Energizer Asia Pacific sponsors Kelly Benefit Strategies

Minneapolis, Minn. December 14, 2009 – Energizer Asia Pacific, a division of the global consumer products and consumer care company announced today a deal to become a sponsor of the Kelly Benefit Strategies pro cycling team’s push to expand their international racing program with the Schick, Banana Boat and Energizer brands. Effective immediately, the sponsorship, signed with Energizer’s Asia Pacific Division, best known for Schick razors and Banana Boat sun care and Energizer batteries, will see Energizer join the roster of partners for the upcoming 2010 season.

“We are thrilled to have Energizer’s great brands join the KBS cycling family,” says Charles Aaron, Managing Director, Circuit Global Sport Management, the management arm of the KBS pro team. “We seek to align our program with the very best brands in their category and when it comes to consumer personal care goods, they don’t come any more successful or committed than Energizer. We’re looking forward to a terrific new season in 2010.”

Energizer joins the KBS pro team at a time when the three-year old program is ranked as the top domestic pro cycling team in the 2009 USA Cycling Professional Series and is actively seeking to expand its international presence with a focus on Asia and Africa. They join a sponsor roster headed by Maryland-based title sponsor Kelly Benefit Strategies and Minneapolis-based major sponsor Contour Technology, experts in electronic muscle stimulation technology. Other partners of the program include Medifast, Kurt Kinetic, SRAM, and many more category leaders.

“Schick and Banana Boat are committed to growing by promoting and encouraging healthy, active lifestyles among our consumers,” says Steve Bayliss, Area Marketing Director- Schick, Energizer Asia Pacific. “The Kelly Benefit Strategies pro cycling program includes incredible role models in this regard, real athletes and an amazing network of other sponsors and partners. We are delighted to be on board for the new season.”

During the 2009 season, KBS solidified itself as an international contender, winning major UCI stage races on several different continents against some of the best competition in the world. Andy Bajadali won the individual title at Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Tour of Thailand, a grueling six stage race, which also saw KBS take the team classification crown. One week later, across the globe, the team wrapped up another dominant performance in the Vuelta Ciclista del Uruguay, winning five of the race’s ten stages. Scott Zwizanski became the first American in the South American race’s storied 66-year history to win the overall title. Zwizanski and the KBS team struck again a few months later, winning the Tour de Beauce, Canada’s longest, most difficult stage race. These successes around North and South America saw KBS finish 3^rd (the top American team) in the UCI America Tour standings, an international ranking of UCI teams who race in the western hemisphere.

“We have had a lot of great results and success racing internationally over the last couple of years,” comments Performance Director Jonas Carney. “We intend to build on that momentum and our successes in Thailand and Uruguay by expanding our international calendar in 2010.”

For the 2010 season, KBS and Energizer Asia Pacific intend to expand further into Asian Pacific, South American, and European (should this be African instead of European?) race calendars, defend their titles in Thailand and Uruguay, and bring their formidable presence to UCI events around the globe.  Do we want to call out that we’re competing in the UCI Regional Tours?

The Kelly Benefit Strategies pro cycling team is managed out of Minneapolis by Circuit Global Sport Management.

About Energizer (www.energizer.com) Energizer Holdings, Inc., headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and incorporated in 1999, is a consumer goods company operating globally in the broad categories of household and personal care products.

Energizer’s Personal Care Division offers a diversified range of consumer products in the wet shave, skin care, feminine care and infant care categories. The company’s portfolio includes well established brand names such as Schick® and Wilkinson Sword® men’s and women’s shaving systems and disposable razors; Playtex® tampons, gloves and infant feeding products; Banana Boat® and Hawaiian Tropic® sun care products; and Wet Ones® moist wipes.

Energizer’s Household Products Division offers consumers the broadest range of portable power solutions, anchored by the universally recognized Energizer® and Eveready® brands. The company’s comprehensive product portfolio ranges from low-cost carbon zinc batteries suited for discount classes of trade and developing markets to the world’s longest lasting AA and AAA batteries in high drain devices (Energizer® Advanced Lithium and Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries), plus specialty batteries, Energi To Go® chargers and a complete line of battery-powered flashlights and lanterns.

About Kelly Benefit Strategies (www.kellybenefitstrategies.com) is a group insurance broker and consultant that specialize in healthcare, and is a division of Kelly & Associates Insurance Group, Inc, headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland. KBS serves thousands of employers ranging in size from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and is committed to bringing its customers affordable group benefits through innovative benefit design, management, and administration.

About Circuit Global Sports Management (www.circuitsport.com) Minneapolis-based CGSM facilitates strategic alliances between corporate partners and professional cycling initiatives. Previous high-profile clients include Cadillac, Red Bull, Panasonic, DKNY, Dollar Rent a Car, Jeep, Timberland, and the State of Minnesota.

FILED UNDER: Uncategorized TAGS: Kelly Benefit Strategies / USA Cycling