National Energy Services Company, founded in 1995, assists clients with conserving energy, using power efficiently and cutting overhead costs. In October 2006, NESC became a public company and started trading on Pink Sheets under NEGS.OB at $ 0.13.  Having gone public via a shell corporation, NEGS had little trading activity and no following on Wall Street. The Company was experiencing accelerating growth in revenues and had just turned cash flow positive. In January 2007 NESC engaged VMW, Inc. to help build its shareholder base and take the company to the next level.

Taking advantage of the growing interest in the energy conservation sector and NESC’s focus and success in the Skilled Nursing Facility and other niche markets, VMW began building communication materials to reach out to current and prospective investors. Through a series of shareholder letters, press releases and group and one-on-one conference calls, VMW has been building a community of investors and building credibility for the Company. VMW has reached out to investors who focus on microcap, green, environmental and socially responsible funds.

With only six months of activity NESC is a work in progress. The stock price has increased and trading activity is building. The level of calls is increasing and the Company is beginning to become better known in its industry. For more information on the Company, please visit its website at www.nescorporation.com

CardioTech International Inc. (AMEX CTE) was spun off from PolyMedica Corporation in 1996.  CardioTech is a medical device company that designs, develops, manufactures and sells innovative products and materials for the treatment of cardiovascular, orthopedic, oncological, urological and other disease categories. In June 2006, CardioTech engaged VMW after it received permission to conduct its first human clinical trial for regulatory approval for its breakthrough synthetic coronary artery bypass graft – CardioPass ™.  VMW’s original mandate was to introduce a small development medical device company to new investors. However, a few months later, the chairman and CEO, who had been mainly involved with the development of CardioPass ™, abruptly resigned and the Company’s contract manufacturing subsidiary lost its major customer, causing mounting losses. VMW had to switch gears rapidly to a crisis management mode in order to deal with an agitated investor base and the bad press that ensued.

Through direct contact with CardioTech’s longtime investors and a program of introducing the new CEO to investors and the press the effort managed to allay fears and squelch untrue rumors.  Carefully crafted press releases and conference calls were designed to provide a realistic picture of the Company’s business units and the long preparations necessary before the clinical trial of CardioPass ™ could actually begin.  After a few months of crisis management, a new investor relations program was developed to build credibility for the new management team and new business model.

Investors have been informed in a timely manner about the progress of the clinical trial and the development and implementation of CardioTech’s strategy.  The stock price which fell below $1 has been slowly recovering. Most of the established investors have remained loyal and are enthusiastic about the progress the new management team has made in restructuring operations and meeting its timetable for the clinical trial, which is currently in the patient enrollment and surgery phase. A regulatory ruling is not expected until early 2008. VMW has obtained invitations for CardioTech to present at several investor conferences and has expanded it program of introducing the company beyond individual investors and brokers to a select group of institutional investors interested in microcap stocks that are below Wall Street’s radar screen. 

Weiner Gerzon specializes in assisting non-profits raise money and visibility

In 2004 The Yitzhak Rabin Center in Israel was approaching the 10th anniversary of the assassination of the former Prime Minister and was short of funds to complete the construction of the building. With so many entities carrying the Rabin name, there was confusion over its identity and its mission. The American Friends had done limited out reach to the Jewish Community and fund raising in the United States. A strategy was needed to raise capital campaign dollar quickly.

Our strategy had two distinct tracks: focus on the 10th commemoration for the capital campaign as a means to communicate the urgency of completing the building and; use the commemorative events and dedication of the building as a means to establish the Center as a prestigious institution with an important mission.

The mission was repositioned and materials were prepared to communicate a unified clear message. A unique sub campaign was created with the American labor movement to raise money from a huge potential source and demonstrate that Rabin’s legacy transcends Jewish/Israeli interests. Drawing on common history, existing synergy and our considerable contacts, we secured a prominent honoree for an event in Washington, D.C. and $1.5 million was raised establishing the education wing of the Center. In collaboration with the American Friends Board of Directors, ongoing solicitation began focusing on outstanding commitments, potential larger donors and increasing existing commitments. A delegation to attend the 10th commemorative ceremonies in Israel in November 2005 was organized. To support this effort, we initiated and directed the redesign of the English language website, inaugurated a newsletter and instituted a public relations program to raise the visibility of the Center with the Jewish and greater communities around the world.

Our strategy succeeded in raising the needed funds in time for the dedication of the Center. The fund raising event in Washington D.C. was both a financial and a public awareness success, as were the commemorative events in Israel. The dedication of the wing was attended by President Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton along with other dignitaries and supporters from around the world. Momentum has been achieved, reinvigorating the Board of Directors and attracting new donors to the organization. The focus is now on helping to complete construction of the Center’s museum and building an endowment to secure future programming. Since the dedication of the Center in November of 2005, there have been thousands of visitors from organizations and countries around the globe to the Center.

When the Knot became a VMW client in April 2004, it was trading on the OTC Bulletin Board at a price of approximately $3-$4, down dramatically from its IPO price. The Company had some strong institutional holders, but very little trading activity, and no analyst or retail following in the investment community. Management was anticipating a turnaround and wanted to rebuild its image.

Matching the Company's size and performance to the appropriate base of potential investors, we worked closely with management to arrange select small group and one-on-one meetings with pre-screened investors and brokers from our proprietary database. We formulated the turnaround positioning and launched a communications program for shareholders and the media, which included quarterly conference calls and reports. We initiated and directed the revamp of the investor relations site to leverage the Company's very active consumer website.

Our strategy succeeded in rebuilding the Company's credibility, gaining Wall Street sponsorship and individual and institutional investor support. The Knot’s management has produced imiproved results, and we have made sure that the right audience was primed and ready to hear its story and pay attention. Because of the increase in the stock price TheKnot went immediately to the NASDAQ National Market. The Company has attracted research and press features and there has been a substantial increase in trading volume and market capitalization. The Company has many analysts covering the stock and is invited to participate in premier conferences, and has been featured in BusinessWeek's Inside Wall Street column.

VMW assisted in rebuilding the Company's credibility, gaining Wall Street sponsorship and individual and institutional investor support.

Zar Realty Management Corp., a high profile building owner, was in a costly legal dispute with the NYC Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) over renovation costs and base building work at MTA’s new headquarters at 2 Broadway. Taking on an independent government authority like the MTA with substantial resources and major influence was a formidable problem. Zar needed to gain public attention and support for its position.

We chose to position the lawsuit as a “public” issue rather than a landlord/tenant dispute in order to embarrass the MTA and gain sympathy for our client’s position. We focused on the MTA’s waste of public finances, its lack of transparency and refusal to make its financial information available to the public. We recognized the need for Zar to build support with constituencies having overlapping interests, and take advantage of the proposed transit fare hike and upcoming Gubernatorial election to bring attention to our issue. We produced and distributed a Video News Release (VNR) and press release to simplify the complex story for the public, politicians and to the media.

We generated major attention to the MTA and achieved substantial positive media coverage for our client. Language we developed for Zar became the standard, used by public figures including Roger Toussaint, President of Transport Workers’ Union Local 100 and Gene Russianoff, General Counsel of the Straphangers Campaign, among others. The public cry for the MTA to “OPEN ITS BOOKS” became the overriding issue garnering support from New Yorkers and politicians, with the 2 Broadway project as the prime example of the MTA’s wasteful spending of public funds.

The corruption and overspending on its new headquarters seriously tarnished the MTA’s image. The State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky and others demanded the MTA become more open in its financial reporting, As a result Congressional hearings of the executive board of the MTA ensued. Print and broadcast coverage include articles The New York Times, The Daily News, The New York Post, New York Daily News, New York Newsday, ,WABC Online, NY1 Online and a segment on FOX 5. The case has been settled out of court.

When PolyMedica became a VMW client in 1998, the Company’s stock had reached new lows, and there was a great deal of resentment among investors who felt that management was not communicating effectively with the financial community. The Company needed to rebuild bridges to institutional investors, gain support from retail brokers and build momentum for a very thinly traded stock.

We initiated an investor audit and made recommendations for changing the Company’s communications with the financial community. We scripted and trained management to assist them in becoming more comfortable in dealing with its various constituencies. We instituted earnings conference calls and webcasts, which increased in participation from 25 to over 200 participants; and embarked on an active meeting schedule arranged by VMW in major money centers throughout the U.S. and Europe. Management took our advice and switched the stock listing from the American Stock Exchange to Nasdaq.

Management established a positive rapport with institutional investors and top tier analysts, gained media coverage that attracted brokers and individual investors and built trading momentum in the stock. The Company’s market capitalization and trading volume more than tripled in the first year of the program. Growing confidence in the Company’s responsiveness to investors’ needs resulted in an upgrade in analyst research from two third tier firms to top tier analyst coverage, road shows, and conference sponsorship by CIBC World Markets, First Boston, First Union and Adams Harkness & Hill.

In the second year of the program, the Company was able to successfully complete an oversubscribed secondary offering that expanded the float, making the stock more attractive to institutional investors. After the secondary public offering, the stock price and market capitalization again more than tripled.

VMW implemented a very effective media relations program that produced feature articles and interviews in the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Investors’ Business Daily, Business Week, Forbes, Fortune, CNBC.

Perelson Weiner LLP, a New York City-based Certified Public Accounting Firm with national and international clients wanted to broaden its marketing strategy and reposition and differentiate itself in a rapidly changing marketplace. Although there had been an existing website, the Firm was primarily paper-based, communicating to its clients and affiliates through monthly and quarterly mailings.

We evaluated the Firm’s existing communications and developed a plan to market the Firm's capabilities via a new brochure and website. We worked closely with the partners to establish a new identity that reflected the personality and quality of the Firm’s people and services. A design firm was selected to assist in a re-branding effort, updating the message and focus to distinguish the Firm from its peers. Collateral materials were created to reinforce the message and market specific products. Simultaneously, we established an internal Website Committee and managed the process of building and designing the Firm’s new website.

A new and expanded website was launched and marketed to the Firm's clients and professional contacts. As a result of the ease of use of the improved website, the number of the Firm’s clients filing individual tax returns online increased over 200%. At the same time, we assisted the Firm in migrating client communications from print to electronic. The Firm was able to be more proactive in communicating with clients while benefiting from reduced costs by eliminating mailings. With the new website and materials completed, the Firm began to take advantage of new marketing opportunities.

Lampertz, a German based security equipment manufacturer wanted to introduce a new product into the U.S. market. Though known in Europe, it had no previous sales organization in the U.S. and the product was a new concept in security for information technology.

Drawing on our knowledge of the technology industry, we assisted in positioning the Company and developing a strategy to leverage the size and reputation of the European parent company as a way to jumpstart the effort. We wrote and distributed an announcement for the launch of the new subsidiary in the U.S.. identified key publications and topics of interest to the target market and began a systematic process of setting appoints for background meetings with reporters to introduce them to the Company and product. Simultaneously, we developed topics and wrote bylined articles to establish the Company as an expert in the new technology. We assisted in the writing and development of an information kit for use by the sales team.

We were successful in having the client quoted in industry publications on the topic of security. We also placed the bylined articles and obtained reprints for future use. The Company was able to gain increased name recognition in just a few months, which increased the ability to open doors for the sales process. Utilizing our considerable contacts we arranged introductions to potential clients.

When Bankrate became a VMW client in June 2002, it had the dubious distinction of being near the top of the Barron's burn list, was trading sporadically on the OTC Bulletin Board at a price of approximately $1, down from the IPO price of $13 per share, had lost credibility, and had no following in the investment community. New management was anticipating a turnaround and wanted to rebuild its image.

Matching the Company's size and performance to the appropriate base of potential investors, we worked closely with management to arrange select small group and one-on-one meetings with pre-screened investors and brokers from our proprietary database. We formulated the turnaround positioning and launched a communications program for shareholders and the media, which included quarterly conference calls and reports. We initiated and directed the design of Bankrate's investor relations site to leverage the Company's very active consumer website.

Our strategy succeeded in rebuilding the Company's credibility, gaining Wall Street sponsorship and individual and institutional investor support. Bankrate's management has produced outstanding results, and we have made sure that the right audience was primed and ready to hear its story and pay attention. Today, Bankrate is listed on the NASDAQ National Market, has attracted research and press features and there has been a substantial increase in trading volume and market capitalization. Bankrate has three analysts covering the stock and is invited to participate in premier conferences, and has been featured in BusinessWeek's Inside Wall Street column.

A Chicago-based finance consulting firm specializing in close and transaction process improvement for Fortune 1000 corporations wanted to expand its visibility in the Chicago and New York markets.. While the Firm's consultants were highly regarded by the finance departments of the $1 billion + corporations who retained them, The Johnsson Group was virtually unknown outside that circle.

The company founder was a high profile entrepreneur who had led the firm to annual double-digit growth by encouraging breakthrough thinking for clients and attracting highly motivated CPAs & MBAs who valued work-life balance. As part of a strategic redirection, the Firm wanted to shift media coverage focus from work-life to business-based coverage that highlighted the firms’ areas of expertise and to develop a deeper bench of knowledge experts and spokespersons.

We identified topics to showcase firm expertise and began the process of developing selected professional staff members to serve as subject matter experts and spokespersons on the topics. We worked closely with them to develop bylined articles and prepared them for media interviews. We placed articles in carefully targeted publications read by CFOs, controllers and auditors.

The Johnsson Group was the first to draw media and professional attention to the unanticipated costs related to Sarbanes-Oxley implementation and particularly Section 404. This has resulted in major coverage in BusinessWeek, CFO Magazine, Forbes, Fortune, the Chicago Tribune and Financial Executives Magazine. Firm spokespersons are sought out on a regular basis by major finance and business publications for interviews on related topics. This initial success has enabled us to enlist other firm consultants to participate in the program.

A hedge fund manager in the alternative investment sector, with a contrarian investment strategy, wanted to gain new clients for the Fund. The Fund had an excellent track record but had not been in business the required 5 years to be make the cut for many portfolio searches. The firm needed to look more substantial than its short tenure and have increased visibility to support the marketing teams efforts.

Taking advantage of the young and outspoken president of the Firm, a media campaign was developed to showcase the success of his investment approach and his outgoing personality. We provided media training for the president/spokesperson to make sure his message was clear. Target publications were selected to reach the pension and investment market, high net worth individuals as well as institutions. A tag line, ‘Challenging Conventional Wisdom,’ was used to emphasize and identify the segment the Fund was targeting. A marketing brochure was written and designed to establish the credentials of the people of the Firm and demonstrate its substance.

Successful placements of interviews appeared in targeted publications including Forbes, Pension & Investments, and Bloomberg Business News Forum. The Fund’s president became a sought after resource for reporters on his investment sector. Reprints of articles were put in kits in order to re-merchandise them to support the marketing efforts. The marketing team had the benefit of a background kit of material as a door opener and leave behind when making sales presentations.

A newly launched Internet only Bank wanted to position itself as a leader in online banking and raise its visibility in the financial community. Its goal was to attract potential partners for its private label online bank as well as partners for its affiliates program. With no physical locations, and several major competitors, the bank needed to establish credibility with its various constituencies for its business model.

We developed a positioning that differentiated the Bank from the online version of its brick and mortar competitors. The positioning emphasized the Bank’s strength in technology and customer support. We initiated conversations with the banking and business media to provide background for understanding the Bank’s strategy and strengths. We coordinated the consumer public relations plan to drive traffic to the site. We arranged interviews with the media and worked extensively with management to provide training to maximize interview opportunities.

VMW Corporate & Investor Relations developed a positioning that emphasized the banks strength in technology and customer support. By establishing a solid relationship with a key banking publication, we were able to garner several major articles that resulted in increased inquires for the private label online banking platform. The positioning helped attract affiliate program partners that dramatically increased the number of depositors.