Dennis R

The Cypress Companies, Inc.

Cypress is an investment firm specializing in the industrial sector where it focuses on the acquisition and long-term enhancement of middle market companies. Areas of interest include engineered products, metal fabrication, rubber/polymer products, and value added distribution to OEMs. Located in Akron, Ohio, Cypress was formed in 1995 and provides management services to its operating companies: - Ausco Products, Inc. (Benton Harbor, MI) - Riker Products, Inc. (Toledo, OH) - Tredit Tire & Wheel Company, Inc. (Elkhart, IN) - Universal Polymer & Rubber, LLC (Middlefield, OH) - Paragon Tempered Glass, LLC (Niles, MI & Antwerp, OH) Cypress actively pursues new acquisitions. We seek to make control equity investments in basic industrial companies that can be leveraged and then operated autonomously. Distress and turn-around situations are viewed as opportunities. We are currently focusing on companies with sales of $20 to $80 million and which are located in North America. Smaller companies are considered when they are a natural fit with a current operating company or located within or near our existing Midwestern footprint. Our long-term ownership model aligns well with the desires of entrepreneurial or family owners who are concerned about securing a stable future for their life's work.