Best Independent Research, LLC

Best Independent Research, LLC (BIR) is a consortium of top-ranked independent equities research firms, formed in December 2002 to enable investment banks to offer individual clients the best available stock selection research. BIR's launch, handled by Sprung PR in partnership with Marx Communications, was timed to coincide as closely as possible with the announcement of a settlement between state and Federal securities regulators and the investment banking industry. Coverage began on December 18, 2002 with a Wall Street Journal article devoted to BIR. When the investment banking settlement was announced later the same week, The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and BusinessWeek quoted BIR president Thomas S. White, Jr. and included news of BIR's launch in their stories about the settlement. BIR's launch has also been covered in the Chicago Tribune, CBS MarketWatch, and MSN Money, while BIR principals have appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box and Wake-up Call, CNN Money Morning, and NPR.