The 4th Annual Big Bad Ball Announces Silver Level Sponsors

Released on = September 16, 2005, 5:57 am

Press Release Author = MMI Associates, Inc.

Industry = Small Business

Press Release Summary = The 4th Annual Big Bad Ball, scheduled for Saturday, October 1, 2005 at 7:00 pm at the Capital City Club in Raleigh, has announced that Deloitte & Touche LLP, Progress Energy, The Title Company of North Carolina, Pergo, Inc., General Parts, Inc., Corporate Support Systems, Inc., MMI Associates and Hummingbird
Creative Group will be silver level sponsorship members for 2005

Press Release Body = MMI Associates, Inc.
7406-H Chapel Hill Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 233-6600 • (919) 233-0300 (fax)
patty@mmimarketing.com

For Immediate Release Contact: Patty Briguglio (919) 461-3831

Triangle Businesses Sponsor Big Bad Ball To Benefit Hospice Of Wake County

Raleigh, NC – The 4th Annual Big Bad Ball, scheduled for Saturday, October 1, 2005 at 7:00 pm at the Capital City Club in Raleigh, has announced that Deloitte & Touche LLP, Progress Energy, The Title Company of North Carolina, Pergo, Inc., General Parts, Inc., Corporate Support Systems, Inc., MMI Associates and Hummingbird Creative Group will be silver level sponsorship members for 2005. The black tie
event, hosted by the Young Executives Board of the Capital City Club, is one of Raleigh’s most successful charity events, raising over $85,000 last year. This year’s event, benefiting Hospice of Wake County, will include live music, a silent auction, door prizes and a $10,000 raffle.

“Our silver level sponsorship members are a vital ingredient in the success of the Big Bad Ball. With their help, we will make this year’s Big Bad Ball the best ever,” said Brian Hollingsworth, Chair of the event

About Deloitte & Touche LLP:
Deloitte & Touche LLP, a member of the global firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, has offices across the United States, including here in Raleigh, N.C. The firm specializes in providing professional advice and a variety of services in areas including audit, tax, consulting, and financial advising. For more information, please visit http://www.deloitte.com.

About Progress Energy:
Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN), headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 250 diversified energy company with more than 24,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. The company's holdings include two electric utilities serving more than 2.8 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida as well as non-regulated operations covering merchant generation, energy marketing, natural gas exploration, fuel extraction, rail services and broadband capacity. For more information, please visit the website at http://www.progress-energy.com/.

About The Title Company of North Carolina:
The Title Company of North Carolina provides a complete line of residential and commercial insurance products and services through a national branch offices, subsidiaries, and independent policy-issuing agents. Old Republic National Title has been insuring American households, and commercial products for the past one hundred
years. For more information, please visit the website at http://www.oldrepublictitle.com/nc/.

About Pergo, Inc.:
Pergo is an expansive flooring company that holds a leading global position in markets for laminate flooring. The company’s products have been marketed under the PERGO® brand name since 1989. For more information please visit the website at http://www.pergo.com.

About General Parts, Inc.:
General Parts is a member of the CARQUEST Distribution Group. The company specializes in the distribution of automotive replacement parts, accessories, supplies and equipment for practically all makes of automobiles in the United States and Canada. For more information, please visit the website at http://www.carquest.com/.

About Corporate Support Systems, Inc.:
Corporate Support Systems, Inc. has been designing comprehensive programs to meet applicable Federal, State or corporate drug-free workplace requirements since 1989. For more information, please visit the website at http://www.cssidrugtesting.com/.

About MMI Associates, Inc.:
MMI Associates, Inc. is a full-service marketing and public relations firm dedicated to consistently providing a wide range of business solutions using a methodology that combines proven business strategies and innovative ideas that provide measurable results. Established in 1994 in Phoenix, Arizona, this award-winning
firm has been recognized as one of the top 10 public relations firms by Arizona Business Magazine, bizAZ Magazine, and most recently was named one of the Triangle’s top Public Relations firms in the Triangle Business Journal’s Book of Lists 2004. Patty Briguglio is President of the firm and was named one of the 25 most influential Women In Business by the Triangle Business Journal. Briguglio also received the National Association of Women Business Owners’ 2004 Rising Star Award and 2005 Member of the Year Award. For more information, please call 919-233-6600 or visit the website at http://www.mmimarketing.com.

About Hummingbird Creative Group:
Hummingbird is a creative services firm specializing in building brand identities. The firm serves as a partner with their clients to provide unique, award-winning design, advertising and marketing services, including: logos, branding, marketing strategies, advertising, web design, public relations, and promotions. For more information, please call 919-854-9100 or visit the website at http://www.hummingbird-creative.com.

About Hospice of Wake County:
Hospice of Wake County is a private nonprofit organization that provides compassionate care to individuals with limited life expectancy and their families offering care teams consisting of an experienced RN, a medical social worker, a home health aide, a chaplain and volunteers to every patient. For more information,
please visit the website at http://www.hospiceofwake.org/.

For more information, please call Hospice of Wake County at 919-828-0890 or visit the event’s official website at http://www.bigbadball.com.

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Web Site = http://

Contact Details = Media Contact:
Patty Briguglio
MMI Associates, Inc.
919-461-3831
Patty@mmimarketing.com