Washington, DC (January, 2005)--FOCUS Enterprises, Inc., a national investment banking firm providing merger, acquisition, and corporate finance services to emerging growth, middle market, and small companies today announced that Gianpiero (JP) Balestrieri has joined the firm, in December 2004, as a Partner and will be based in the firm’s Washington, DC headquarters.

Mr. Balestrieri brings over thirteen years of management and professional services experience representing and advising investors, companies, lenders and acquirers in connection with all phases of investment and exit strategy, business development, origination, structuring, and closing for M&A; divestitures; turnarounds; alliances; corporate and structured finance transactions. Mr. Balestrieri has led deal execution in various industrial sectors, including IT infrastructure/services, energy, oil & gas, telecommunications, real estate, transportation and manufacturing. Mr. Balestrieri also has extensive international experience in managing very complex, multi-party assets, transactions and processes in Europe, Latin America and other Emerging Market regions.

“We are delighted that JP has decided to join our firm. For many years now, he has operated as a senior executive and investment banker on behalf of various companies and we look forward to leveraging JP’s experience, particularly in the IT infrastructure, transportation, energy and oil and gas sectors. JP’s international experience will significantly expand our firm’s capabilities in the coming years“, said FOCUS Chairman, Marshall Graham.

Prior to joining FOCUS, Mr. Balestrieri advised companies on acquisition, divestiture, restructuring and corporate financing needs. As senior advisor to various corporate clients, he successfully led the business plan development, origination, valuation, structuring and closure of debt restructuring, acquisition and financing transactions on behalf of IT infrastructure, energy and real estate clients and projects in both the US and abroad.

Mr. Balestrieri received an Honors BA in finance/economics (summa cum laude) from the York University/LSE and a J.D. (Dean’s Fellow) and MBA (finance/accounting curriculum) at the American University in Washington, DC. Mr. Balestrieri is fluent in French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian with a working knowledge of Arabic and Greek.