Charter Financial Corporation (OTCBB: CHFN) is the parent of CharterBank, a full-service community bank and a federal savings institution. CharterBank is headquartered in West Point, Georgia, and operates ten branches and two loan offices on the I-85 corridor from LaGrange, Georgia, to Auburn, Alabama. Charter Financial, the parent, is approximately 80 percent owned by MHC, a federal mutual holding company. First Charter, MHC, has waived the cash dividends paid on the shares it owns to date so the indicated cash dividend paid only on the public shares has amounted to $1 a share on the 2.6 million minority shares.

For its fiscal six months ended March 31, 2009, Charter Financial reported net income of $1.4 million or eight cents a share. Total assets at March 31 were $797 million. The bank had $449 million in loans outstanding and $434 million in total deposits.

Additional information, including more detailed financial highlights, is available on the company’s website, www.charterbank.net.


CTS Corporation (NYSE: CTS) designs and manufactures a broad line of highly engineered electronic components, sensors and actuators that account for about 41% of recently reported sales. The other 59% is coming from its Electronic Manufacturing Solutions segment. CTS product lines and services serve major markets around the world. Its sensors and components go into automobiles, primarily to overseas OEMs, computers, communications, medical, defense and aerospace. Its EMS business primarily serves the needs of original equipment manufacturers. While EMS margins are lower than for components, the company has successfully increased EMS margins recently. The company is feeling the effects of the recession but points out it is receiving a high number of new product wins that should bode well for the future...$180 million into August of this year. CTS is an international competitor with facilities in the U. S., China, Mexico, Czech Republic, Canada, Scotland, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand. It has just signed a marketing agreement with ZF Electronics TVS, Madurai, India. The company was founded in 1896 and employs several thousand people.




MidWestOne Financial Group, Inc. (MOFG) based in Iowa City is a holding company for the $1.57 billion asset MidWestOne Bank with 29 offices plus its specialized Home Loan Center in 15 counties and 20 Iowa cities throughout central and east-central Iowa and MidWestOne Insurance Services, Inc. that provides personal and business insurance services in three Iowa cities. The common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MOFG.

The bank's deposits at June 30, 2009, totaled $1.2 billion and it had loans outstanding totaling $991 million, excluding loan pool participations and loans held for sale. After six months net income of $1.96 million, tangible common equity amounted to $13.83 a share, well above the company's recent stock price of $8.50 a share which gave it a total market value of just over $73 million based on 8.61 million common shares outstanding. The company paid a quarterly cash dividend of five cents a share on September 15, 2009.

OPERATING STRATEGY
The company's strategy is based upon a sophisticated community banking model delivering a complete line of financial products and services while following three guiding principles: hire excellent employees; take care of customers; and conduct business with the utmost integrity. Management believes the personal and professional service offered to customers provides an appealing alternative to the "‘megabanks"' that have resulted from out-of-state national banks acquiring Iowa-based community banks yet management believes its size, combined with its complete line of financial products and services, is sufficient to effectively compete in its markets. To remain price competitive, management believes the company must manage expenses and remain disciplined in its asset/liability management practices.



Spicy Pickle Franchising Inc. (SPKL) is a young, growing restaurant franchise company with 37 Spicy Pickle restaurants in 11 states and 15 Bread Garden Urban Cafes in Canada (I in Australia). The slower economy has affected expansion but the company still believes it will add about three or four more restaurants this year.

There are three operating segments: company owned Spicy Pickle fast casual dining outlets featuring fresh, made-to-order, premium submarine, deli and panini sandwiches, salads, pizzetti and soups created by its founders; a bakery operation in Denver supplying breads and other bakery products for the Spicy Pickle restaurants in Colorado (the majority); and franchise operations for Spicy Pickle and Bread Garden Urban Cafes, acquired October, 2008, which also specializes in fast casual dining featuring salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts.

Spicy Pickle operates in the fast casual category of the restaurant business and has been recognized in trade publications as an exciting concept providing a highly acclaimed culinary menu. The company received the Hot Concept award by Nation's Restaurant News for its innovative menu. In early 2009, the company ranked in the top third of fast casual restaurants according to Fast Casual Magazine. Most recently it ranked #21 in an AOL Small Business poll "The Next Big Chain."