Tell us what you think!! Please click here to send us suggestions on information that you would like to see appear in future issues of Nielsen Enterprises E-News. kristin@nielsens.com Click here to visit Nielsen Enterprises official website. NEWS 2006 Japan Snocross Championship Kawasaki On Top In Detroit Additional Stories Click on events box to be directed to Nielsen's event calendar for a complete listing of upcoming events. Need a boating certificate? See our events calender for upcoming classes or click here to enter your zip code for classes near you!! Spread the News! Forward this newsletter to a friend GIFT GIVING (and receiving!) Looking for a not so subtle way to get what you want for your next special occasion? How about making sure that you are giving a gift that won't be returned? Click on the pad and check out Nielsen Enterprises guaranteed to please "wish list" feature for all motorsports enthusiasts! CLICK HERE FOR SOME OF OUR FAVORITE LINKS HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!! LORDY! LORDY! LOOKS WHO'S 40! NIELSENS'S OWN MIKE HAMZIUK TURNED 40 LAST MONTH. IT CAN'T BE THAT BAD, HE'S STILL SMILING!! We hope that you find this "INAUGURAL" edition of Nielsen Enterprises E-News informative and enjoyable! Please send us your ideas or suggestions for future issues by clicking on the link to the left. Since this is the 1st edition of Nielsen Enterprises E-News, we thought it only fitting to kick it off by giving a little history of how (and where!) it all began....... Then..... Square Feet 2000 Number of Employees 7 Brands Carried 2 (Arctic Cat and Kawasaki) And Now,,,,, Square Feet 80,000 Number of Employees 56 Brands Carried 7 (Arctic Cat 1969-Kawasaki 1969-Polaris 1981-Honda 1982-Yamaha 1982-BRP 1987-Suzuki 1999) Number of Original Employees still here 4 Nielsen Enterprises first opened their doors for business in the fall of 1969 and operated out of a 2000 square foot facility on Grand Avenue in Lake Villa (currently home to Prime Time Saloon and Eatery). Nielsen Enterprises started with a staff of 7 and 37 years later, 4 or those original employees remain. In Nielsen’s early days, they carried 2 brands, Arctic Cat and Kawasaki. Today, Nielsen Enterprises operates 2 separate showrooms out of an 80,000 square foot facility located at 130 S. Milwaukee Avenue (Route 83) in Lake Villa and carries 7 different manufacturers of powersports equipment covering motorcycles, ATV’s, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, jet boats, utility vehicles and trailers. Nielsen Enterprises has increased their staff to 56 employees. Nielsen Enterprises is a family run business and has remained under the same ownership for 37 years. Over the years, there have been many dedicated people that have put Nielsen Enterprises on top of the power-sports industry in North America. Currently it is a mixture of long-time and new employees that are carrying on the strong and proud reputation of Nielsen Enterprises. In future issues of our newsletter, we plan to feature some of our brightest and most dedicated employees. We like to refer to our devoted staff as “Nielsen All Pro’s”. FEATURE STORY Charity Choppers Local bikers 'Ride for Kids' to benefit Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation By Art Peterson, Staff Writer for the News Sun, article appeared in the February 17th edition A Gurnee based motorcycle club and a Lake Villa motorcycle dealership have again won top national honors for 2005 fund-raising for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. The Gold Wing Road Riders Association Chapter G2 raised $96,076, while customers of Nielsen Enterprises raised $107,939, according to the foundation's recently released annual report. They have been the foundation's top group and business for fund-raising for several years, and both are already planning for the 18th annual event in 2006. The foundation will host 37 motorcycle Ride for Kids events in 2006 across the nation. The "Chicagoland" road ride will be July 16, and will be based at the Allstate building on West Higgins Road in South Barrington. The ride itself will be a little more than an hour of mostly country roads, with events before and after the ride held at the Allstate site. Police will escort the riders. The 2005 Chicagoland ride drew 2,600 motorcycles and 15 young brain tumor survivors, including two who are attending college with the help of a scholarship from the foundation. The survivors are "Special Stars", and can be passengers on the motorcycles for the rides. The Chicagoland event raised $362,539, which also topped income from all other rides across the nation. Top individual for the ride was Stacia Skinner of Mount Prospect, who raised $20,601. The 36 rides in 2005 raised $4.1 million. Gary and Nancy Croft of Gurnee are assistant chapter directors for the Gurnee-based Gold Wing club. Owner Ted Nielsen heads up the Nielsen Enterprises fund drive. Nancy Croft said the chapter has been the top fund-raiser for the foundation for more than five years. She and her husband, who operate a commercial remodeling business, are main organizers of the club's dinner and auction for the foundation. The 2006 "Wings Over The Prairie" event will be April 8 at a Lakemoor banquet hall. The $45 ticket includes dinner and raffle entries. There will also be live and silent auctions. "Seeing the kids at the ride is really rewarding. They're so great," she said. Years ago the survival rate was much worse. Research funded by the foundation has helped improve the survival rate and is working to make treatment less toxic. The Crofts ride year-round, "whenever it's at least 45 degrees and sunny," she said. Nielsen said he's involved in many events for charity, but "this one is closest to my heart. It's great for the children, and all the money is put where it should be." Mike Traynor, a Mundelein native who heads the Asheville, North Carolina-based foundation, said 99 percent of funding goes to programs. Nielsen has been part of the Ride for Kids since it's earliest years, initially spurred by the motorcycle division of the American Honda Motor Company, which has consistently donated motorcycles for raffle prizes. He sadly recalls his first event, when the poster boy died before the ride was held. Since then, research has increased the life expectancy by three years, he said. Still, having a child diagnosed with a brain tumor is devastating for families, emotionally and financially, Nielsen said. He credits the late Bob Collins, reknown radio personality, for helping establish the Chicagoland ride as a major event. "The biking community has embraced it," Nielsen said. The dealership hosts a raffle the morning before the ride. Prizes donated by businesses in the past have included big-screen televisions, motorcycles and a $10,000 savings bond. "That brings in the whole community, not just motorcyclists." On ride day, more than 150 motorcycles head out from the dealership, escorted by Lake County Sheriff's deputies. The escorts "are absolutely superb," Nielsen said. While Nielsen Enterprises has been the top business fund-raiser for most of the event's years, Nielsen said "What makes this good is that everybody is competing. That means everybody is raising more money." Traynor, a long time motorcyclist, had worked in management at an Arlington Heights newspaper, before moving to Atlanta and joining a newspaper promotion company. In 1980, a co-worker's daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and Traynor was drawn in to the impact that has on children and families. In 1984 he organized a ride in Atlanta that drew 100 riders and raised $4,000. The ride grew and in 1991 established the foundation. Traynor left the newspaper business to head the foundation. In 2003, the foundation awarded $6 million to Duke University to create the Pediatric Brain Tumor Institute, part of Duke's Comprehensive Cancer Center. Brain tumors are the most deadly of childhood cancers, with only 60 percent of children surviving five years after a tumor is diagnosed. Treatment is often toxic to the brain, leaving survivors with significant problems in brain and spinal cord function. For further information, see the web sites: www.ride4kids.org www.pbtfus.org Or call Nielsen Enterprises at (847) 356-3000, or the Crofts at (847) 782-1369. Brochures on the ride are available at Nielsen Enterprises, 130 S. Milwaukee Ave. (Route 83), just south of Grand Avenue (Route 132). "TECH TALK" When preparing your motorcycle for the upcoming season, here are some tips on things to do before you ride..... 1. Check all fluids - oil, coolant and shaft oil. 2. Top off fuel - Due to the breakdown of the fuel from sitting, make sure you top off with fresh fuel. 3. Check tire pressure - Look in your owners manual for recommended pressure. 4. Fully charge battery - Make sure battery has over 12 volts, especially if your bike is fuel injected. If any type of running problem, be sure to contact your dealer for any advice or needed service. ATTENTION MOTORCYCLE AND WATERCRAFT OWNERS Call now to schedule your early service appointment and beat the warm weather rush!! To schedule an appointment, please call Ron, Nielsen's Service Manager or our Service Writers Frank or Tom. (847) 356-3000 ENJOY THE RIDE!!! NIELSEN'S GRAND FINALE Nielsen Enterprises Grand Finale Snocross Race was held at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, WI March 17th-March 20th. The event was a great success! For a complete recap of the weekend's events and race results, please visit the official WPSA racing website. Official WPSA website-Click Here 2007 SNOWMOBILE PRE-SEASON SALE Hurry in to qualify for special pre-season pricing and sales incentives before these SPECIAL OFFERS expire. NOBODY BEATS THE NIELSEN DEAL!!!! And the winner was...... Attending the race as the winners of our 4 VIP passes, were Randy and Kim Frost along with their daughters Alex, 9 and Sami, 7. Nielsen Enterprises, Inc. 130 S. Milwaukee Ave. Lake Villa, IL 60046 www.nielsens.com Click here for store hours and map. To subscribe to this newsletter, click here.

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