ADVISORY/San Antonio NIRI to Host ``Understanding the Capital Markets'' Workshop

Business Wire, Jan 19, 2000

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     ADVISORY...for Feb. 11 (Friday)

     --(BUSINESS WIRE)--

     The San Antonio chapter of the National Investor Relations
Institute (NIRI) http://www.nirisanantonio.org will host
"Understanding the Capital Markets," an all-day workshop, on Friday,
Feb. 11, 2000, at the Oak Hills Country Club.
     Workshop topics will include a look at the key Wall Street
players, what Wall Street has to offer, the economic factors that
affect the market, methods companies use to tap the public markets and
life after the IPO.

     Presenters at the workshop will include:

--   Bristol-Meyers Squibb's Vice President of Investor Relations,
     Timothy P. Cost. Mr. Cost is the key contact for his company with
     the institutional investment community and is a frequent guest on
     CNN, CNBC Bloomberg, and Dow Jones Investor Network.

--   H. Gregory Moore, Partner, MG Securities Group Inc., a
     Dallas-based company that specializes in high-growth company
     financing. Mr. Moore was formally in corporate finance at Goldman
     Sachs and CS First Boston.

--   Darren Hayes, Assistant Vice President, and Manager Market
     Intelligence Group, ChaseMellon Financial Services, one of the
     country's largest, most experienced shareholder services
     providers, offering innovative products and services to more than
     2,000 companies nationwide. ChaseMellon services over 14 million
     shareholder accounts for small, middle market and Fortune 500
     corporations.

--   A panel of experienced portfolio managers

     Commenting on the workshop, Karen R. Mella, NIRI Professional
Development Chair and Director of Investor Relations for American
TeleSource International Inc., stated, "This year's workshop will
feature some of the most experienced, high-profile participants in the
world of Wall Street. We are very excited to have the opportunity to
share this expertise with members of the business community in San
Antonio and the surrounding areas. Especially considering the
astounding growth in the capital markets of today and the number of
companies hoping to tap into some of the wealth these markets have to
offer."
     Workshop attendees should come away with a broader understanding
of the dynamics of Wall Street, including how the U.S. capital markets
function and interrelate.
     The cost of the workshop is $150 for NIRI members and $200 for
non-members. Seven hours CPE credit will be available for CPAs. For
registration information, please call Karen R. Mella at 210/547-1000
or visit the NIRI San Antonio Web site
( http://www.nirisanantonio.org ) to download the registration form.
Registration deadline is Feb. 7, 2000.
     Other members of the NIRI-San Antonio Chapter Board of Directors
include: Ann Stevens, Chapter President and Director, Investor
Relations for ILEX Oncology; Terri Hunter, Vice President Finance and
Investor Relations for Clear Channel Communications; Bart Vincent,
Vice President, Financial Control, Homeside Lending Inc.; Monika
Maeckle, Texas Regional Manager, Business Wire; Lee Bailey, Manager
Investor Relations, Valero; and Gerry Chicoine, Director Investor
Relations, SBC Communications.
     NIRI was founded in 1969 as a professional association of
corporate officers and investor relations consultants responsible for
communications between corporate management, the investing public and
the financial community. NIRI is dedicated to advancing the investor
relations profession through network and educational opportunities.


                 "UNDERSTANDING THE CAPITAL MARKETS"

     The purpose of this one-day workshop is to provide an overview of
the capital markets: defining the Wall Street players, a look at what
Wall Street has to offer, economic factors that affect the market,
methods companies use to tap the public markets and life after the
IPO. Our goal is to broaden your knowledge of the dynamics of Wall
Street.

                         Agenda of Activities
                         --------------------

8:00 a.m.   Registration/Refreshments  Service Provider Showcase

9:00 -
 9:10 a.m.  Welcome/Opening            Karen R. Mella - Workshop Chair
                                       Professional Development
                                       NIRI-SA Director, Investor
                                       Relations for American
                                       TeleSource International Inc.

9:10 -
 10:15 a.m. "Defining the Wall Street  Timothy P. Cost
             players"                  Vice President, Investor
                                       Relations.
                                       Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co.,
                                       New York
                                       1998-99 Chairman, NIRI National
                                       Charter Member NIRI Senior
                                       Roundtable

10:15 -
 10:30 a.m. Break/Refreshments         Service Provider Showcase

10:30 -
 11:30 a.m. "How economic factors      Timothy P. Cost
             can affect the market-
              place"

11:45 a.m.
- 1:15 p.m. Fund Manager Panel         Portfolio Managers
             Discussion

1:30 -
 3:30 p.m.  "Understanding the         H. Gregory Moore
             methods that companies    Partner, MG Securities Group,
              use to tap the public    a Dallas-based investment bank
               markets"                specializing in growth company
                                       financings. Mr. Moore is a
                                       former Vice President of Goldman
                                       Sachs and Director of CS First
                                       Boston.

3:30 -
 3:45 p.m.  Break/Refreshments         Service Provider Showcase

4:00 -
 5:00 p.m.  Life after the IPO         Darren Hayes
                                       Assistant Vice President, and
                                       Manager Market Intelligence
                                       Group, ChaseMellon Financial
                                       Services, one of the world's
                                       largest shareholder services
                                       providers, serving more than
                                       2,000 corporate customers
                                       worldwide.

5:00 -
 6:00 p.m.  Reception                  All participants/speaker/sponsors


     --30--sw/sa*

     CONTACT: National Investor Relations Institute, San Antonio
               Chapter
              Monika Maeckle, 210/527-9100

     KEYWORD: TEXAS
     INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PHOTO PHOTOWIRE BANKING ADVISORY
     PRESENTATION: snr3