Finalists Announced In 12th Annual FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands

NEW YORK, Sept.19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Get ready to see executives strumming guitars and belting out lyrics to an audience of hundreds of rock enthusiasts. Rock and roll bands comprised of employees from eight FORTUNE 500 companies have advanced to the finals round in the 12th annual FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands. On Oct. 6, these bands will take center stage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio where they will compete for the title of 'Best Corporate Band in North America.' Event proceeds will benefit the Rock Hall's educational activities.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120919/LA77033)

The Battle of the Corporate Bands is held each year to salute the best amateur, company-sponsored bands. The goal of the national competition is to promote the benefits of making music, which have been shown to increase employee morale and improve productivity in the workplace. The program is presented through a partnership with FORTUNE magazine, the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), and the Rock Hall, and is sponsored by Gibson Guitars, Chancellor University and Panasonic Automotive.

More than 30 bands across North America entered this year's competition. A total of eighteen bands were chosen to participate in three semifinal regional competitions, where a panel of judges selected the eight finalists who will compete in the live battle of the bands competition. At the finals event, a panel of judges comprised of musicians from .38 Special, the Billy Joel Band, and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts will choose the winning band and decide the fate of these corporate rock stars.  

The finalists include:

• "Cassius King" of Mesirow Financial (MFPE) – Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.
• "The Cordovans" of The MIL Corporation– Goose Creek, S.C.
• "The Dealmakers" of BTI Systems – Ottawa, Ont.
• "The Grove Valve Orchestra" of Clif Bar – Emeryville, Calif.
• "Roi" of Mainline Information Systems – Tallahassee, Fla.
• "The Messengers" of Progressive (PGR) – Cleveland, Ohio
• "The Teachers" of DeVry (DV) – Downers Grove, Ill.
• "The Toys" of Mattel (MAT) – El Segundo, Calif.

The judges panel includes:

• Rob Arthur (Multi-instrumentalist with Peter Frampton)
• Ricky Byrd (Guitarist with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
• Jeff Carlisi (Founding member and guitarist for .38 Special)
• Liberty Devitto (Drummer for over 30 years with Billy Joel)
• Antoinette Follet (Editor of Making Music magazine)

All proceeds from the FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands competition will benefit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's education activities. With the Rock Hall's increased focus on bringing music into the classroom, the Museum's educational offerings have become one of the most celebrated and award-winning activities from a fine arts museum in the nation. The Museum hosts a variety of events including year-round concerts and the Hall of Fame series featuring evenings with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. In addition, there are award-winning education programs for everyone from toddlers to college students, to teachers and adults.

About NAMM
The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the not-for-profit association with a mission to strengthen the $17 billion music products industry and promote the pleasures and benefits of making music. NAMM's activities and programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of approximately 9,000 Member companies located in more than 87 countries. For more information about NAMM or the proven benefits of making music, interested parties can visit www.namm.org, call 800-767-NAMM (6266) or follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.   

About the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. is the nonprofit organization that exists to educate visitors, fans and scholars from around the world about the history and continuing significance of rock and roll music. It carries out this mission through its operation of a world-class museum that collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets this art form and through its library and archives as well as its educational programs. For general inquiries, please call 216.781.ROCK(7625) or visit www.rockhall.com. 

About FORTUNE
FORTUNE is a global leader in business journalism with a worldwide circulation of more than one million and a readership of nearly five million, with major franchises including the FORTUNE 500 and the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For. FORTUNE Live Media extends the brand's mission into live settings, hosting a wide range of annual conferences, including the FORTUNE Global Forum. FORTUNE magazine's online home is CNNMoney.com, the most visited and utilized business destination website.

SOURCE NAMM