BETHESDA, MD -- Profit Planning Group's Dr. Albert Bates will open day two of the 2006 Aftermarket Financial Symposium (AFS) with his presentation, "The Five Pillars of Financial Success." AFS, which is geared toward CEOs, CFOs, financial service providers, investment analysts, CPA firms and others with interests in the automotive aftermarket, is scheduled for Sept. 26-27 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Chicago.

Bates is founder and chairman of the Profit Planning Group, a research and executive education firm headquartered in Boulder, CO. The firm works exclusively in the area of corporate financial planning, and Bates received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and his MBA and doctorate from Indiana University.

Bates' presentation will profile successful firms in distribution, all of which are able to achieve success in five key strategic areas of their operations. He will discuss barriers to entry, de-commoditization, employee productivity, profit focus and internal profit understanding, and will discuss how these key factors can be employed by to achieve high-profit financial results.

"Distributors have entered a new era where traditional ways of generating profits are reaching diminishing returns," Bates said. "Firms need to re-examine their operations to ensure adequate profits. This session will help firms with that process."

As an added benefit to attendees, the 2006 AFS has been authorized to offer 12 continuing professional education (CPE) credit hours for financial professionals who participate in both days of the symposium.

For more information on AFS or to register, visit: www.aftermarket.org .

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