EI Recognized As One Of Triangle's Fastest Growing Companies - 11/03/05

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - EI was recently recognized by the Triangle Business Journal as one of the 50 fastest-growing private companies in the Triangle. The Triangle Fast 50 is sponsored by PricewaterhouseCooper and is in its 4th year of existence. Charlene Grunwaldt of the Triangle Business Journal congratulated the 50 comanies and referred to the recipients as "a rare combination of calculation and confidence. They might be growing fast, but they are moving methodically."

The following is an excerpt from an interview with EI's president, Greg Lathan, that appeared in the Triangle Business Journal's Fast 50 issue.

- What is your growth strategy? Combination of regional satellite office expansion, national office expansion for existing lines of business and the acquisition of partners involved in similar business lines.

- What was your biggest success in the past year? The EI group's biggest success over the past few years has been in the introduction of AudioAssessor, a web-based audiometric data management system.

- What were you most concerned about with respect to your business last year? The EI Group's largest challenge in 2003-2004 was the successful integration of Industrial Training Company, a company headquartered in Richmond, VA.

- What do you expect will be your biggest challenge in the coming year? The EI Group's most significant challenge in 2005 will be to complete and successfully integrate the acquisition of ESA1 (Environmental Site Assessment 1), an environmental consulting firm headquartered in Louisville, KY. Finally, the most significant global challenges will be the continued expansion of our loss prevention consulting services internationally - to 15 percent of our total revenue by the end of 2006 - and ensuring that our annual revenue growth is accompanied by a corresponding gowth in profits in the EI Group's bottom line.

- Did you hire new employees in the past year? The EI Group's acquisition of ITC added 18 employees. Expansion of the EI Group's existing services, both at our Roanoke, VA office, which was opened in 2004 and through the general expansion at the EI Group's existing office locations, added approximately 8 to 10 employees.

- Do you plan to hire additional employees in the coming year? The EI Group's acquisition of ESA1 will add an additional 14 employees to our payroll. Expansion of the EI Group's services at existing locations and in our new Wilmington, NC office which was opened in 2005, should increase the EI Group's total employment by 18 to 20 employees.

- What percentage of your revenue comes from your top five clients? The EI Group's top five clients, Wachovia, Sprint, Duke Power, Michelin and the US Army Corps of Engineers - constitute approximately 30 percent of total revenue.

- What has been the biggest change in the EI Group over the past 5 years? The biggest change in the EI Group over the past 5 years has been the expansion of our existingservices through acquisition of strategic partners and development of international business.