Lekas & Levine Public Relations, Inc. Joanne Levine 847.327.9530 Ray Silverstein knows firsthand that "it's lonely at the top." Silverstein, a recognized small business expert, is president and founder of PRO: President's Resource Organization, a network of advisory boards for small business owners. Silverstein founded PRO in 1993, after selling his multi-million dollar tool and hardware manufacturing company. Today, he facilitates PRO groups throughout the Chicago area and in Phoenix. He has facilitated over 1,000 such meetings to date, making him one of the leading authorities on business peer groups. He has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Crain's Chicago Business, Entrepreneur and Inc. He writes small business column, "Advice from the Pros" for The Business Ledger in Chicagoland. He is also author of The Best Secrets of Great Small Businesses, released by Sourcebooks publishers in September, 2006. The book features more than 500 real-life ideas that have taken shape during PRO brainstorming sessions. It is available at www.amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and at book stores nationwide. As a former CEO, Silverstein is committed to small business education. He has taught entrepreneurship at a Chicago area college and developed a new seminar series, "Great Small Business Secrets," which helps small business owners enhance their company sales, organizational structure, leadership skills, and more. In addition, Silverstein is founder of the Institute for Small Business Success, a non-profit organization that helps entrepreneurs achieve success through ongoing education. He may be contacted at 800.276.2233 or through his websites, www.propres.com and www.bestsmallbizsecrets.com.