BIWIR Signed for North American Poker Tour
LAS VEGAS – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Hansen Gray & Company, Inc. (OTC: HGCP) announced today that its subsidiary NAPPTour, Inc., an event management, entertainment and television production company, has engaged B|W|R Public Relations to provide publicity support for the forthcoming North American Poker Tour(TM).
"B|W|R brings a wealth of knowledge and experience," commented William Waldrop, chairman and CEO of NAPPTour. They have been around for over 25 years and have proven their ability to design and deliver successful campaigns for some of the largest names in the entertainment industry."
With its high-stakes competition, national reach, and the commitment of over 50 of the world's best players NAPP Tour will be kicking of its 2006 - 2007 season at Hollywood Park Casino in May 2006. Distinguished as the first professional, standardized poker tour, professional competitors in each of its main events will be battling for a million dollar first place prize, and the top three finishers will earn a berth in the multi-million dollar championship.
"While there are many other televised poker events, pretty much anyone can buy their way into the tournaments without regard for their standing as a player. Endorsed by the International Poker Association(TM), players will have to maintain their professional status to remain on the tour, so this is a first," says Wade Mezey, President and COO of NAPPTour, Inc., "We recognized the sports nature of poker and the need to give it sports stature by putting the best players on the road in an exciting series of events."
NAPPTour, Inc., is managed by entrepreneur William Waldrop (Chairman/CEO), former president and COO of College Partnership, a publicly traded company that assists high school students with college selection and financial aid, VP of operations for Leading Edge Broadband Services and a senior manager at AirTouchCellular (now VerizonWireless); Wade Mezey (President and COO), former chief legal officer of College Partnership, and an attorney for Steptoe& Johnson in Washington D.C.; Lisa Tenner (EVPMarketing and Branding), one of the leading figures with over 20 years of experience in the world of event marketing, music management, and branding; and Matt Savage (Tournament Operations), one of the most sought-after poker tournament directors with experience on over 200 televised poker shows, including the World Series of Poker, and co-founder of the Tournament Directors Association which has been instrumental in standardizing poker tournament rules worldwide.
B|W|R Public Relations, headquartered in Beverly Hills with offices in New York, has established a 26-year reputation as a full-service firm including corporate entertainment, film, television, talent, event, public affairs/non- profit, hospitality/destination, consumer products, publishing and technology publicity. B|W|R clients have spanned a breadth of publicity disciplines including corporate (e.g., HP, Nike, Microsoft), corporate entertainment (2929 Entertainment, 19 Entertainment, Alcon Entertainment, Mosaic Media, Regency Television), feature film (Crash, Bubble), television networks (launch of Current TV, TNT, E!, Sci-Fi Channel, Oxygen), television shows ("American Idol," "Malcolm in the Middle," "The Bernie Mac Show") and talent (currently Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Alanis Morissette, Prince, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez, Renee Zellweger, Ashton Kutcher, Jack Black, Chris Rock, Lindsay Lohan, Will Ferrell, Jennifer Garner, Reese Witherspoon, Jon Stewart).
The company's other core competencies include special events (hotel/store openings, concerts, award shows and celebrity parties), non-profit/public affairs (Revlon Run/Walk for Women, Rock the Vote), destinations (Wynn LasVegas, Mandalay Bay, W hotels, Virgin Megastore, DisneyQuest, Louis Vuitton, Michael Jordan's Steak House, ESPN Zone), consumer products (Perrier, Patron, Velvet, Rebel Yell) and technology (Netflix, Nokia, LG Electronics, Microsoft Xbox, TiVo, Sirius Satellite Radio).