Chicago - Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at a black tie affair at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, O'Keefe & Associates was awarded the prestigious M&A Advisor's Middle Market Financing Deal of the Year for their role as financial advisors in the Retail and Distributing Industry.  O'Keefe & Associates is a leading transactional advisory firm specializing in closely held business and assists companies who find themselves in financial difficulty.  O'Keefe & Associates has two offices and is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.  Rick Santelli of CNBC Business News presented this national award as Master of Ceremonies.

The Awards Selection Committee of the M&A Advisor is comprised of their editorial staff, business writers, reporters and professors of finance at leading universities.  The runners-up included Tim Hortons IPO, Shair's Restaurants, Blair Apparel and Au Bon Bakery.  Financial transactions were submitted by the leading finance companies and transaction professionals.  O'Keefe & Associates was the only Michigan company receiving such award.