendors such as Newell-Rubbermaid, Inc., Bosch Tool Corporation, and Lowe's Companies. D&D Displays has been in operation since 2000 and joined Expo Holdings in 2006.

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 27E of the Securities Act of 1934. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Actual performance and results may differ materially from that projected or suggested herein due to certain risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, ability to obtain financing and regulatory and shareholder approvals for anticipated actions.

    Source: Expo Holding, Inc.

Youth Service America, UnitedHealth Group have awarded 265 grants to support youth-led projects responding to escalating childhood obesity crisis

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- With First Lady Michelle Obama's announcement of a major initiative against childhood obesity, "Let's Move," hundreds of schools and organizations across the United States have launched youth-led service-learning initiatives focused on the growing epidemic.

Youth Service America (YSA) and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) have recently awarded UnitedHealth HEROES service-learning grants to schools and youth-focused, community-based organizations, encouraging children and youth to increase their own knowledge on this issue. Micro-finance grants are incentivizing children and youth to take action on the biggest health crisis facing their generation, and to empower their peers by serving as educators and advocates for establishing habits that include a healthy diet and exercise.

The First Lady said that healthy living is often about "balance" and that even "small changes can add up." She also said that "solving our obesity challenge won't be easy and it won't be quick."

"The childhood obesity epidemic is an issue of critical concern to YSA," said Steve Culbertson, president and CEO of YSA. "We are challenging thousands of youths to take the lead as 'first responders' to a crisis that directly affects them. We are delighted that First Lady Michelle Obama is bringing even greater attention to childhood obesity, and YSA is committed to supporting her efforts," Culbertson exclaimed.

"With UnitedHealth HEROES, we are helping young people take action to fight childhood obesity in a way that's not only educational, but beneficial for their communities. We believe these grants will empower teams of students to collaborate with teachers and community leaders to develop their own awareness programs that will make their schools and neighborhoods healthier," said Jeannine M. Rivet, executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group. "The UnitedHealth HEROES grants are part of UnitedHealth Group's overall commitment to help stem the rising tide of obesity and related chronic health conditions like diabetes."

Building on the success of last year's grants, the reach of the HEROES grants expanded this year to include 35 states and the District of Columbia. HEROES service-learning projects include ideas like creating community health fairs, growing vegetable gardens, and providing recreational activities. Each proposal incorporated related learning goals that meet academic standards. A service-learning module supports educators interested in integrating the obesity program into their curriculum.

HEROES projects will be part of YSA's Semester of Service, an extended service-learning framework during which young people will spend the "semester" addressing meaningful community needs connected to intentional learning goals and academic standards. The projects will culminate on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25, 2010, the largest service event in the world.

Examples of UnitedHealth HEROES projects:

The Camp Fire USA Youth Volunteer Corps (Seattle, WA) will work with 15 Latino middle school and high school students from a number of Seattle schools to create materials designed to raise awareness among their Spanish-speaking family members and classmates about the issue of childhood obesity (and other eating disorders) and the importance of establishing healthful habits early in life.

The YMCA Youth Association (Frankfort, KY) will partner with afterschool child care sites, neighborhoods, schools and work sites to conduct assessments of the community health level. Using the Community Healthy Living Index, students will help identify local barriers to healthful living. Each participating school will share its findings and recommendations, hosting a Community Health Fair on Global Youth Service Day in April.

The New Orleans Children's Health Project (New Orleans, LA) will work with student volunteers from sixth through eighth grades who have completed a Wellness Class to act as Wellness Buddies for children in younger grades. They will mentor the younger children during school hours, helping younger children make healthier choices at lunch, recommending ways for the younger students to get more physical activity on the weekends, and discussing after school routines together.

"I Have A Dream" Foundation (New York, NY) will provide speakers and weekly bike rides for their Bike Club. They will provide journals for youth to reflect about how they feel mentally and physically before and after their bike rides. Ultimately, the young people will plan and implement the Ravenswood Bike Club Meet Up, their own workshop for 6-11 year olds and their families at the Boys and Girls Club addressing bike safety, benefits of exercise and neighborhood opportunities based on their own experiences with community speakers and exploration.

Lorain County Community College (Elyria, OH) will start the Eden Vision Service-Learning Project to focus on No Child Left Inside, a national movement working to fight childhood obesity and youth disconnect from nature. Service-learning students will create a youth empowerment enrichment program for after school program's youth participants. Youth will grow seeds with biology students and transplant them on Global Youth Service Day into the Eden Vision Community Garden.

In addition to the grants, YSA and UnitedHealth Group last year published First Responders: Youth Addressing Childhood Obesity Through Service-Learning. This educational guide provides tools and resources for teachers to assist in the planning of effective service-learning initiatives with their students. To download the module, visit www.YSA.org/resources.

Obesity is a critical problem in America's classrooms. According to 2008 data from the Centers for Disease Control, one in three children is obese or overweight, which can lead to lifelong chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Also, according to the 2009 America's Health Rankings(TM), if left unchecked or untreated, obesity will affect 43 percent of adults by 2018 and will add nearly $344 billion in that year alone to the nation's annual direct health care costs, accounting for more than 21 percent of health care spending. America's Health Rankings is an annual comprehensive assessment of the nation's health on a state-by-state analysis. It is published jointly by United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention.

For more information about YSA and the UnitedHealth HEROES projects, visit www.YSA.org.

Youth Service America (YSA) improves communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles. Founded in 1986, YSA supports a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of service, learning, leadership, and achievement. The impact of YSA's work through service and service-learning is measured in student achievement, workplace readiness, and healthy communities. For more information, visit www.YSA.org.

UnitedHealth Group (www.unitedhealthgroup.com) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, OptumHealth, Ingenix, and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 70 million individuals nationwide.

    Source: Youth Service America

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to B (Fair) from B+ (Good) and issuer credit ratings to "bb" from "bbb-" of Oklahoma Farm Bureau Group and its members, Oklahoma Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company and AgSecurity Insurance Company (all located in Oklahoma City, OK). The ratings remain under review with negative implications.

The group's ratings were downgraded previously following poor underwriting results in 2008 and the first half of 2009. (Please see press releases dated May 18 and August 21, 2009.)

The latest rating actions reflect Oklahoma Farm Bureau Group's continuing negative underwriting performance and its weakened risk-adjusted capitalization, which no longer supports the previous ratings. The group has posted approximately $65 million in net underwriting losses through the first nine months of 2009, which was preceded by $64 million of net underwriting losses in full-year 2008, due primarily to frequent and severe weather-related events that mostly impacted its homeowners' book of business. Together, these events have led to a significant decline in policyholders' surplus since year-end 2007, which has resulted in significantly reduced risk-adjusted capitalization.

While the group continues efforts to bolster its surplus levels, reduce its highly elevated underwriting leverage ratio and improve its risk-adjusted capitalization measures, the ratings will remain under review with negative implications due to uncertainties associated with these initiatives.

For Best's Credit Ratings, an overview of the rating process and rating methodologies, please visit www.ambest.com/ratings.

The principal methodologies used in determining these ratings, including any additional methodologies and factors that may have been considered, can be found at www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.

Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Company is a global full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial and health care service industries, including insurance companies, banks, hospitals and health care system providers. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

    Source: A.M. Best Co.

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Greycourt & Co., Inc. is pleased to announce the promotion of Eric Haskel to Managing Director. Based in Greycourt's Portland, Oregon office, Eric is a client advisor and oversees the firm's real estate investment strategies. In his new role, Eric's expanded responsibilities will also include developing new business for the firm. Before joining Greycourt, Eric was a Portfolio Manager at Avalon Capital Group, a single family office in southern California, and was responsible for the office's investments in real estate and private equity. Greycourt is an open architecture wealth advisory firm headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

    Source: Greycourt & Co., Inc.