Pepperdine University's Graziadio School to Offer First Certified Business Manager Exam -CBM- Review Course

Business Wire, July 15, 2003

Business Editors/Education Writers

CINCINNATI & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 15, 2003

Enrollment to Begin Fall 2003 with Certification Preparation

Materials Developed by South-Western

As American workers face the most challenging employment market in nearly a decade, the Association of Professionals in Business Management (APBM) today announced an agreement with two leaders in business education to offer the nation's first review course to prepare executives for the Certified Business Manager (CBM) examination, one of the requirements to earn the CBM certification. The certification reflects an executive's broad knowledge base across all areas of business, enhancing a manager's career options while providing corporations with an effective tool to develop its business leaders.

Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management and South-Western, the leading provider of business learning materials worldwide and a part of The Thomson Corporation (TSX: TOC; NYSE: TOC), will partner to provide the first CBM Exam review course in early 2004 with enrollment beginning in the fall of 2003. Review courses will be taught by Graziadio faculty at the University's West Los Angeles campus with preparation guides developed by South-Western.

"Business professionals and corporations today are seeking ways to translate theory and concepts into real-world applications," said Dr. Mark Allen, Director of Executive Education at the Graziadio School. "The CBM Exam review course combines our expert faculty with top-rated materials to give executives relevant knowledge to advance in the workplace and lead their organizations. It's a significant addition to our executive education offerings."

The CBM is the only generalist business certification available today and is akin to the CPA for an accountant or the CFA for an investment analyst. An individual must pass the CBM Exam, a comprehensive three-part, nine-hour exam that covers 10 essential areas of business, as one of the requirements to earn the certification.

"The CBM is an ideal certification for professionals seeking a competitive advantage today," said Ms. Devi Vallabhaneni, President and CEO, APBM. "We chose to partner with the Graziadio School and South-Western based on their undisputed reputation for providing practical, relevant knowledge to business executives."

"The development of the CBM certification is a key step in the professional training and education of today's business practitioner," said Robert D. Lynch, President, South-Western. "This partnership with APBM and the Graziadio School to develop the first CBM Exam review course strategically fits with South-Western's growth plan and our distinctive capabilities, leveraging our expert business content and Thomson resources."

For more information regarding the CBM designation, exam, or review courses, please visit http://www.cbmexam.com/review_classes.htm.

About the Association of Professionals in Business Management (APBM)

APBM (http://www.cbmexam.com) is a leading global educational service organization that sponsors the Certified Business Manager (CBM) credential. APBM has partnered with Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, Prometric Testing Centers, Chauncey Group International (subsidiary of ETS), Thomson Learning, and Pepperdine University's Graziadio School to bring you the most comprehensive business management certification available.

About Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management

The Graziadio School is #1 in California and #8 in the nation in MBA enrollment. The Graziadio School is accredited by the prestigious AACSB International - the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. BusinessWeek magazine ranks the Graziadio School's Executive MBA program "#11 in the world" and #1 in teaching ethics. US News & World Report ranks the Graziadio School's part-time Fully Employed MBA and Executive MBA programs among the Top 25 in the nation. The Graziadio School has campuses in Malibu, West Los Angeles, Encino, Irvine, Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Clara and Westlake Village. For further information, please visit: http://bschool.pepperdine.edu.

About The Thomson Corporation and South-Western

The Thomson Corporation (www.thomson.com), with 2002 revenues of $7.8 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges (TSX: TOC; NYSE:TOC). Its learning businesses and brands serve the needs of individuals, learning institutions, corporations and government agencies with products and services for both traditional and distributed learning. As part of The Thomson Corporation, South-Western (www.swlearning.com) is the leading provider of business and economics learning materials worldwide, offering the most extensive selection in business educational materials today for K-12, higher education, and professional markets. 2003 marks South-Western's 100th anniversary of business excellence.