Los Angeles Venture Association Elects New Officers, Appoints Vice Presidents

LOS ANGELES--(Business Wire)--
The Board of Directors of The Los Angeles Venture Association, a
non-profit organization which supports the development of emerging
growth and middle market companies in Southern California
(www.lava.org), has elected new officers for the 2008-2009 term.

Board members Nevena Orbach, John Dmohowski and Matt Crowley have
been elected to the positions of President, Treasurer and Secretary,
respectively.

Ms. Orbach is President and Co-founder of The Orbach Company,
Inc., a Los Angeles-based growth advisory firm specializing in
investor and financial public relations. She replaces outgoing
President Robert Whyte, Managing Director of Mosaic Capital, who moves
to Past President. Mr. Dmohowski is Co-founder of myShape, Inc., and
Mr. Crowley is Principal of Crowley Corporate Legal Strategy.

Three Board members have been appointed as divisional Vice
Presidents. Scott Alderton, Managing Partner of Stubbs Alderton &
Markiles, LLP is Vice President, Development. Klaus Koch, Partner with
Kline Hawkes & Co. is Vice President, Plans & Goals. Dennis McCarthy,
Managing Director of B. Riley & Co. is Vice President, Programs.

"With this outstanding team in place, LAVA is well positioned to
continue its growth and move to the next level in serving its
membership and the capital communities," said Ms. Orbach. "LAVA has
become 'Entrepreneur Central' for emerging companies at all stages of
the growth cycle. Although LAVA doesn't directly fund companies, it
provides educational programs and networking venues where
entrepreneurs from diverse industries can meet both the direct funding
sources as well as advisors critical to all stages of growth."

"LAVA's monthly, content-rich breakfast meetings have been very
successful at bringing together these groups, routinely drawing over
200 business professionals," she added.

To accommodate that growth and provide more convenient access for
members in the north Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties,
LAVA recently moved those monthly meetings to the Skirball Center.

LAVA's signature event, the annual Investment Capital Conference,
is now in its 16th year and has drawn audiences of up to 1,000,
including CEOs and transaction professionals from throughout the
nation.

The 2008-2009 program of work reflects commitment to providing new
opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with the transaction
community. In addition to the monthly educational programs and annual
conference, LAVA members can look forward to member-only events and
expanded membership benefits.

Other organizations have come and gone in the last quarter
century, notes Ms. Orbach, but LAVA has endured, now standing as the
oldest of its type in Southern California. LAVA's longevity has been
made possible by an impressive line of dedicated volunteers--a Who's
Who of the financial community, who set the foundation for LAVA in
1985 and who continue as stewards today.

In addition to those noted above, LAVA's Board of Directors
consists of the following: Randy Churchill, Director of Business
Development, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; Todd Gitlin, Founder and
Managing Director, Safire Partners; Sharona Justman, Managing
Director, STEP Strategy Advisors; Greg Martin, Principal, Redpoint
Ventures; John Morris, Managing Director, GKM Ventures; Sami Revah,
Principal, Stanton Chase International; Michael Seibert, Managing
Director, Stone Canyon Ventures; Dana Settle, Partner, Greycroft
Partners; Mark Turk, Senior Vice President, Silicon Valley Bank; and
Hamet Watt, Founder and CEO of Nextmedium, Inc.

LAVA is generously supported by corporate sponsors including
Business Wire, the official news release distribution service for the
Los Angeles Venture Association.

For more information on membership, committee involvement and
sponsorships please contact Executive Director Leonard Lanzi at
len@lava.org.

About the Los Angeles Venture Association:

Founded in 1985, the Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA) is the
most successful and longest running organization of its kind in
Southern California dedicated to the development and growth of
entrepreneurial ventures from start-up to middle market. Through its
educational programs and annual Investment Capital Conference, LAVA
provides a forum where entrepreneurs meet and learn from fellow
executives, investors, bankers, financial advisors and other
professional advisors. For more information, visit www.lava.org.

Los Angeles Venture Association
Nevena Orbach, President
818-904-0500
Nevena@orbachco.com
or
Los Angeles Venture Association
Leonard Lanzi, Executive Director
310-450-9544
len@lava.org

Copyright Business Wire 2008