CONSENSUS OPENS NEW YORK OFFICE AND NAMES WILLIAM D. BUSKO II NEW YORK OFFICE CHIEF

BOSTON, MA – The investment banking and financial advisory services firm Consensus Advisory Services today announced the opening of a Manhattan office, located at 1325 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown. The Consensus New York office, like the Boston headquarters, will offer advisory services for mergers and acquisitions, capital transactions, and restructurings, along with related strategic support to companies and funds across the full spectrum of the retail and consumer products industries. Consensus' New York office will be managed by William D. Busko II, who has joined the firm as Managing Director. Prior to joining Consensus, Mr. Busko was a Managing Director of Financo, Inc. and also served as President of Financo Securities LLC. Previously, Mr. Busko worked within the Mergers and Acquisitions Group of Banc of America Securities and Banc One Capital Partners. Exclusively focused on the retail and consumer products industries, Mr. Busko's transactional experience includes clients such as The Container Store, Cherokee, Fireman Capital, Fruit of the Loom, Gart Sports, Genesco, Gordon Brothers, Gold Toe Moretz, Golden Lady SpA and Madison Dearborn. Mr. Busko, who is NASD Series 7 and 24 certified, is a graduate of Wake Forest University and received his M.B.A. from The University of North Carolina.

Said Consensus C.E.O. Michael A. O'Hara, "I have known Billy Busko professionally for six years and can think of no better person to manage our New York operations. Billy is the consummate professional whose career has been characterized by an uncommon zeal for pursuing his clients' best interests. We are looking forward to adding Billy to our leadership team." Christopher Ellis, Consensus President, added, "Given the extensive relationships we have in New York and the importance of Manhattan to the retail and consumer products industries, we think a permanent presence in the city is a natural next step for us. We look forward to serving our New York clients from this office and growing our New York business under Billy's leadership."

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About Consensus: Consensus Advisors is a boutique investment banking and financial advisory firm based in Boston. We focus on complex transactions for companies undergoing significant transformation of their business models. Our professionals have decades of relevant industry experience representing and advising companies, entrepreneurs, investors, creditors and lenders in financial and brand equity transactions. We have extensive relationships with multiple resources necessary to help companies at every stage of development including commercial banks, private equity, venture capital and hedge funds, factors, investors in distressed assets, and real property and equipment lessors. Consensus approaches each engagement with discipline, diligence and confidentiality. All of our senior professionals have extensive advisory backgrounds, as well as years of experience as senior executives or principals of one or more operating companies.

Capital raising activities are undertaken through Consensus Securities LLC, a member of the FINRA and the SIPC.