San Francisco (October 8, 2007) -- FOCUS, LLC, a national investment banking firm providing merger, acquisition and corporate finance services to middle-market companies, announces the opening of its Los Angeles office and the addition of two managing directors, Paul K. Richey and John Simpson, to the growing Western region.

“Our firm is pleased to be adding John Simpson’s deep technology experience. He will be based in our San Francisco office while Paul Richey will be located in our new L.A. office, where he will concentrate on manufacturing, distribution and business services,” said Doug Rodgers, CEO of FOCUS. “With four investment bankers in San Francisco and a satellite office in Bend, Oregon, FOCUS is now poised to deliver a wider range of services to its middle market clients.”

Prior to FOCUS, Richey served as president of Janas Associates, a boutique investment banking firm in Pasadena, Calif. At Janas Associates, he led M&A activities for privately held companies with revenues up to $250 million in the manufacturing, distribution, retailing, petroleum, aerospace, financial services, franchising and service industries.

Simpson joins the growing FOCUS’ San Francisco office to help expand the firm’s technology and IT services practice. Prior to FOCUS, he founded Oynx Associates, a regional M&A firm serving private companies between $5 and $100 million in size. He brings to FOCUS more than 25 years of executive experience in the software and technology industries, which includes leading multi-million dollar strategic alliances, acquisitions and divestitures.  

The expansion of FOCUS’ Western region follows recent acquisitions of three regional banking firms; Education Capital, LLC of Washington D.C.; Floberg and Associates of Chicago; and Madison Cabe Group, LLC of Charlotte, N.C., further strengthening the firm’s national reach.

About FOCUS, LLC

FOCUS, LLC provides a range of middle market investment banking services across the U.S. with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and corporate finance. FOCUS is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco. FOCUS specializes in business units with transactions or revenues in the $5-300 million range, serving entrepreneurs, corporate owners and various types of investors across a broad range of industries, throughout the U.S. and worldwide. FOCUS bankers are seasoned operating and financial executives with extensive transaction experience. Securities transactions are conducted by affiliated FINRA broker dealer, Wm H. Murphy Co. For more information on FOCUS, visit www.focusbankers.com.