Timothy Gerdeman, founder and president of StreetSmart Strategies, said, "Dave brings to our firm a wealth of corporate investor relations and financial communications expertise, senior executive counseling experience in a wide variety of company situations, and an in-depth working knowledge of Wall Street along with strong investment community contacts. Dave will assume the role of Investor Relations Strategist - a title that reinforces the focus of StreetSmart Strategies as well as capturing the essence of Dave's skill set."

"Dave will help extend our business model of enhancing our clients' images and equity valuations within the financial community, especially in this challenging climate in which small- and mid-cap companies have witnessed reduced equity research analyst coverage, markedly lower equity valuations, and in several instances heightened shareholder activism," Gerdeman said. "As portfolio managers begin to carefully reconstruct their equity holdings under the premise of an economic rebound in 2010, a sharper investment thesis and heightened visibility are required by companies to ensure that anticipated earnings leverage is rewarded with a higher valuation multiple. Not all companies will share equally in the equity market rebound; this is particularly true for small- and mid-cap industrial companies where valuation disparities are increasingly evident."

With nearly 20 years of corporate experience, Prichard has held senior positions directing comprehensive investor relations and financial communications programs for a number of small- and mid-cap companies across a range of sectors, primarily in the basic materials and consumer staples industries. Most recently Prichard was Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications at Corn Products International, one of the world's largest corn refining and ingredients manufacturers with nearly $4 billion in annual sales. Previously, Prichard held similar positions at Modine Manufacturing Company, IMC Global (now The Mosaic Company), The Vigoro Corporation, IMCERA Group (which became Mallinckrodt Inc.), and Abbott Laboratories.