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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact
Elijah May
Business District Group
(512) 771-0099 c.
emay at businessdistrictgroup dot com

Third Annual Austin Open 4 Business Conference Offers Growth Strategies for Local Companies

Keynotes delivered by Jack McDonald, Chairman & CEO of Perficient and US Congressional Candidate, and Pike Powers, Attorney with Fulbright & Jaworski

Austin, Texas - July 24h, 2009 - The third annual Austin Open 4 Business Conference, the only local event focused exclusively on delivering expert growth strategies for businesses, announces its third annual one-day event will take place on November 10th 2009 at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on the UT Campus.

Keynotes from Jack McDonald and Pike Powers will set the theme for the Conference as they share their considerable expertise and insight into what companies need to do to be successful. The Conference will feature five high impact tracks - Sales, Marketing, Finance & Funding, Human Resources, and Sponsored Sessions from companies with innovative products and services. Presentations will include using social media, driving sales results, health insurance, recruitment strategies, business formations, and raising capital for start-ups and business expansion. The sessions will provide real world solutions that can be implemented to obtain achievable results. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to visit a select number of sponsors and companies exhibiting products and services.

"Today's business owners and executives need to have accurate information on economic trends, legislation and best business practices in order to be competitive," states Jason Myers, Publisher of Business District Magazine and co-producer of the Conference. "Austin Open 4 Business is a cost-effective event that will deliver hard hitting practical sessions."

About Jack McDonald
Jack McDonald is currently the Chairman and CEO of Perficient, one of the nation's top information technology consulting firms. Jack became the company's CEO in 1999 when it was a fledgling start-up with eight employees. Under his leadership, Perficient has grown into a publicly-traded company with more than 1,200 employees, offices throughout the world, and more than $200 million in sales. In recognition of his leadership, Jack was honored with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. As a successful Texas business and civic leader, McDonald has been encouraged to run for U.S. Congress, representing Texas Congressional District 10.

About Pike Powers
Pike Powers is a super-lawyer-turned-entrepreneur, whose leadership helped turn Austin from a university town into a high-tech powerhouse. Powers was partner-in-charge of the Austin office of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P, from 1978 through 2004.

As a board member of numerous Texas technology groups, Powers is a civic entrepreneur who advises Austin's emerging technology leaders on creating new companies and shaping the region's collaborative future. In 2003, he received the first Austin Business Journal Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the economic development of Austin and Central Texas. The University of Texas-Austin Technology Incubator honored him with the Laura Kilcrease Community Business Leadership Award. Recently Powers was the recipient of the "Commendation of Excellence" Award from the Real Estate Council of Austin. Powers was honored as "Austinite of the Year" on Jan. 30, 2006 by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, of which he is a former Chairman. In 2008 he was named a "Texas Legend" by the American Electronics Association. In 2009, the Austin Bar Association selected him as a Distinguished Lawyer, joining the finest of the local Bar in that recognition.

The conference is currently being supported by the Small Business Development Program, The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Peoplefund, RISE Austin, Door64, The AustinEntrepreneurNetwork.org, and Bootstrap Austin.

Advance registration is just $99 and includes refreshments and lunch. Registration will be $150 at the door. More details - including sponsor packages, exhibit details and on-line registration - are available at www.austinopen4business.com

About Austin Open4Business
The Austin Open4Business Conference (www.austinOpen4Business.com), the only local conference focused exclusively on delivering expert growth strategies for small to mid-sized businesses, is produced annually by Business District Magazine (www.abdmag.com) and The Propaganda House.

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