Thomas C. Dircks is the Managing Partner of Charterhouse Group International, a New York-based private equity investment firm that actively acquires and manages middle-market companies. Mr. Dircks served as President of Charterhouse from June 2001 until October 2002 and Executive Vice President from July 2000 until June 2001. Mr. Dircks has been employed as an executive officer of the Firm since 1983. He was previously employed as a Certified Public Accountant at a predecessor of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. He holds a B.S. in Accounting and an M.B.A. from Fordham University. Mr. Dircks is a member of the Board of Directors of the following companies: AAT Communication Corporation, Cequel III LLC, Cross Country, Inc. (NASDAQ: CCRN), EYT, Inc., MP TotalCare, Inc. and Vytek Wireless, Inc.