1999 U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Conference on Growth Companies to be Held June 14 to 17.

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 1999--

Concurrent Fixed-Income Conference to be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center June 16 and 17

U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray will host its 22nd annual growth company investor conference June 14 to 17 at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center. The conference will feature more than 300 companies in the consumer, financial institutions, health care, industrial growth and technology industries. Attendees will include more than 1,000 institutional investors from around the globe. They will hear strategic business plans from top management, industry perspective from U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray analysts and expert guest speakers.

"This is the nation's `must attend' growth company conference from the firm with the most momentum," said Thomas Schreier, U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray director of equity research. "This year's conference will be the biggest and best ever due to the growth in both the number of our analysts and sectors we follow." U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray now has 63 equity analysts following 26 sectors.

New Format Benefits Investors

This year, for the first time, the conference will be formatted by industry. The four-day conference begins with a day and a half of technology company presentations Monday, June 14, beginning at 1 p.m. through Tuesday, June 15. Consumer and industrial growth companies will present on Wednesday, June 16 and health care and financial institutions companies will present on Thursday, June 17. In lieu of company presentations, medical devices sector presentations will be offered in a panel discussion format with guest experts to emphasize industry trends and issues.

"The new sector format is convenient for investors who focus on specific industries, while allowing generalists to be immersed in one or two industries at a time," said Schreier.

Fixed-Income Conference

Simultaneously, U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray will also host its fourth annual Fixed-Income Investors Conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Plaza 3 Entrance, June 16 and 17. The conference is an educational opportunity for corporate investors, money managers, public entities, banks, insurance companies and corporations who want to learn about issuing and investing in fixed-income vehicles. Fixed-income investors will also have the opportunity to meet with high-grade issuers of fixed-income securities.

Educational sessions begin Wednesday, June 16, at 10 a.m. with a full-day session on "Bond Basics." On Thursday, June 17, the conference features a breakfast presentation on the economic outlook by John Mitchell, western regional economist at U.S. Bank, followed by seminars on topics ranging from variable rate demand notes to portfolio management, mortgage-backed securities and asset liability management.

Event participation and attendance for both conferences is by invitation. For information on the equities conference, please contact our conference hotline [phone] x8885. For information on the fixed-income conference, please contact Stephanie Daugherty, [phone]. Members of the media who would like to attend may contact either Elizabeth Child, U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, 612/342-6594 or David Smith, MacMillan Communications, 212/473-4442.

U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp, provides a full range of investment products and services to businesses, institutions and individuals. The company's investment banking business has grown exponentially in the last several years by focusing on the needs of growth companies in the health care, technology, financial institutions, consumer and industrial growth sectors. U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray has a national reputation for its expertise in fundamental research and equity and debt financing. U.S. Bancorp offers a comprehensive range of financial solutions through U.S. Bank, First American Asset Management, U.S. Bancorp Libra Investments and U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray. For more information, visit our Web site at www.piperjaffray.com.

Nondeposit investment products are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other obligations of or guaranteed by the U.S. Bank National Association or its affiliates, and involve investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested. Securities products and services are offered through U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Inc., member SIPC and NYSE, Inc., a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp.