Ballantyne Strong Appoints Two New Independent Directors

Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BTN), a provider of digital cinema projection equipment and services, cinema screens and other cinema products, announced today that Samuel C. Freitag and Donde Plowman have been appointed as new members of the Company’s Board of Directors, effective June 6th. With these additions, the Board consists of seven members, including six that are considered independent pursuant to NYSE Amex listing requirements.

Mr. Freitag brings extensive experience as a private equity fund manager and investment banker to Ballantyne, having served as a Senior Managing Director of GKB Merchant Banc and Vice Chairman at George K. Baum & Company as both a private equity fund manager and an investment banking and corporate finance professional, where he was employed between 1986 and 2002. He is presently an independent private investor and also serves on several other boards, including the Board of Directors at MarketSphere Consulting, LLC and at Lansing Trade Group, LLC. Mr. Freitag is on the Board of Managers of SYMMEDRx Health Care Solutions and is a member of the Board of Trustees at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Ms. Plowman is currently the James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and is also a Professor of Management at the school. Prior to being named Dean she was the Ralph and Janet Heath Professor of Business and head of the Department of Management at the University of Tennessee (in Knoxville) from 2007 to 2010. Between 2000 and 2007, she was a Professor of Management at the University of Texas (in San Antonio), where she also served as Associate Dean of graduate programs and research, as well as Director of the Ph.D program at the College of Business, between 2000 and 2003. She began her tenure at UT-San Antonio in 1988. Ms. Plowman has published more than 40 articles and book chapters and has conducted numerous management training programs at corporations including IBM, Apple and Texas Instruments.

Commenting on its new board appointments, Ballantyne Strong President and CEO Gary L. Cavey stated, "We are truly fortunate to have two seasoned professionals of this caliber join our Board. The combination of Sam’s Wall Street background and expertise in investment banking and corporate finance and Donde’s extensive work in academia and management training nicely complement the varied experience of the Company’s other board members. Our new directors also bring an extensive knowledge of international business and M&A, which we expect to play a key role in Ballantyne’s future growth and success.”

About Ballantyne Strong, Inc. (www.strong-world.com)

Ballantyne Strong is a provider of digital cinema projection equipment and services as well as cinema screens, motion picture projectors and specialty lighting equipment and services. The Company supplies major and independent theater chains, top arenas, theme parks and architectural sites around the world.