MLTO Medirect Latino Inc (CE)

MEDirect Latino Inc. (OTC:MLTO) http://www.medirectlatino.org), today announced the election of its board of directors and the appointment of new officers. The appointments to the MEDirect Latino executive team combine the talents of physicians and healthcare professionals, media and marketing experts, and business development entrepreneurs combining over 100 years of healthcare, business development and direct to consumer marketing expertise. MEDirect Latino Inc. has 9,025,339 common shares outstanding, comprised of 7,838,910 restricted shares and 1,186,429 in the free trading float. Forecasts based upon the current shares outstanding, the Company forecasts earnings, before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $.33 per share in 2005 and $.89 per share in 2006. MEDirect's executive team has over 100 years of combined business development experience with corporations such as NBC-TV, South Pacific Holdings, Mercy Hospital Group, Logan Pharmaceuticals and AmeriSource. MEDirect's President, Debra Towsley, and COO, Charles Hansen, have over 60 years of combined marketing experience, as former Director of Strategic Alliance Marketing for Universal Studios and Vice-President & General Manager of Pax TV. MEDirect's General Operations Manager, Mr. William Van Aalten, a pioneer in the direct to home diabetes care market, brings over 40 years of experience in pharmaceutical sales in both the wholesale and retail level. MEDirect's Co-Chairman, Dr. Julio C. Pita Jr., former Head of Endocrinology at Mercy Hospital, is one of the leading specialists of diabetes care in the Hispanic community. The Company is pleased to announce the following members of its board of directors and executive officers: Debra L. Towsley, President and Director Debra Towsley, a veteran business development executive, brings years of experience to MEDirect Latino Inc. Ms. Towsley's specialty has been in the conceptualization, program design and implementation of corporate branding efforts for such multi-nationally recognized companies as, Universal Studios and Blockbuster Video. Prior to founding MEDirect Latino Inc., Ms. Towsley was Vice-President of Business Development for Sci-Fi MegaPlex, Inc. Previously, Ms. Towsley was Director of Strategic Alliance Marketing for Universal Studios, in Orlando overseeing the marketing plan for the grand opening of Islands of Adventure and CityWalk projects, the largest theme park expansion in the United States costing over $1.5 billion dollars. Prior to Universal Studios, she was responsible for implementing a new development department providing alternative revenue streams for the Cox Radio Group in Atlanta as Executive Director of Development and produced over $1.3 million in real non-traditional revenue to the bottom line. In addition, Ms. Towsley held the position of Director of Marketing for Blockbuster Video in the State of Florida, overseeing the grand opening programs and strategic marketing for over 200 Blockbuster Video stores managing a $10 million budget. Raymond J. Talarico, CEO, Co-Chairman, Director Mr. Talarico brings to the project years of experience in the start up developmental phase of embryonic companies. Mr. Talarico was Chairman of the Fort Lauderdale based Sci-Fi MegaPlex, Inc., a company founded around the genre of science fact, fiction and fantasy. The company's national expansion began with the opening of retail stores in major markets such as Orlando, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia and was in construction development in Puerto Rico's Plaza Las Americas and seven other major markets. Mr. Talarico resigned as Chairman in September 2000. Charles W. Hansen III, Chief Operating Officer, Director Charles W. Hansen III was formerly president and chief operating officer of eComeCom.com, a public company designed to assist small to medium brick and mortar companies capitalize on strategic and competitive advantages in the industry. Mr. Hansen's responsibilities included establishing an on-line presences and acceleration of growth through use of its proprietary online tools and enabling technologies. In addition, Mr. Hansen's focus was assisting companies in the process of becoming publicly traded, advising on corporate structuring, methods of debt and equity financing and locating strategic partners. In 1978 he was promoted to Vice President, NBC Group Station Sales. In 1984, Hansen moved to WPTV TV (NBC) West Palm Beach as General Sales Manager. In 1992, he accepted the position of President General Manager of WNPL TV Naples/Ft Myers. In 1994 Hansen formed DHA production studios and served as president until 1998 when he joined PAX TV as part of the networks inaugural launch as the official Seventh Television Network. William Van Aalten, General Operations Manager William Van Aalten began a career in pharmaceuticals in 1962 after attending Brooklyn College and taking a position as Pharmacy Manager at Gallery Drug, where he was responsible for increasing revenues over 15% and developing the company into the largest independent pharmacy in the New York Metropolitan area, filling over 600 prescriptions per day. He approached IBM to develop an early prescription computer system, which was non-existent at the time. After 18 years with Gallery, 'Bill' took a position as Director of Purchasing and Marketing for Kinray Inc., the largest drug wholesaler in New York City, at the time, and developed their innovative generic sales programs. He then founded Logen Pharmaceuticals, and as President generated over $7 million in wholesale generic drug sales to pharmacies in the United States via a telemarketing campaign. Dr. Julio C. Pita, Co-Chairman, Corporate Spokesman, Director Dr. Julio C. Pita brings to MEDirect his extensive experience as one of the leading diabetes-care specialists in the Hispanic community. Dr. Pita has been in private practice as an Endocrinologist since 1976, Chief Medical Director of the Diabetes Center at Mercy Hospital in Miami, Florida (2002 to present), and Vice President of Medical Affairs and Member of the Board of the Diabetes Treatment Centers of America in Nashville, Tennessee (1987 to Present as Board Member, and 1999 to present as Vice President). Dr. Pita is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at University of Miami's School of Medicine in Coral Gables, Florida. In addition, from 1997 through 2002, Dr. Pita served as Chairman of the Mercy Health Board in Miami, Florida, while from 1987 to 1988; he served as Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Clinical Endocrinologists of the National Endocrinology Society. Mr. Tomas T. Johansen, Director As former Vice-President and General Manager of WLTV/Channel 23, Tomas Turull Johansen brings over 30 years of management experience in the Television Industry to MEDirect Latino. Mr. Johansen was responsible for all aspects of Marketing, News, Programming, Promotions and Productions for South Florida's oldest and most watched Spanish language Television station and one of the top Hispanic stations in the United States. Skilled in maximizing and strengthening the teamwork of his management team, Mr. Johansen had direct supervision of 158 employees, as has been a source of accelerated growth in the areas of Sales, Promotions, and Community related projects, serving the Hispanic community. In 1993, he joined Univision Television Group as Vice President and General Manger of WXTV-Channel 41 in New York/ New Jersey, moving the next year to WLTV-Channel 23, Miami, Florida in the same capacity. Mr. Johansen, who is Cuban-born, is a graduate of Farleigh Dickinson University and majored in Spanish and International Relations. Mr. Tomas Erban, Director Mr. Tomas Erban - Tomas Erban's impressive career has spanned twenty-five plus years of global accomplishments in both corporate and private consulting assignments. He was most recently a Senior Partner with The Curtiss Group International, an executive development group. Before that he held the position of Vice President of Human Resources and Public Relations for Bacardi USA and North America. Previous to that he was VP of Marketing and Sales for Bacardi International, the world's number three wine and spirits firm and his international subsidiary responsibilities included Brazil, Canada, Panama, Spain and Central & South America. Tomas is fluent in Spanish and English and skilled in multicultural integration strategies. Tomas holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in /Business Administration from Boston University majoring in International Business. Currently he is Chair Elect of the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Greater Miami and also serves on the Boar of Directors for Community Partnership for Homeless and is an Advisor for the Florida Economic Counsel. About Medirect Latino: MEDirect Latino (OTC:MLTO) (www.medirectlatino.org) is a rapidly growing, uniquely positioned provider of direct-to-consumer Medicare reimbursed medical products focused exclusively on chronic diseases afflicting the Hispanic community in the United States and Puerto Rico. MEDirect is the only company positioned to serve the U.S. Hispanic healthcare market as a direct-to-consumer Medicare provider on an authentically national level. The Company's current focus is the distribution of products for the treatment of Type II diabetes specifically because of its disproportionate impact and increasing diagnosis rate within the US Hispanic population, noting an incidence of 120% higher than among non-Hispanic whites. Type II diabetes was also targeted because of its unique status within the Medicare reimbursement regime and because of its high degree of correlation to other chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease. These other conditions represent considerable future market potential that will allow MEDirect to efficiently scale its model by leveraging its existing client base and infrastructure. The current Hispanic market for MEDirect's products is conservatively estimated at approximately $650MM in the continental United States. The size of the opportunity is understated by such figures as an estimated 925,000 of the over 3.1 million Hispanics in the United States over 65 eligible to receive Medicare benefits are currently collecting these benefits with an estimate that over 1.4 million of those Medicare-eligible Hispanics have diabetes (implying a potential continental U.S. market for MEDirect products of approximately $1 billion). Forward Looking Statements: Statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as the term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances. Should events occur which materially affect any comments made within this press release; the Company will appropriately inform the public.