Tampa, FL October 10, 2008 -- Dianna Sheppard, CEO of Advantec, will serve in 2009 and 2010 on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO). NAPEO represents the $63 billion PEO industry, which delivers Fortune 500 employee benefits and human resources expertise to America’s main-street businesses.
Sheppard was elected to serve as a NAPEO Director by a vote of the national membership during the association’s annual conference in mid-September. Nearly 850 PEO leaders and vendors participated in the conference and trade show, which is the largest gathering of leaders in the PEO industry.

Ms. Sheppard was also recently named to Thunderbird School of Global Management’s Global Council. Thunderbird’s International MBA program is consistently ranked as the recognized leader in global business education by major publications around the world. The Thunderbird Global Council’s mission is to provide substantive support, advice and counsel to Thunderbird’s administration, faculty and students on issues central to the School’s strategic mission to educate global leaders who create sustainable prosperity worldwide.

“I believe that business leaders have an obligation to serve in roles where they are able to share valuable experience and expertise,” Sheppard said. “In my role as CEO of Advantec, I am touched daily by the ways in which the international landscape is shaping the future of America, and vice versa. Improving the domestic landscape by understanding the evolving needs of American employees and employers is a passion to which I have dedicated my entire professional career. Advantec helps companies navigate the rough waters of insurance, workers compensation, employee practices and compliance. I look forward to bringing my experience, my passion and my time to both organizations.”

Appointed to the position of CEO in 2006, Dianna Sheppard brings more than 24 years of leadership experience to Advantec. She is also the former Senior Vice President, Sales and Partnership Management, of Ceridian, a leading HR managed business solutions organization serving more than 20 million worksite employees and 75% of Fortune 500 companies. Ms. Sheppard has been twice recognized as an HRO Superstar by HRO Today.

About Advantec®
Advantec delivers HR, Payroll and Benefit Services to small and mid-sized companies. By taking a 360° degree view of their business needs, Advantec helps its clients mitigate risk, improve processes, reduce costs and attract and retain top talent. For more information please visit www.advantec-hr.com or call 1-877-ADVANTEC.

Note to editors: Advantec is a registered trademark of Agency Solutions International, Inc.

About NAPEO
NAPEO is the recognized “Voice of the PEO Industry.(R)” NAPEO has more than 400 members found in all 50 states, representing more than 90 percent of the revenues of the $63 billion PEO industry. PEOs enable clients to cost-effectively outsource the management of human resources, employee benefits, payroll and workers’ compensation. PEO clients focus on their core competencies to maintain and grow their bottom line. To learn more about the PEO industry and how PEOs contribute to small businesses’ success, visit the NAPEO Web site: www.napeo.org.

About Thunderbird
Founded in 1946, Thunderbird is the first and oldest graduate management school focused exclusively on global business. It is regarded as the world’s leading institution in the education of global managers and has operations in the United States, Latin America, Asia and Europe, including Russia. Ranked No. 1 in international business by the Financial Times, U.S. News & World Report, and The Wall Street Journal/Harris Interactive 2007 Business School Survey, Thunderbird is dedicated to educating global leaders who create sustainable prosperity worldwide. The school’s programs facilitate the development of the global mindset, which is critical to managing effectively in different social, economic and political environments. More than 38,000 students have graduated from Thunderbird, and its alumni live and work in more than 140 countries. For more about Thunderbird, please visit: www.thunderbird.edu.

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