NEW YORK, June 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- McGraw-Hill Professional's International Marine division, a global leader in the publishing of educational and reference materials about boating, and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, a federally sanctioned organization committed to promoting nautical safety for 66 years, announced today that they have established a learning partnership to develop co-branded print and electronic texts, study guides and reference materials for the boating public.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary was established by Congress in 1939 to assist the Coast Guard in promoting boating safety and includes more than 30,000 members who assist the Coast Guard in non-law enforcement programs. On an "average" day, the Auxiliary conducts hundreds of boating safety classes, vessel safety checks and patrols in service to the public. McGraw-Hill's publishing program will cover a wide range of topics for both novice and advanced boaters tied to U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary public education courses such as Boating Safety, Boating Skills and Seamanship and Advanced Coastal Navigation.

"It is an honor for McGraw-Hill to team up with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary," said Keith Fox, president of McGraw-Hill Professional. "As the world's leading educational publisher, McGraw-Hill's mission is to provide consumers with authoritative, comprehensive, and practical information from the foremost experts. We welcome the opportunity to help extend the Auxiliary's reach, providing the public with invaluable resources on boating safety."

"The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is delighted to enter into this learning partnership with McGraw-Hill, a recognized leader in educational publishing," said Richard Clinchy, director, National Marketing Group and chief, Department of Education. "The Auxiliary is the nation's leading organization in recreational boating safety education. With McGraw-Hill's cutting-edge publishing capabilities, I am confident that our leadership position will be maintained for years to come."

About McGraw-Hill Professional:

McGraw-Hill Professional is a leading global provider of print and electronic content and services for consumers and the business, scientific, technical, and medical communities. Its offerings include consumer, business, and technical reference books and online solutions on medical and health, engineering, and scientific topics. Headquartered in New York, the company has offices in Chicago, San Francisco, and Camden, Maine. McGraw-Hill Professional's many imprints and brands include: Schaum, Appleton & Lange, International Marine, and Osborne. For more information, visit http://www.books.mcgraw-hill.com/

McGraw-Hill Professional is a unit of McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies , a global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's and BusinessWeek. Founded in 1888, the Corporation has more than 290 offices in 37 countries. Sales in 2004 were $5.3 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

About The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary:

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary was established by Congress in 1939 to assist the Coast Guard in promoting boating safety. It includes more than 30,000 members from all walks of life who receive special training so that they may be a functional part of Coast Guard Forces. Auxiliarists assist the Coast Guard in non-law enforcement programs such as public education, vessel safety checks, safety patrols, search and rescue, maritime security and environmental protection and Coast Guard Academy introduction programs for youth. Auxiliarists volunteer more than 2 million hours annually to benefit other boaters and their families.

CONTACT: Lydia Rinaldi
212-904-5393
lydia_rinaldi@mcgraw-hill.com

Web site: http://www.mheducation.com/
http://www.books.mcgraw-hill.com/
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/