JD Ford & Company and Thomas Industries, LLC Win
2004 M&A Advisor Consumer Manufacturing Deal of the Year Award

16 December 2004
Denver, CO

Thomas Industries, LLC, a company formed by JD Ford & Company, of Denver, claimed victory as the “Consumer Manufacturing Industry deal maker of the year” at The M&A Advisor’s black-tie awards dinner at the New York Athletic Club in New York City. Billed as the M&A industry's version of "The Academy Awards" for middle market transactions, JD Ford/Thomas Industries were selected in their category as the top deal of the year from an international field of participants, including other finalists Bear Sterns Merchant Banking’s acquisition of Aearo Corporation and Société d’Emboutissage de Bourgogne SA’s acquisition of All-Clad USA, Inc.

Criteria for choosing the award winners were: 1) Importance of the firm and transaction to the industry; 2) Creativity (i.e., structuring, financing, negotiations, etc.); and 3) Perseverance – how difficult consummation of the deal was. The Awards Selection Committee was comprised of writers and reporters from the M&A Advisor, The New York Sun and The New York Times, and faculty from Columbia University Business School.

Surrounding the awards ceremony was the 10th M&A Advisor Conference with such keynote speakers as Muriel Siebert, Founder and President of Muriel Siebert & Co., Inc., Jay Jordan, Managing Principal, The Jordan Company LP, and Fred Joseph, Managing Director, Morgan Joseph, as well as Peter G. Peterson, Chairman of The Blackstone Group, who was also presented the Lifetime Achievement Award.

JD Ford & Company, together with a group of Denver investors, created Thomas Industries, LLC to acquire three separate businesses and form a fully integrated manufacturer of yarn and broadloom carpets, with 2005 revenues expected to exceed $100 million.

About JD Ford Holdings Co, LLC:
JD Ford Holdings Co, dba JD Ford & Company, is a specialized investment firm focused on privately held middle market companies in the manufacturing, distribution, business services and specialty retail sectors. The Denver, Colorado based firm is involved in business development and merger and acquisition transactions throughout the United States. (www.jdford.com)

About Thomas Industries, LLC:
Thomas Industries, LLC is comprised of five divisions: 1) Superior Yarn – an extruder and developer of innovative solution dyed yarns for internal use and for sale to smaller carpet manufacturers that lack yarn extrusion capabilities; 2) Mattel Carpet & Rug - a leading manufacturer of broadloom carpet for a variety of niche markets, including automotive aftermarket products, walk-off mats and multi-family housing; 3) Templeton Carpet Mills (www.templetoncarpet.com), a premier supplier of carpet to the hospitality industry, with prestigious clients throughout the United States; 4) Monticello Floors, a provider of carpet to prominent regional and national home centers; and 5) IBA, a provider of carpet to both domestic and international independent carpet retailers.

CONTACT: Mr. Joseph Durnford, Chairman & CEO JD Ford & Company, and Chairman of Thomas Industries, LLC at 1-888-999-9495 x2010.

The M&A Advisor – is a unique, monthly newsletter that focuses specifically on timely issues, bottom-line trends and career-enhancing strategies for buyers and sellers of middle market companies. For close to a decade The M&A Advisor has been the source for competitive intelligence on middle market M&A. The newsletter is the most up-to-date, concise and vital source of intelligence for thousands of leading industry professionals worldwide. (www.maadvisor.com)