US Companies Prepare to Celebrate the Importance of Investor Relations at Tenth Annual IR Awards; Shareholder Communications Are Underscored at Annual Awards Dinner

Business Wire, March 8, 2005

NEW YORK -- Effective shareholder communication is an indispensable part of any corporate strategy. The current climate, largely encouraged by recent legislative changes, calls for increased corporate transparency. The companies that get it know this means giving access to senior management during good times and bad.

It's not an easy job but, for those who do it well, it is tremendously rewarding.

Every year IR magazine, the global publication for the investor relations professional, hosts an awards dinner to recognize the sheer graft and excellence displayed by individuals and companies that execute superior investor relations. This year's event will be held on Thursday, March 31 at the Marriott Marquis in New York.

The tenth annual awards for the US market is a much anticipated event in the industry; last year's awards ceremony drew close to 900 people comprising IROs, CFOs, CEOs and service providers. Winners are selected across 20 categories through an independent survey of the largest sample yet of around 4,000 portfolio managers, buy-side and sell-side analysts and retail investors. This is also the tenth edition of an annual study commissioned by IR magazine recognizing excellence in the practice of investor relations. This report, Investor Perception Study, US 2005: Winning companies, winning IR strategies, serves as a benchmark of best practice IR by singling out individuals and companies that have distinguished themselves through their IR performance during 2004.

The research, conducted by Erdos & Morgan, also encapsulates industry changes, reviews investors' requirements and investigates contemporary developments affecting the IR profession. Differing from many studies, the intent of this research is to reflect the needs of the entire investment universe: buy-side portfolio managers and analysts, sell-side analysts and individual investors.

There is a grand prix for best investor relations according to market size, as well as awards for best investor relations by a CEO, best board communications and best corporate governance. Among last year's contenders for the grand prix award were Cisco Systems, Guidant, Limited Brands and Applebee's International. The winner of the award for most improved investor relations in 2004 was E*TRADE Financial (for a full list of awards categories, go to www.irmagazineus.com).

About IR magazine and the IR Magazine Awards

Published in New York and London by Cross-Border Publishing, IR magazine is the only global publication focused on the interface between companies and their investors. IR magazine has hosted annual awards ceremonies in the US, the UK, continental Europe and Canada since 1991, with combined attendance of more than 6,000 investor relations professionals. For more information, go to www.irawards.com.

Date:                      Thursday, March 31, 2005

 Time:                      6.00 pm Cocktail reception
                            7.00 pm Awards dinner

 Location:                  The Marriott Marquis
                            1535 Broadway
                            New York, NY