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NIRI Elects New Board Chairman and Four Directors

Business Wire, March 24, 2008

VIENNA, Va. -- The National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) today announced the election of Bina Thompson as the 2008-2009 chairman of the NIRI Board of Directors. Thompson is vice president, investor relations for New York-based Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL). She succeeds Matthew V. Stroud, vice president, investor relations, of Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI).

At its recent annual meeting, NIRI members also elected the following four new directors: Derek Cole, vice president, investor relations for Allos Therepeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:ALTH); Barbara Gasper, group executive and senior vice president, investor relations of MasterCard Inc. (NYSE:MA); Nicole McIntosh, director of investor relations for Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. (NYSE:WDR); and David Prichard, vice president, investor relations and corporate communications for Corn Products International, Inc. (NYSE:CPO). NIRI board members serve four-year terms.

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New Board Chairman

"NIRI is extremely fortunate to have someone of Bina's investor relations experience and industry standing as its new chairman," said Jeffrey Morgan, president and chief executive officer of NIRI. "The board and staff are fully committed to NIRI's mission of advancing the practice of investor relations and the professional competency and stature of our members. Under the strategic direction of Bina and the full board, we look forward in 2008 to renewing our commitment to meeting member needs, promoting NIRI's brand, advocating for members, and becoming a best-in-class association."

Thompson said, "I am honored to have been elected to chair this organization that has had such an important influence on my investor relations career, and more broadly, has advanced the investor relations profession. The board and I welcome our four highly qualified new board members, and look forward to meeting several important priorities in 2008 including resourcing NIRI appropriately, continuing to enhance our national chapter program, and increasing NIRI's advocacy efforts on behalf of our members, while being mindful of how NIRI can best assist members during these challenging economic times."

Bina Thompson joined Colgate-Palmolive in November 1992 as director, investor relations. Named vice president in July 1993, she is responsible for investor and financial relations as well as the publication of all financial communication. Prior to joining Colgate, Thompson spent seven years at Cognex Corporation, a manufacturer of machine vision systems. There she held a variety of positions, including manager of investor relations and treasurer. In 1999, Colgate-Palmolive received IR magazine's Grand Prix award for Best Overall Investor Relations. Thompson, a member of the Investor Relations Association, is also past president of that organization as well as NIRI's New York Chapter, and has served as a member of the NIRI Board of Directors since her election in 2005. Thompson graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree in English literature and received her master in business administration from Babson College.

New Board Members

Derek Cole is vice president, investor relations for Allos Therapeutics, Inc. in Westminster, Colorado, having recently joined the company. Cole has been involved in the capital markets and strategic planning for over 17 years with 12 years of dedicated investor relations experience focused on supporting development of small - and mid-cap companies. He has managed or contributed to a broad spectrum of financing transactions that combined raised approximately $800 million, as well as contributing to five M&A transactions. He has led several award winning communications programs and annual report productions. Prior to Allos, Cole headed the investor relations and corporate communications function at Myogen, Inc., from its status as a private company, through its initial public offering and recent $2.5 billion acquisition. He currently serves as president of the NIRI Rocky Mountain Chapter, is a member of the NIRI BioPharma Roundtable steering committee, and is also on the board of directors of the Colorado BioScience Association. Cole received his bachelor's degree in economics from the United States Air Force Academy.

Barbara Gasper has more than 30 years experience in investor relations and finance-related positions, and is group executive and senior vice president, investor relations of MasterCard Inc., Purchase, New York. Gasper, who joined MasterCard in 2006, is responsible for cultivating relationships with the investment community, educating and updating investors about the company and providing feedback on how the market views the company. Prior to joining MasterCard, she was vice president of investor relations for Ford Motor Company, and held executive investor relations positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting Group, Lucent Technologies and Raytheon. She also spent over 20 years at Lukens Inc. where she worked in both engineering and corporate finance roles, including assistant treasurer and treasurer. Gasper is a member of NIRI's Senior Roundtable and the Speaker's Bureau, and holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Bucknell University and an M.B.A. from Widener University.

Business Services Industry

NIRI Elects New Board Chairman and Four Directors

Business Wire, March 24, 2008

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