Asaba Group Holdings, Victor Edozien: Federal Judge Formally Dismisses Two-Year Effort

Federal Judge Formally Dismisses Two-Year Effort By Philadelphia Company To Unlawfully Damage Vedozi Inc’s Business; Gives Victor Edozien Clear Victory.

After two years of vigorously defending against meritless multiple lawsuits brought by Philadelphia-based Cintron Beverage Group or “CBG”, through its principal owner Wes Wyatt, Vedozi, Inc. and its principal, Victor Edozien, are pleased to announce that they have won.

The dismissal confirms Edozien’s long-held resolve that CBG’s case was without foundation and not entitled to a ruling that sought monetary compensation and a cessation of lawful and legitimate business activities outside of the United States where Vedozi Inc.’s business partners have established a global brand known as Cintron Premium Energy Drink.

Wes Wyatt’s CBG erroneously claimed that Vedozi Inc. and Victor Edozien were infringing U.S. trademarks (which had not even been registered and are being contested in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office),based primarily on nonsensical allegations relating to lawful and legitimate business activities engaged inby Vedozi’s business partners outside the United States.

“There was never a doubt in my mind that all of the claims against Vedozi and Mr. Edozien lacked meritand it was only a matter of time before they would be dismissed. I am gratified that my clients were fully exonerated from the baseless allegations made against them,” said Vedozi’s counsel, Kevin B. Hirsch ofMichigan-based Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C.

The two-year long attempt by Wes Wyatt’s CBG to damage Vedozi’s business interest was finallydismissed by Judge Sanchez “with prejudice” which means that they cannot be resurrected. All of CBG’sclaims have been dismissed. The beginning of the end came when the Judge refused CBG’s nefariousattempts to go after Victor Edozien individually. CBG’s misguided efforts to go after other Edozienbusinesses -- including The Asaba Group, Inc. and AG Manufacturing, Inc.-- which had no connection tothe beverage industry or any involvement whatsoever in the activities alleged in the lawsuit, also failedspectacularly.

CBG finally folded once and for all when Wes Wyatt, as the Chairman of CBG, agreed to dismiss all of theremaining claims brought by CBG without receiving any money from Vedozi Inc., Edozien or anyone else.Victor Edozien expanded on this theme: “From the beginning I have always said these lawsuits werebaseless and a brazen attempt by CBG to aggressively assert rights they do not have or own! This case

was also unsuccessful in its attempt to damage the character, reputation, and integrity of myself and mybusiness partners. I was adamant that I would never pay one dime to make these frivolous allegations goaway and I DID NOT! Vedozi Inc. has a bright future and my partners and I are now free to move forwardand aggressively execute our global business plans. This victory serves as a reminder that any similarattempt to misappropriate Vedozi's interest will be contested vigorously anywhere in the world. Let this beclear to potential adversaries: We have the resources, courage, relentless determination, and perseveto say to them– ‘There is a line that cannot be crossed and there is a point beyond which they must never advance’ ”

About Vedozi Inc.

Vedozi Inc. is a merchant trading, sourcing, and distribution company. Since 2007, its business partners have invested and developed the critically acclaimed Cintron Premium Energy drink brand internationally. The brand has grown into a lucrative worldwide business under the aegis of Cintron World (www.cintronworld.com). Global trademarks and intellectual property rights for the Cintron Premium Energy Drink branded products have always been held by Vedozi Inc.’s business partners.

For additional information on related companies, please contact or visit websites below:

CINTRON WORLD – www.cintronworld.com

350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 6610 New York, NY 10118 USA

Tel: +1 212 273 3352

THE ASABA GROUP – www.asabagroup.com

220 North Main Street, Suite 102 Natick MA 01760 USA

Tel: +1 508 655 8100

AG MANUFACTURING – www.agmanufacturing.com

319 Industrial Parkway, Harbor Beach MI 48441 USA

Tel: +1 989 479 9590

Asaba Group Holdings, Victor Edozien: Cintron World and the Cintron Pink Polo Event

Cintron World, an international beverage company with a line of flavored energy drinks Cintron Premium Energy, is proud to announce that they are the headline sponsors of the prestigious Pink Polo event in South Africa, naming it “Cintron Pink Polo.” Cintron World is pleased to have established this strategic relationship with the luxurious Val de Vie Estate, where the polo event is taking place, as there is much synergy between the lifestyle of these brands. Val de Vie is the perfect place outside of Cape Town, South Africa to experience polo in a fun, exciting and fashionable manner. Cintron World will also contribute to the Pink Polo event with its tantalizing flavors, premium energy, delicious cocktails and fabulous style.

The vision of Cintron World is to be a premier luxury lifestyle brand that encourages people to aspire to look good and feel great by living a fashionable, productive healthily lifestyle. Cintron World’s mission to its customers is to excite with flavor and taste, stimulate with healthy and natural ingredients as well as inspire with style and sophistication. Cintron Premium Energy drinks have great taste and come in three flavors: Original, Cranberry and Pineapple. The premium quality is due to the fact that Cintron Premium Energy is crafted from natural ingredients, real fruit juice, natural mineral water, contains no artificial coloring or chemical preservatives and is Halal Certified. Cintron’s premium ingredient of Glucoronolactone delivers nice long-lasting energy to get its consumers through busy days and fun nights.

Chelsea Brehm, Director of Business Development & Marketing for Cintron World commented, “With our beverage line, Cintron Premium Energy, we are focused on expanding distribution throughout South Africa and creating brand awareness through polo events. Cintron Pink Polo at Val de Vie is a great opportunity to support the amazing athleticism of polo and take part in the fabulous lifestyle of polo all while raising funds for breast cancer. Therefore, everyone wins!” Vale de Vie Estate, situated in the Paarl-Franschhoek Valley, will celebrate the beginning of summer and the polo season on October 25th 2014 with the Cintron Pink Polo powered by Africa’s strongest cellphone network, Vodacom with the private Swedish bank, Julius Bar as Pink Polo’s official banking partner and Gaggenau as Pink Polo’s sub sponsor for the third year.

Simone de Wet, Managing Director of Val de Vie Events commented, “The last 4 years of celebrating miracles have truly been amazing, with Cintron Pink Polo around the corner we invite you to join in on this very glamorous, festive celebration in the most breathtaking outdoor location in the world. With the event partnership between Val de Vie and Cintron, expect nothing less than the exceptional.”

This annual event, in its 5th year, raises funds for The Cancer Association of South Africa, in awareness for breast cancer. Funds raised by the Cintron Pink Polo will be used to assist women throughout South Africa with their practical and medical needs in their fight and recovery from this disease. The event is a unique blend of glamour, fashion and polo action. Cintron Pink Polo has become a highlight on the Cape Town and South African social calendar. Guests are hosted in style and treated to a VIP experience as they enjoy a day of polo and fashion while sipping Cintron Cocktails, Pongracz MCC and enjoying the decadent high tea treats. Guests can expect a day full of spoils and treats by all the wonderful sponsors involved, including Elle magazine, Sisley, GHD and many more.

The two polo team sponsors, Cintron and Gaggenau, will put on a world-class polo match featuring some of South Africa’s best players. The teams will even feature female players whom will all be in a bid to win the coveted Cintron Pink Polo trophy.

Cintron is more than just a premium energy drink; it’s a lifestyle. The Cintron brand is an embodiment of Sophistication, Premium Taste, Luxury and Energy. Cintron host events in the most fabulous locations, inthe most premium venues and with the most beautiful people around the world. This is why Cintron is very pleased and excited to be the title sponsor of “Cintron Pink Polo” at the Val de Vie Estate. There is synergy between these brands, as Cintron and Val de Vie both value premier events that are fun andexciting in a fashionable manner. Therefore, Cintron Pink Polo is the perfect event for all the prestigiousguests to enjoy polo and drink Cintron. #CintronPinkPolo

Huron County Press News on AG Mfg $1.2M Award

Congresswoman Candice Miller visits Harbor Beach

Congresswoman Candice Miller stopped in Harbor Beach last week at the AG Manufacturing plant to give comments and tour the facility.

She recently secured $1.2 million in federal funding in the Department of Defense Appropriations, which will allow AG Manufacturing to continue to produce wire harnesses for the U.S. Air Force.

AG Manufacturing's operations span from providing automotive components for DaimlerChrysler ,General Motors and Navistar to supplying the U.S.military with wire technology. The 53,500 sq.ftAG plant has served Huron County for over 20 years.However, just over three years ago, the facility was acquired by the now Chairman and CEO Victor Edozien.

AG Manufacturing processes wire harness assemblies, P.V.C. injection molding, ultrasonic splice welding ,crimp monitoring and unit packaging and drop shipping.

"That first yea r was really tough;the former owner wanted to move it off-shore," said Edozien.

He said Huron County Economic Development Director Carl Osentoski was very instrumental in helping him purchase the facility.

'When Iacquired the facility, we had to do some changes to keep the operation from going off-shore; we have proved you can have a line of business and not move off-shore ," explained Edozien.

He is anticipating approximately $6 million in contract sales for this year.

Edozien said the venture also has given them the opportunity to show the United States Military what the facility can do for them.

Edozien is also proud of the fact that they have mainly local employees. "We have received a training grant and that has really helped us; all our employees are local residents," said Edozien.

Many of the current employees have a history of the business and Edozien took the time to build the management team, creating an effective work force. "Our employees are very dedicated."

"I don't care what technology you purchase , ifs about the people,you have to have a team," said Miller.

"Now Idon't have to be here everyday; Ican be out looking at other ventures," said Edozien.

The facility has reduced their automotive industry exposure by increasing work in the heavy truck lines and the military needs.They are also looking to expand in the recreational vehicle ,busses and further into the military areas.

'We are looking for that low value product, as a niche market for aftermarket sales," said AG Manufacturing General Manager Russ Schneidewind .

He added ,"We would like to venture out further into the heavy truck market,too."

'We have a dedicated work force, we just need to get the contracts here and keep the jobs here,and in the process we have to keep diversifying; we have to do what we can do" said Miller.

She added, ''You (AG Manufacturing) can make a product, keep on budget and make itwork."

For more updates from Asaba Group Holdings , visit our facebook page and follow us on twitter @asabagrpholding.

Victor Edozien: Asaba Group Holdings Information

Asaba Group Holdings (http://asabagroupholdings.com/) a holding entity which leverages its Principal’s strategy consulting background and insights to create value for all stakeholders. A core ethos of its investment philosophy is seeking situations whereby it can disrupt and reinvent business models in existing industries to provide growth and economic returns to all its stakeholders.

Asaba Group Holdings’ portfolio companies are focused on providing customers with innovative solutions that help them maintain and increase market share. We generate long-term, superior returns for our shareholders/investors by investing in companies with unique market advantages or that occupy a competitive "white space" within an industry. We provide them with strong focused management teams and strategic guidance which leverages our strategy and management consulting heritage.. Its holdings are manufacturing businesses focused on serving the automotive, aerospace, defense, and consumer industries. 2013 Portfolio revenues at $500 Million with an Enterprise Value of $50 Million with 650 employees and 10 locations in the USA.

Portfolio Companies:

–AG Manufacturing Inc (www.agmanufacturing.com) An electrical and solenoid sub-assembly manufacturer for the automotive, marine, and military defense industries. Products include wire harnesses, electronic control actuators, electromechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic components for automotive, truck, and military applications. AG has plants in Michigan, Illinois, and Alabama

–SET Enterprises, Inc (www.setenterprises.com) A leading provider of steel and aluminum processing services to the automotive industry. Customers include OEMs and direct/Tier 1 suppliers. SET has locations in Michigan, Alabama, Indiana, and Illinois.

–Cintron World Inc. (www.cintronworld.com) A premium lifestyle brand beverage company focused on building brands and functional beverages that target aspirational lifestyle consumer segments with fast growing disposable incomes. Its brands include are Cintron – Premium Energy Drink, Cintron Polo Club, VikMix Revitalizer, and ENVO. Cintron World head office is located in New York City.

Profile – Managing Partner

Victor Edozien is the Founder/Managing Partner of Asaba Group (AG), Inc. - a strategy consulting/private equity holding company (www.asabagroupholdings.com) and is a veteran of the US Army Infantry.

He has been in the private equity business for over 10 years and is the CEO and President of both AG Manufacturing, Inc and SET Enterprises, Inc. Victor has over 15 years of experience in strategic planning, revenue growth strategy, acquisition strategies and business turnarounds/improvement.

He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering, BA Geology with Mathematics, MS in Engineering, and a MBA in Finance & Operations Management. He is currently a Wharton Fellow at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is a recent graduate of the prestigious Global CEO Program of The Wharton School (USA), IESE Business School (Spain) and CEBIS (China).

Victor is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), and CEO Connection. He is a board member of Real Life 101 Scholarship and Mentoring Program (www.reallife101.org); a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to improving the higher education opportunities to inner-city African American males.

Asaba Group Holdings, Victor Edozien: Steel processor SET appoints new chief

CHICAGO — Steel processor SET Enterprises Inc. has named Victor Edozien president and chief executive officer.

Edozien, who has acquired a "significant" equity position in SET, will assist SET as it continues to execute its growth initiatives, the company said.

The Warren, Mich.-based company, which also provides duct manufacturing and construction

services, operates facilities in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. Prompted by the needs of such key customers as Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Group LLC and ThyssenKrupp Steel USA LLC, it opened a 70,000-square-foot plant in Jackson, Ala., in March.

"With our recent expansions into Alabama, our entry into the heating, ventilation and air conditioning, duct and construction industries, (and) our growth in our core businesses, including automotive, we recognized the need to expand our organizational resources,"chairman Sid E. Taylor said in a statement.

Edozien has sat on SET’s board for five years, and he and Taylor have worked together on other ventures.

The company said that Edozien has acquired a significant equity position in SET Enterprises through AG-Steel LLC, an affiliate company of Asaba Group Inc, which he founded. With Edozien’s equity stake, "we (have) set the foundation for a long-term succession plan that will carry the company well into the future," Taylor said.

Edozien is the founder and managing principal of Asaba Group, a strategy consulting/private equity holding company. He worked in the auto industry for 15 years and runs other automotive businesses under AG-Manufacturing Inc., which has facilities in Alabama, Illinois and Michigan. SET has been in business supplying steel to automakers and their Tier I and Tier II suppliers since 1989.

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Asaba Group Holdings: Victor Edozien In NASDAQ Closing Bell Event on Behalf of Successful United States Middle Market Companies

NEW YORK, NY-- - Victor Edozien, CEO of SET Enterprises Inc, a portfolio company of Asaba Group Holdings, rang the NASDAQ closing bell today, a rare honor for and first for any of the Asaba Group Holding companies.

Kenneth Beck, the Chief Executive Officer of CEO Connection had requested Edozien and few other Mid-Market CEOs, who are all members of CEO Connection, to participate in this honorable event to highlight the importance of mid-market companies like SET Enterprises to the U.S. economy with respect to innovation, employment growth and wealth creation. SET Enterprises has been innovative and growing and is a significant value added manufacturer in the automotive industry. CEO Connection is highlighting the importance of the middle market and its role as a major contributor to economic growth. Middle markets are companies with $100 million to $3 billion in revenue and they invited Edozien to showcase the growth of the Asaba Group Holdings’ steady expansion in the last few years and its target to be at $1 billion in revenue within the decade.

About Victor Edozien

Victor Edozien is the Founder and Managing Partner of The Asaba Group, Inc. - a strategy consulting/private equity holding company. A veteran of the US Army, Edozien has over 15 years of experience in strategy development & planning, revenue growth, acquisitions and business improvement.

In addition, he has been in principal investing since 2004 primarily in manufacturing and consumer goods sectors. He currently leads two portfolio automotive businesses: AG Manufacturing (www.agmanufacturing.com) and SET Enterprises, Inc. (www.setenterprises.com) which has manufacturing locations in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Alabama. He is an Executive Director at Cintron World Inc. (www.cintronworld.com) a premium branded beverage manufacturer. His three portfolio companies have combined annual revenues of approximately $500 million annually. Edozien’s holds a BS in Electrical Engineering, BA Geology with Mathematics, MS in Engineering, and a MBA in Finance & Operations Management. He is currently a Wharton Fellow at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), and CEO Connection.

About CEO Connection

Designed to facilitate peer relationships, CEO Connection is the only membership organization in the world focused exclusively on mid-market CEOs. It connects thousands of mid-market CEOs with each other and to people, information and resources to which they would otherwise not have access. Members are C-level executives with responsibility for all or significant portions of their respective company. It represents a wide variety of businesses across a broad geographic spectrum. The average size of the companies members run is $1.8 billion in annual revenue and 7,600 employees. Inspired by C-level Wharton executives, CEO Connection began in 2005 and has evolved into a dynamic community with wide-ranging benefits uniquely designed to help the mid-market CEO and champion the mid-market perspective. It is all about CEOs helping CEOs

About NASDAQ OMX Group

NASDAW OMZ is a leading provider of trading, exchange technology, information and public company services across six continents. Through its diverse portfolio of solutions, NASDAQ OMX enables customers to plan, optimize and execute their business vision with confidence, using proven technologies that provide transparency and insight for navigating today’s global capital markets. As the creator of the world’s first electronic stock market, its technology powers more than 70 marketplaces in 50 countries, and 1 in 10 of the world’s securities transactions. NASDAQ OMX is home to more than 3,300 listed companies with a market value of over $8 trillion.

Visit http://asabagroupholdings.com/for latest news, events and initiatives.

Asaba Group Holdings, Victor Edozien: The Prince of Steel

Nigeria-American businessman, Victor Edozien, has quietly built a $400m portfolio in the American automotive manufacturing industry. He towers elegantly as Nigeria’s image builder in the global community.

MANUFACTURING plants across the United States of America have faced steady close-downs as businessmen move their operations to Asia and Latin America to reduce cost and optimize profits. This has led to high unemployment and dislocation, leaving industrial centres such Detroit in ruins. If the situation is to be resolved however, it will be due to brave souls such as Nigerian American investor and business personality, Mr. Victor Edozien, whose string of plants are keeping thousands of people in jobs and last year returned a healthy $400million turnover. Edozien’s Asaba Holdings operates manufacturing, consulting and lifestyle businesses and has operations in five states in the US. Its portfolio companies include the AG Manufacturing Inc, which is an Electrical and electronics sub-assembly manufacturer for the automotive, marine and military defense industries; the SET Enterprises, which is a major provider of steel processing services to the automotive industry and the Asaba Group which offers strategy consultancy to the automotive industry and the US Air Force. The companies operate manufacturing plants in Michigan, Illinois, Alabama and Indiana. ‘We have a portfolio turnover of $400m last year and our goal is to reach $1billion by the end of the decade,’ Edozien told The Guardian at his office located on the 66th floor of the iconic Empire State building in New York. ‘The basics are there. We have over 700 highly motivated employees and our businesses are well run.’

It is hard not be infected by Edozien’s optimism about the ability of his businesses to continue its dizzying growth, after all the total portfolio turnover of the operation was a mere $1.2million in 2004. So, how has this man, who grew up in Nigeria been able to leverage his talents to build a successful business in the United States?

Edozien said: ‘What I do is seek competitive white space to invest in. I usually use my own money to do business, so I have independence in decision-making. But I also have a strong management team to run the various operations. I rely on them a lot. I just provide guidance and strategic visioning. The crucial question for us is always, is there opportunity for us to move in? Once this is clear, I take the decision to invest or not.’

A Nigerian Life

Born in New Jersey, but educated in Nigeria up till undergraduate level at the University of Port Harcourt, Edozien – a scion of the Edozien royal family of Asaba – dropped out of school to relocate to the United States in the 1980s where he obtained a Masters’ degree and served in the US army, 10th mountain division.

‘I gained a lot from the military experience,’ he said. ‘The US military is one of the best in the world and you leave with focus and belief that you can do anything. The slogan used to be: ‘be all you can be’. Does that give you the grounding to take on life’s challenges, of course it does. I just see hurdles as challenges and I move ahead to climb it.

‘When I was at Uniport, I wasn’t the most disciplined student. That was the time of Andrew and I was one those that checked out and never looked back. I did two years in Geology at Uniport and transferred to Syracuse where I got a super education.’

After school, Edozien worked on electrical controls for air-conditioning, from 91-92 and was part of the team that designed the now ubiquitous remote control system for split-unit air conditioners. ‘I have a patent for one of those designs’ he said.

But he always wanted to be at the business end of things. ‘The quantitative side of me is where I am more comfortable and that works fine in Finance, but the human relations part is the weak spot. I started working to get on with the business management side of things.’

He started a consultancy, the Asaba Group, which had a good client list including General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. It even executed contracts worth $20million for the US Air Force. ‘I was making quite a lot of money out of the consulting,’ he said. ‘But I still wanted to be in a situation where I moved away from giving advice to doing things. I want to run better-managed and more profitable companies. I always have my eyes on the automobile industry because most of my clients on the consulting side are in the industry. I tried to convince people to buy non-performing firms in the sector. I talked to a lot of people in Nigeria to join me, but they did not want to invest. So, I stopped trying to depend on anyone for what I do.’

The startEdozien decided on his first acquisition when he came across an electrical parts manufacturing company that was dying.

He said: ‘I was working with Chrysler and there was a contractor that had moved all its plants minus one to Honduras and China. There are characteristics of some plants that do not lend itself to being moved away. So, I moved on the plant. It cost $2million and from that point onwards, I put myself in a situation where I am able to take advantage of such opportunities in the industry.’ However, it was not easy turning the plant around. Edozien and his friend and financial adviser, Michael Oniamwah (also a Nigerian-American) worked for almost three years to turn the business around. But  first, they had to convince the entirely white staff that they are who they claim to be. And a major newspaper did not help matters by carrying a story that appears to condemn the plant before the new owners even had a chance to start implementing their turn-around plan.

‘You can imagine the shock on the faces of the staff when, after closing the buy-out deal, we walked onto the floor of the plant to say we are the new owners,’ he said with a chuckle. ‘We were the only two black people within a 150 mile radius – and we are the new owners of the plant! Two guys with Nigerian accents and we told them we just bought the business. They were all just staring at us.’ Until one person spoke what was uppermost in the minds of the staff at that time: when were they getting paid? It was near Christmas and the former owners had not paid the salary. Edozien promised they will get paid, and they were. Although the company lost money the first two years, and had to rely on cash injections from the Asaba Group consulting business, it finally became profitable and now has an annual turnover of $35million. The company, which has 250 people on its payroll, is the second highest employer of labour in the town of Habour Beach, Michigan.

His next set of acquisition was the SET Enterprises, with plants in Michigan, Illinois and Alabama. Perhaps the SET plant in Detroit is a good example of the force for good that businesses such as Edozien’s could become in a society. The plant is located smack in the middle of decaying Detroit, with boarded-up and crumbling homes within its immediate vicinity. Staff of the plant gamely tried to keep public facilities such as community parks going. Of course, each of the huge plants also depends on power – and this means Edozien could not even think of moving any to Nigeria.

‘You see how much power they depend on,’ he told The Guardian during a trip to the SET flat rolled steel plant at New Boston, Michigan. ‘If I don’t have constant power, we can’t work. So, it is going to be hard to move any of the operations to Nigeria, but it is not impossible.’

Edozien was a partner in the SET operations before he bought out the owner. So, how risky is it to partner with him, seeing as he is past master at consolidating businesses he is involved in. He said, with an easy smile, it is not really a risk.

‘The thing is, I make money for people. The only people who are not happy with me are those who try to double cross me,’ he said.

Double-cross is not uncommon and Edozien has battled through a few. In fact, he only last March won a two-year-old legal suit against former partners- turned- adversaries, who wanted to usurp his rights to global energy drink, Cintron. The legal battle was costly – about a half a million dollars in legal fees – and draining. But Edozien said the brutality of the case provided further motivation for him to take his businesses even higher.

‘My former partners, who tried to use the American court system to bully me, thinking I am not American, have been disgraced,’ he said. ‘This is the greatest country in the world. There is no other place wheresomeone like me can be this huge. I speak with an accent. I have a Nigerian heritage, but this country has helped me to build a multi-million dollar business.

Asaba Group Holdings: Wharton Fellows Uncover the Next Big Thing

CEOs and other senior executives know better than perhaps anyone in their organizations the need to stay current and prevent the kind of inertia that can hold their companies back. The problem is finding the time for a rigorous learning experience when day-to-day demands require their constant presence.

“This is the challenge Wharton Fellows: Master Classes and Networking for Senior Executives was designed to meet,” says Jerry Wind, Wharton marketing professor and faculty director of the innovative program. “In three-day Master Classes, we visit and learn from some of the world’s most innovative companies, meeting with the leaders who are at the center of the action.”

Most recently, the Fellows’ three days were spent in New York, where they learned about open innovation from one of the Museum of Modern Art’s chief curators and the president of the ground-breaking advertising agency Victors & Spoils. During a visit to the headquarters of Bloomberg, the former mayor and founder of the company Mike Bloomberg spoke to the group, explaining who the company’s competition is today, and who they’re watching for the future.  

“It’s not easy to find programs like this that not only make you think, but change the way you think.”

John MacDonald, President and CEO of Canada’s EnerCare Inc.

Many of the Wharton Fellows who met in New York also attended Master Classes in Silicon Valley in 2013, where they visited with senior leaders at Facebook, Samsung, Google, Andreessen and Horwitz, Genentech, HP, and Cisco. This year, additional programs will be held, first in Seattle in May, where interactive sessions are scheduled at Boeing, Microsoft, Costco, the Seattle Sounders soccer team, Amazon, a number of startups, and famous glass innovator Dale Chihuly; and then in Tel Aviv in August, with sessions planned with various start-ups, the R&D operations of leading multinational firms, and unique innovative Israeli organizations. Victor Edozien, CEO and president of SET Enterprises Inc. (an Asaba Group Holdings Affiliate Company) and managing partner of Asaba Group Holdings, notes, “I clear out my calendar for the Fellows Master Classes. They’re like a shot of adrenalin, of new knowledge and enthusiasm. They help me stay on the right course.”

Although the sites are international and the companies visited are diverse, Master Classes all focus on the future, recognizing that today’s most successful organizations must push the boundaries of their industries to stay on top. In commercial real estate, that means in part a rethinking of space and talent management.

“The right space helps to attract and retain talent,” said John Santora, president of Cushman and Wakefield’s Corporate Occupier & Investor Services. “But open space isn’t just about talent retention. It fosters creativity and collaboration, and it reduces the overall cost of occupancy. Today, real estate and business are working together in new ways.”

For advertising agency Victors & Spoils, open innovation means reaching beyond in-house creative teams to foster collaboration with creative people everywhere. The industry-disrupting agency is built on opensourcing principles, reaching out to a wide network for campaign ideas. “We embrace the fact that we don’t have all the answers,” says president Jonathan Balck. Victor Edozien notes that the variety of industries makes it clear that challenges facing today’s organizations are very similar. “The Master Classes trigger a lot of ideas, making me think about how we do business in my sector. In my company and in my industry, how do we challenge what we are doing and change our mindset? To do that you need to have access to knowledge and see how different companies have very similar challenges, and how they look into the future and come up with solutions. This is a significant competitive value add to me as I grow the companies in our holdings.”

One of the final sessions in New York included an executive vice president of an investment company. As he addressed the group, he described the current challenges faced by his organization. They were formidable, but it was the kind of frank talk the Fellows expect. When he was finished, he turned the tables on them.

“Here is where we are, here is where we think we’re going. What do you think we should do?” The exchange that followed brought insights from pharma and retail, banking and technology. It was a typical Fellows dialogue, where learning comes from presenters and from other participants.

“Fellows shows you what the textbooks don’t,” says John MacDonald, president and CEO of Canada’s EnerCare Inc. “It’s here and now. You get in front of people who are at the edge of innovation, and have a dialogue with them. It’s not easy to find programs like this that not only make you think, but change the way you think.”

Asaba Group Holdings: LaserCoil receives order for laser coil cutter

New Boston, MI - LaserCoil Technologies has received an order for a LaserCoil coil-fed blanking system from SET Enterprises, a processor of flat-rolled metal primarily for the automotive industry. The 2100mm-wide dual-head system, featuring two 6kW lasers, is being installed at the company's New Boston facility, where SET processes blanks for the automotive industry.

"LaserCoil’s solutions give SET the ability to provide their customers with superior blank quality in all grades of advanced engineered materials," says Victor Edozien, chairman and CEO of SET. "This capability is critical in an increasingly dynamic automotive industry that is transitioning to support advanced high-strength steels and aluminum alloys. The capability and flexibility of LaserCoil's system, in combination with SET's operating experience, gives us the manufacturing agility and responsiveness to rapidly meet our customers' most complex metal processing needs.

"In addition to the advanced processing capabilities provided by the LaserCoil hardware, their control system and laser blanking operating system software allow us to maximize our blanking efficiency. Our lines will deliver solutions to our customers in a fraction of the time required by traditional blanking."

An additional benefit of the software programming capabilities is the ability to maximize raw material usage and reduce scrap. As automotive OEMs increase the use of aluminum and advanced high-strength steels, optimizing metal processing yields and reducing scrap is a critical consideration.

For more information on this approach to laser cutting of coil strip, the equipment, or processing of components at the LaserCoil facility, please visit www.lasercoil.com.

Asaba Group Holdings: Contact Us

To learn more about Asaba Group Holdings or our portfolio companies, please call us. Alternatively, please visit any portfolio company website. Visit our Portfolio Companies page for links to each company's website.

Asaba Group Holdings

220 North Main Street

Suite 102

Natick, MA 01760

+1 (508) 655-8100 Telephone

+1 (508) 655-1955 Fax

Asaba Group Holdings: Company Overview

Our Competitive Edge

Asaba Group Holdings Holding’s competitive edge is its ability to leverage the methodologies used to achieve past success, while eliminating risks and enhancing the value of future transactions. Business principles that are fundamentally the same regardless of the industry, an understanding for the growth and profit drivers, strategic clarity on growth initiatives, combined with deep sector-specific expertise, are the foundation of our processes. What worked yesterday, in tandem with the lessons learned from past experiences will prove successful in the present and generate growth and value in the future.

Our Principals and Managers

Through the skills, knowledge, and experience of our professionals, Asaba Group Holdings is uniquely positioned to deliver excellence on behalf of stakeholders, clients and customers. Our principals are experienced in successfully executing transactions in a broad range of disciplines including acquisition financing, product planning and business strategy. Every company is led by an experienced management team with deep industry experience and knowledge. The knowledge and experience of the principals and management teams, as well as, lessons learned are shared across Asaba Group Holdings Holdings enterprise.

Our Companies

Each company is based on an identified competitive "white space" that exists within a niche market segment that has historically been underserved and strategic clarity on its growth drivers. Each company is provided with capital and strategic support for sales and management. A deep understanding of growth drivers, combined with, great management and sector-specific expertise help build exceptional businesses.