Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2008
CONTACT:
Laurie Englert, Milestone AV Technologies
Phone: 952.277.3858
E-mail: laurie.englert@milestone.com
Duchossois Group Acquires Milestone AV Technologies, Adding Leading Brand in Consumer and Commercial Mounting Solutions for Audio-Visual Products
(Savage, Minn) - The Duchossois Group announced today that it has acquired Milestone AV
Technologies ("Milestone"), North America's leading producer of mounting solutions sold principally
under the Chief and Sanus Systems brand names, from private equity investors led by Friedman
Fleischer & Lowe. Terms of the all-cash acquisition were not disclosed.
"Milestone possesses all the criteria we look for in an operating platform - - the most innovative
and highest quality products sold into growth markets, leading brand names and, above all, an
exceptional management team," stated Robert Fealy, Executive Vice President of Duchossois. "It is a
great fit with our AMX, Chamberlain and Heath-Zenith businesses," he added.
"I speak for our entire team in saying that we are absolutely delighted to join the Duchossois Group
of companies," said Scott Gill, Chief Executive Officer of Milestone. "We share much in common with
our new sister companies, each of which is the leader in its respective markets. That Duchossois was
willing to undertake this transaction in the face of uncertain economic times speaks volumes about
their confidence in our ability to grow the business through the world-class products and the high
levels of service we provide to our customers around the world."
Milestone was formed in 2004 through the combination of the two leading mounting solutions
companies, Chief Manufacturing and Sanus Systems. The company counts among its customers the
majority of Consumer Electronics retailers and is also the leading provider of mounting solutions
to professional AV dealers and system integrators. The Company is headquartered in Minnesota and
has approximately 400 employees worldwide. Milestone will operate as a wholly-owned affiliate of
the Duchossois Group and Scott Gill will continue in his role as Chief Executive Officer of the
Company.
About the Duchossois Group
The Duchossois Group is a privately-held diversified company headquartered in Elmhurst, Illinois, a
suburb of Chicago, with interests in access control solutions, advanced control and automation
systems, lighting, venture capital and gaming. See www.duch.com
for further information.
About Milestone AV Technologies
Milestone is the leading designer, marketer and distributor of branded audio visual mounting
equipment and display solutions for flat panel displays, projectors, AV furniture, and speakers to
both the consumer and the commercial markets. The Company currently serves a broad base of over
4,500 customers with a strong presence in North America and a growing business in Europe and Asia
Pacific. See www.milestone.com,
www.sanus.com, and
www.chiefmfg.com for more information.
