Michael Chen and GE's Media, Communications & Entertainment Financing Business Receive The Executive Council Award for "Dealmaker of the Year"

Michael Chen, President and CEO of GE Commercial Finance- Media, Communications & Entertainment (MCE), recently received The Executive Council’s 2008 New York Ten Award™ for "Dealmaker of the Year”. The Executive Council, the premier business forum for leaders and innovators, announced the winners at the Ten Awards Gala held on October 28, 2008 at Cipriani Wall Street. Other 2008 New York Ten Award™ winners included Shelly Lazarus, CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide and a GE Board member, for "CEO of the Year”.

The Ten Awards is a selection of companies and individuals in the greater New York business community that display extraordinary innovation and leadership in their industry and beyond. The Ten Awards winners were decided from open nominations submitted to the Executive Council of New York. Hundreds of nominations were screened and evaluated by a panel of judges comprised of prominent journalists from New York-based local and national business media outlets, and evaluated based on the individual’s contributions to his or her organization’s objectives and leadership; the organization’s impact on business innovation, both in New York and nationally; and the individual’s industry leadership beyond his or her organization.

"Michael Chen embodies extraordinary leadership and innovation," said Bob Johnston, President of the Executive Council. "Mr. Chen exemplifies the mission of the Ten Awards, which is to honor those business leaders that have proven year in and year out that they are capable of leading and conducting highly effective transactions for their company, staff and shareholders," Johnston further added. "Mr. Chen has displayed powerful management acumen that motivates his team to be peak performers and strive for a higher level of achievement," Johnston noted.

In receiving the "Dealmaker of the Year” award, Michael Chen gave credit to GE and the entire Media, Communications & Entertainment team. "As honored as I am to receive this award, I believe this award belongs to my team, who are the real dealmakers”, said Chen. "They’ve done a fantastic job this past year and I’m proud to be part of such a great team.”

Some of GE Media, Communications & Entertainment’s highlights include:

• Creation and growth of the $250 million Peacock Equity Fund. Co-founded in April 2007 between GE MCE and NBC Universal, the fund’s portfolio currently consists of eight companies with nearly $100 million invested. In April of this year, the fund sold it’s stake in Adify, it’s first investment, realizing a return of 6 times its investment after only one year.
• Through Q3 2008, GE is the #2 U.S. Lead Arranger of leveraged loans in the Telecom sector and #3 in the Media sector
• Recent GE MCE deals include:
  • September – The Weather Channel ($1.836 billion)
  • October – Lightower ($52.5 million), Otelco ($188.5 million)

For more information on Michael Chen and GE Media, Communications & Entertainment, please see http://www.morrisprodgrp.com/ClientVideo/Michael_Chen_Dealmaker.mov

About GE Commercial Finance – Media, Communications & Entertainment

With nearly $10 billion in assets and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Norwalk (HQ), San Francisco, Singapore and Toronto, the Media, Communications & Entertainment business is a global strategic partner to these industries and the technologies that enable them. We bring GE’s full resources and financial strength to each relationship, while delivering industry expertise and flexible financing solutions that maximize stakeholder value. For more information, visit www.geMCE.com