ROTH Capital Partners Teams Up with Challenged Athletes Foundation for 2nd Annual ROTH Ride, March 17th, 2013

A scenic pre-conference bike ride to raise funds for injured military personnel

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ROTH Capital Partners (ROTH), a relationship-driven investment bank focused on serving emerging growth companies and their investors, will partner with the Challenged Athletes Foundation®(CAF), for the 2nd Annual ROTH Ride as the kick-off event to its 25th Annual Growth Stock Conference March 17-20, 2013 at The Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, California. The ride will take place on Sunday, March 17 departing from the Ritz Carlton at 8:00 a.m.

“This exceptional event is a great way to kick-off our flagship conference and allows our attendees, who come from around the country, to participate with us in honoring the men and women who have sacrificed so much to protect and serve our nation.”

The 41 mile bike ride from Dana Point through the town of San Clemente, featuring picturesque views of San Onofre State Beach, will benefit Operation Rebound, a program of CAF that provides support and opportunities to troops and veterans who have suffered permanent physical injuries. ROTH Conference attendees will have the opportunity to ride side-by-side with injured military members like Major Daniel Gade, who lost his right leg when hit by an IED on his second deployment to Iraq while leading troops with the U.S. Army.

"We are inspired and proud to be teaming up with CAF and Operation Rebound again this year for the 2nd Annual ROTH Ride," said Byron Roth, CEO of ROTH. "This exceptional event is a great way to kick-off our flagship conference and allows our attendees, who come from around the country, to participate with us in honoring the men and women who have sacrificed so much to protect and serve our nation."

At last year’s inaugural ROTH Ride 65 cyclists raised $26,000 in support of CAF’s mission to help people with physical disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics.

"We are honored to be partnering with ROTH Capital for the second year of this event," says Challenged Athletes Foundation Executive Director, Virginia Tinley. "While the current conflicts may no longer dominate the headlines, requests we received from injured troops more than doubled in the last year. We hope this opportunity will not only raise more awareness and funds to support our injured military members.”

Bike Religion’s ride leadership and logistical support combined with top-of-the-line bikes provided by Cannondale and Felt will make it a worthwhile experience for first timers and experienced cyclists alike. Additional bike ride sponsors include: Coastal.com, Krispy Kreme, Pactimo and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

The ROTH Capital Partners’ 25th Annual Growth Stock Conference, one of the largest of its kind, is a three-day investment conference that brings together executives from more than 370 growth companies and 1,000 institutional investors. The event provides attendees with investment ideas across a variety of sectors, including Business Services, Consumer, Cleantech, Industrials & Resources, Healthcare, Metals & Mining, and Technology & Media. Company presentations, Q&A sessions, panels and management one-on-one meetings offer institutional clients opportunities for extensive interaction with executive management to gain in-depth insights into each business and sector.

For more information about this invitation only conference – including agenda and web cast schedule – please visit www.roth.com. For more information on the Challenged Athletes Foundation and the Operation Rebound program, visit www.challengedathletes.org or call 858-866-0959.

About ROTH Capital Partners, LLC:

ROTH Capital Partners, LLC (ROTH), is a relationship-driven investment bank focused on serving emerging growth companies and their investors. As a full-service investment bank, ROTH provides capital raising, M&A advisory, analytical research, trading, market-making services and corporate access. Headquartered in Newport Beach, CA, ROTH is privately-held and employee owned, and maintains offices throughout the U.S. and Hong Kong. For more information on ROTH, please visit www.roth.com.

About the Challenged Athletes Foundation:

The Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF) is a world leader in helping individuals with physical challenges get involved – and stay involved – in sports. CAF believes that participation in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life. Since 1994, more than $40 million has been raised and almost 7,000 funding requests from challenged athletes in all 50 states and dozens of countries have been satisfied. Additionally, CAF’s outreach efforts reach another 60,000 individuals each year. Whether it’s a $2,500 grant for a handcycle, helping underwrite a carbon fiber running foot not covered by insurance, or arranging enthusiastic encouragement from a mentor who has triumphed over a similar challenge, CAF’s mission is clear: give those with the desire to live active, athletic lifestyles every opportunity to compete in the sports they love. To learn more, log on to www.challengedathletes.org or call 858-866-0959.