Inc. magazine today ranked High Street Partners No. 84 on its 27th annual Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. The list is the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy – America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs. Companies such as Zappos, Intuit, GoDaddy, Under Armour, Jamba Juice, American Apparel, Oracle and hundreds of other powerhouses gained early exposure as members of the Inc. 500.

“If you want to find out which companies are going to change the world, look at the Inc. 500,” said Inc. Editor Jane Berentson. “These are the most innovative, dynamic, fast-growing companies in the nation – the ones coming up with solutions to some of our knottiest problems, creating systems that let us conduct business faster and easier, and manufacturing products we soon discover we can’t live without. The Inc. 500 list is Inc. magazine’s tribute to American business ingenuity and ambition.”

Based in Annapolis, Maryland, High Street Partners is an international consulting firm that provides finance, accounting, compliance and human resource assistance to US companies operating overseas. As small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) increasing look overseas to stay competitive, High Street Partners helps them break through the barriers of international expansion by guiding them through a myriad of entry requirements, and then managing their ongoing finance, compliance, and HR needs. To date, the company has helped over 130 public and private companies, professional services firms, and top tier universities manage their operations in one or more foreign markets.

The 2008 Inc. 500, as revealed in the September issue of Inc. magazine (on newsstands August 26 – September 30), reported aggregate revenue of $13.7 billion and median three-year growth of 1,046%. Total sales for Inc. 500 companies were 14 percent below last year’s combined revenue of $16 billion; still, it was a stellar year for many companies. Not only did sales for this year’s top 50 growers outstrip those of last year’s top 50 by $541 million, but this year’s fastest 50 also boasted a staggering 47 percent jump in average three-year growth from last year’s top of the class. Additionally, the 2008 Inc. 500 companies were engines of job growth, having created more than 51,414 jobs since those companies were founded.

HSP was listed as the third fastest growing company in the Baltimore area, and ranked ninth among fastest growing financial services companies.

Complete information on this year’s Inc. 500, including company profiles and a list of the fastest-growing companies that can be sorted by industry and region can be found at www.inc5000.com.