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EXHIBIT 99.2
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Kimberley Beales
(858) 467-2815
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2000
TRANSWESTERN PUBLISHING
ANNOUNCES CONTINUED EXPANSION
SAN DIEGO - This week TransWestern Publishing announced its continued expansion
through three acquisitions as well as starting two new telephone directories.
The previously announced purchase of nine directories from the New York
Times Company received government approval and has been finalized. Seven of the
phone directories are in Florida: Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Palatka,
Lakeland, Sebring and Plant City; and two are in Louisiana: Houma and Opelousas.
TransWestern Publishing also purchased three directories in California
from two companies. The Manteca /Tracy South County and Westside telephone
directories were purchased from American West Publishing. The Han `D' Rainbow
Pages in Lodi were purchased from E & L Han Publishing.
In addition, the company also announced it will be producing two new
telephone directories in Texas: Greater Stephenville/Hamilton Area and
Hill/Bosque Counties.
"I believe that both businesses and consumers will be pleased with our
high quality products and services," said TransWestern Publishing's President
and Chief Executive Officer Rick Puente. "For the directories which we have
purchased, the same local sales team will serve each of these areas."
TransWestern Publishing has grown from 96 phone books in 1994 to 254
directories today. The company's growth strategy has been based on growing in
contiguous markets as well as developing strong new markets.
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TransWestern Publishing
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Expansion - Page 2
Puente continued, "During the past few years, TransWestern Publishing
has continued to expand through acquisitions and start-up directories. In
addition, we have made new products and services available such as on-line
coupons."
With the addition of these directories, TransWestern Publishing now
serves 254 communities in 17 states. Some of the company's directories have been
published for more than 70 years. The TransWestern Publishing telephone
directories feature complete white and yellow page listings as well as community
information in one easy-to-use phone book. TransWestern Publishing is a
California-based independent yellow page publisher. In 1999, TransWestern had
$146.4 million in revenues and an EBITDA of $46.7 million.
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