We are very proud to offer the second annual NCINVEST conference and hope to add participation from even more North Carolina-based public companies and sponsors in 2005." Presenting companies include: Blue Rhino Charles & Colvard Closure Medical CommScope Cree Duke Energy Embrex Enpro Industries Highwoods Properties Inspire Pharmaceuticals Martin Marietta Materials Paradigm Genetics Piedmont Natural Gas Pozen Pharmaceuticals PPD Red Hat Salix Pharmaceuticals SciQuest Spectrasite Standard Commercial Trimeris TriPath Imaging US LEC Silvia will deliver the keynote speech. Silvia is former chief economist at Kemper Funds and managing director of Scudder Kemper Investments and also held economic-related posts at Capitol Hill in Washington.