CHARLOTTE, NC (June 4, 2003) -- "Absolutely the best! Bring Steve back!" exclaimed Phil Minor of Minors Printing in Boone, NC, and a hundred other printing professionals, after Steve Abercrombie presented his financial and business management program at the September PICA/xpedx Graphics Management Institute. PICA is doing just that -- and expanding it into a three-day seminar in June. Thanks to the continuing generosity of xpedx and International Paper, which are sponsoring the three-day program, participants have to pay only a fraction of the cost. "Xpedx is pleased once again to offer Steve Abercrombie's financial insight to printers in the Carolinas. This 19-hour investment in analyzing your company's fiscal health is sure to help put you on the road to a profitable future. There was overwhelming response to Steve's 2002 program at the PICA/xpedx Graphics Management Institute, so be sure to register early. You can't afford to miss this," said Pat Grantham, V.P./Group Business Unit Manager, xpedx Winston-Salem. "Managing and Financing Independent Business: Practical Tools for Control, Survival and Success" will be presented June 19-20. In addition, a companion program, "The Advanced Fiscal Physical: Your Road Map to a Bigger Bottom Line," will be held June 21. Both programs will be held at the PICA Education and Conference Center in Charlotte. The program was the highest-rated seminar in a decade at PICA, earning a 9.488 out of 10 on the evaluations. Comments such as "Best program yet," "Best PICA presentation I've ever attended. Steve was terrific," and "Brought financial ratios and cash flow to very understandable terms" were common statements written on the evaluation forms. "Great program!" said Jack McEntee, vice-president and general manager of CL&D Graphics in Rock Hill, SC. "PICA should be proud!" Steve Abercrombie of Business Resource Services, Inc. will go into considerable detail during the three-day program into the financial tools necessary to evaluate the current position of a company and developing operating and strategic plans. These programs will provide the hands-on tools to improve cash flow, profitability and operating efficiencies for companies of all sizes and of all processes. The first day will help business owners and managers improve their financial skills with a focus on implementing tools to evaluate the current position of a company, including financial statement and ratio analysis, pricing and cost controls. Abercrombie will address the impact of sound financial management and how to understand financial ratios to measure efficiency and plan for greater success. The information presented will be timely and applicable to all companies. Scott Cotton of Biltmore Press in Asheville, NC, said, "The best seminar I have ever been a part of. Information we can use today!" The second day of the program focuses on implementing tools to develop an operating and strategic plan. Concepts presented include cash flow versus profits comparison, growth analysis, balance sheet case studies, and dealing with financial sources. Planning for successful growth, cash forecasting as a management tool, funding seasonal and long-term growth and determining a company's financial needs will also be included in the second day. "I can't say enough about how important this material is for our company," wrote Al Hutchison, Jr., president of Hutchison-Allgood Printing in Winston-Salem, NC. Lee Ellen Turnbull, president of Belk Printing Technologies, Charlotte, NC, said, "Excellent. Absolutely the most beneficial seminar I have ever attended." The third day, "The Advanced Fiscal Physical: Your Road Map to a Bigger Bottom Line," will teach companies how to apply ratio analysis and cause-and-effect road maps as diagnostic tools to identify key issues and their causes then how to formulate an action plan. This session will be a powerful analytical journey and strategic planning session aimed to improve financial performance. Attendees will leave with the tools to measure the financial performance and monitor the financial position of their companies. In addition, attendees will develop an integrated business profit plan during the session. "The Advanced Fiscal Physical: Your Road Map to a Bigger Bottom Line" will be limited to 30 companies. Attendees of this third day program must have attended the previous two-day business owner program, or the GMI in September. Carolina branches of Xpedx are providing discount coupons good for 50% off the regular rates. The coupons are available from any Carolinas' xpedx representative. The discounted PICA member rates are $275 for the two-day session and $250 for the one-day session, which includes a strategic business plan that attendees develop. Non-members of PICA may attend for $500 for the two-day session and $375 for the one-day session. Without the xpedx coupon, all prices are double. Prices above reflect the xpedx discount.