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August 7, 2007 - New York, NY: CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading global provider of commercial and consumer finance solutions, and Condé Nast Media Group announced today the launch of the second installment of CIT: BEHIND THE BUSINESS - the dynamic marketing campaign and series of original webcasts that will go live on August 7, 2007 at http://behindthebusiness.cit.com.
Hosted by notable business strategist and journalist Andrew Shapiro, the second executive interviewed in this series is private aviation magnate Kenny Dichter, founder and chief executive officer of Marquis Jet, the global leader in private jet cards. Kenny discusses his high-flying success and the company's growth from a big idea - the creation of pre-paid jet cards sold in 25-hour increments on the exclusive NetJets fleet - into a $700 million business in only six years. CIT: BEHIND THE BUSINESS provides incomparable access to today's business leaders in such fields as technology, fashion, sports, entertainment and energy, by exploring the critical decisions and business insights that led to the creation of some of the world's most dynamic companies. Shot by top photographer Frank Ockenfels, CIT: BEHIND THE BUSINESS with Kenny Dichter will be featured in the September 2007 issues of Wired, Condé Nast Portfolio, Golf Digest, and The New Yorker, and their respective websites. CIT: BEHIND THE BUSINESS is a reflection of CIT's desire to foster stronger relationships with clients by moving beyond traditional financial analysis to understand and value the overall importance of a company's potential, ideas and people. CIT is reaching out to its client base through various initiatives that will highlight key business issues facing middle market executives today. Eight richly produced webcasts will explore the following topics with Kenny Dichter: * Early Maneuvers: Kenny talks about his early days as an entrepreneur in college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he convinced Dick Vitale to take part in their university pep rallies, eventually leading to the creation of "Late Night With The Badgers," and a multi-fold increase in ticket sales for the school.
* Lessons from the Jet Set: Kenny sheds light on the pivotal moment when he and his partner, Jesse Itzler, sold their sports/music CD company to SFX Entertainment, and through their new business partners, were exposed to the exciting world of private aviation.
* Getting off the Ground: Kenny discusses the private aviation industry today and the genesis of the Marquis Jet Card program. He explains, "Once you have five or six rides on a jet, and you don't have the money necessarily to buy one, you start doing a lot of figuring." Taking the NetJets' fractional jet ownership model one step further, the idea of the 25-hour jet card was born.
* Flying High: After taking their passion, determination and unique business model of the Marquis Jet Card program to NetJets' Warren Buffett and Richard Santulli, Kenny was given an initial aircraft and told to "go sell those cards." Within the first year, Marquis Jet sold 425 cards and raked in $70 million in revenue.
* Friends In High Places: How tying the Marquis Jet brand into television shows such as The Apprentice and American Idol brought the company instant national recognition and furthered their strong celebrity following.
* Supercharged Marketing: Kenny refers to past business ventures and successes by pointing out, "that if you look at the key theme of everything that we've been able to do entrepreneurially through the years, we've really just repackaged existing concepts to reach a broader marketplace."
* Keeping The Engine Running: How Kenny combines fun with hard work to empower his team, grow the brand, and set Marquis Jet up as both a business and personal lifestyle enhancement tool. Kenny explains, "We sell the sexiest product in the world, private jets, to the sexiest people in the world."
* Safety First: As an entrepreneur, Kenny talks about what you need to do to stay ahead of the game and the importance of keeping everyone motivated. With 70% of the market share Marquis Jet is truly the leader in the jet card space. In addition to the webcasts, http://behindthebusiness.cit.com will also offer fresh content including secrets to success, audio podcasts, and behind-the-scenes imagery from the advertising campaign. CIT
CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading commercial and consumer finance company, provides clients with financing and leasing products and advisory services. Founded in 1908, CIT has approximately $81 billion in managed assets and possesses the financial resources, industry expertise and product knowledge to serve the needs of clients across approximately 30 industries worldwide. CIT, a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500 Index, holds leading positions in cash flow lending, vendor financing, factoring, equipment and transportation financing, Small Business Administration loans, and asset-based lending. With its global headquarters in New York City, CIT has approximately 7,300 employees in locations throughout North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. www.cit.com Condé Nast Media Group
Condé Nast Media Group, a unit of Condé Nast Publications, includes corporate sales, marketing, interactive and direct sales efforts for all of Condé Nast's consumer magazines and websites. The Condé Nast Media Group is recognized as an industry leader for its creation and execution of large-scale, integrated, multi-platform advertising programs and events. Marquis Jet
Marquis Jet is the leader in private jet cards. Through its exclusive alliance with NetJets, Marquis Jet provides the convenience, quality and safety of the world's premier fractional aircraft ownership program 25 hours at a time. The Marquis Jet Card is available throughout North America, catering to businesses and individuals who desire access to the world's best fleet and service. Business Traveler Magazine, Executive Travel Magazine, Robb Report and Flight International have recognized the Marquis Jet Card as the best in the industry. The Marquis Jet Card program is operated by NetJets Aviation, Inc. or NetJets International, Inc. under their respective FAR Part 135 Air Carrier Certificates. For additional information, visit the Company's website at www.MarquisJet.com or call 1-866-JET-1400. Kenny Dichter, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Marquis Jet
Kenny Dichter has been an entrepreneur in sports marketing, manufacturing and retail for close to 20 years. Prior to founding Marquis Jet in 2001, along with partner Jesse Itzler, Dichter co-founded Alphabet City, a production and distribution company specializing in sports compilation CDs. Alphabet City had licensing agreements with the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and NCAA and released over 50 CDs before being acquired by Robert FX Sillerman's SFX Entertainment in 1998. Dichter's entrepreneurial bent began while at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he began an on-campus retail specialty store called Bucky's and also worked closely with the UW Athletic Department to create "Late Night With The Badgers." Dichter is also the Founder and a Board member of Tour GCX Partners, Inc. Dichter was awarded a BA in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Jack Martin Fund at Mt. Sinai Hospital and a Board member of the Turn the Corner Foundation. Andrew Shapiro
Founder and CEO of GreenOrder (www.greenorder.com), a sustainable business strategy firm serving Fortune 100 clients, Andrew Shapiro has a diverse background as a consultant, journalist, lecturer, and attorney. Shapiro has served as a senior advisor to the Markle Foundation; project director at the Aspen Institute where he continues to lead seminars regularly; a contributor to diverse publications including WIRED; lecturer at Columbia and Yale law schools; and research fellow at Harvard, NYU, and The Century Foundation. In 1999, MIT's Technology Review magazine named Andrew Shapiro as one of the top 100 young innovators who will shape the future of technology. Original Release
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