ABRY Partners and David Nussbaum Join to Seek B2B Media, Service Investments

BOSTON/NEW YORK (March 19, 2007) -- ABRY Partners LLC and Sundance Business Enterprises, a wholly owned subsidiary formed by David Nussbaum, former CEO of Penton Media, and ABRY, announced today that they plan to identify and invest in business-to-business media, services, and vertically focused online companies. These companies will include those with strong brands, high quality products and a clear path for growth. Potential targets will include integrated media companies, business services/data companies primarily focused on an emedia platform, and companies that transact critical business services over the web. ABRY Partners has committed $100 million of equity capital to this venture which should approximate at least a half billion dollars in transaction value.

“My five year relationship with ABRY taught me a lot about how private equity investors can add value, ideas and capital to growing businesses,” said David Nussbaum. “This newly formed partnership was a natural transition as we translate ABRY's experience and knowledge and couple that with my own 25-year experience in vertical markets, the media industry, and the emedia world.”

“We are delighted to be working with David Nussbaum, who brings a wealth of successful media operating experience to our partnership,” added Royce Yudkoff, Managing Partner at ABRY Partners.

Nussbaum was the Chief Executive Officer of Penton Media Inc. from June of 2004 through the recently completed company sale to Prism Media Holdings. Previous to that, he was the Executive Vice President at Penton since 1998. Nussbaum's background includes the launch and acquisition of many iconic business media brands including New Hope Natural Media, Mecklermedia, PC Expo, Commercial Property News, among many media properties in the magazine, event and online communities.

ABRY Partners is a media-focused private equity fund based in Boston, MA. Founded in 1989, ABRY has completed over $18.0 billion of leveraged investment transactions across the media and business services sector.