Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thompson Joins Paladin Associates

November 2004

Paladin Associates, Inc. announced that Tommy D. Thompson has joined the Atlanta-based
management-consulting company. Thompson, with over 35 years of executive experience at
General Electric, will lead the telecommunications auditing and project management practice.”Competitive pressures will increase the need for businesses to optimize telecom services.
Successful companies will leverage suppliers from both a technology and cost perspective. The
need to implement strategies to ensure continuously effective purchasing of telecom services
is critical, ” said Thompson. “Many companies now consider telecom a commodity service,
often relaxing the diligence needed to ensure optimum price and performance,” he added.
Telecom audits typically uncover billing errors, incorrect rates, and other issues that combine
to save substantial dollars.Prior to joining Paladin, Thompson was Mgr- Telecommunications Sourcing for GE Global Network
Operations, responsible for Sourcing wide and local area telecommunications products and
services for GE. His mission included innovating more flexible contractual vehicles and
e-enablement of the GE telecom sourcing processes, working with GE suppliers to digitize
invoicing and optimize payment terms, and consolidating local services billing from the RBOC’s.
Thompson helped develop GE’s strategy for assimilating all acquisitions under the existing
GE telecom agreements. Significant savings resulted.In addition to his telecommunications expertise, Thompson is a Certified Six Sigma Green Belt,
applying this methodology to an annual telecom budget of well over $750M.

Don Hoeppner, a Partner in Paladin Associates Inc. said, “We are excited to welcome Tom. We
have observed his outstanding results for many years, and are pleased to now be able to focus
his wealth of experience on bringing the same benefits to our clients.”

Paladin Associates Inc. is uniquely positioned to provide former GE experience across all phases
of a business enterprise. It is lead by eight former GE executives with over 230 years of broad and
deep financial and hands-on operating experience in a wide variety of industries. Paladin helps
clients improve their productivity and profitability through an array of services including Operational
Assessments, Financial Management, Strategic Sourcing and Procurement, Business Process
Outsourcing, Six Sigma Quality Management, Merger & Acquisition Support, Marketing & Sales
Productivity, Turnaround Management, HR Productivity, Interim C-level Management, and now
Telecom Audits.

For a confidential discussion, please email PJHorgan@PaladinAssociatesInc.com or visit our
website at www.PaladinAssociatesInc.com.
About Paladin Associates Inc.:

Paladin Associates is an Atlanta-based management-consulting firm led by a team of former
GE executives with over 230 years of financial and operating experience in a variety of industries,
specializing in productivity and profitability improvement. In addition to Marketing & Sales expertise,
Paladin offers Strategic Sourcing, Financial Management, Global Processing, Six Sigma Quality
Management, Mergers & Acquisitions Support, Telecommunications Audits, HR Productivity
Practices, and Interim C-level Management.

Press contact:

Patrick J. Horgan, Partner
pjhorgan@PaladinAssociatesInc.com
770-395-9156 or 404-276-4506(cell)