24th Annual JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Expected to Draw 16,000 in Chicago.

CHICAGO -- Area Businesses Use Race to Network, Encourage Teamwork; Event Expected to Raise More than $35,000 for YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Sixteen thousand people from more than 400 Chicago-area businesses are expected to compete in the 2005 JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge, a 3.5-mile run/walk event scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Thursday, May 26, at downtown's Grant Park.

The JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge, which is conducted in cities around the globe, is the largest corporate racing series in the world.

"The Corporate Challenge is unique among races because it is specifically designed to help companies promote fitness and teamwork among employees," said William M. Daley, Midwest Chairman of JPMorgan Chase, who helped kick off last year's event. "I don't think I have ever seen a major event that has been so successful at bringing employees together."

All entrants must be part of a corporate team, and each team must have a minimum of four people. Last year, 476 Chicago-area companies or offices took part and more than two hundred companies registered teams comprised of 100 or more people.

In keeping with the spirit of the event, awards are given not just to the fastest female and male runners, but also to the most senior-level executive male and female participants, the three most creative company t-shirts, and the company with the largest number of participants. In support of the YMCA, Corey McPherrin, sports anchor for FOX News at Nine, will be on hand to cheer on participants and greet winners at the finish line.

Race builds camaraderie among co-workers

The JPMorgan Chase Challenge is more than a run. It is an event that encourages everyone to participate. Some employees run, while others walk. Others serve as cheerleaders along the way. And the socializing that occurs during the Challenge is just as important as the race itself. Many participating companies host on-site tents, where team members can chat and share refreshments before or after the race. Last year, most participants finished the race in less than half an hour, but many of the employee tents were still lively at 9 p.m.

Some companies use the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge as an opportunity to entertain clients, but most use it to develop team spirit among co-workers.

Wayne Eier, a former IBM employee, first participated in the race 12 years ago, when he decided it would be a good way to bring together his team of technology consultants who traveled frequently for work. "It was a hit with employees," Eier said. "Everybody had a common reason to be there. We felt we were working for a common goal beyond what we do for our jobs."

Eier liked the team-building aspect of the race so much that he formed a team when he joined Bank One in 2001. Now that Bank One has merged with JPMorgan Chase, Eier has emerged as the team captain for the combined company. Last year, 1,400 Chicago-area JPMorgan employees and Bank One employees came together as a single team. "The merger wasn't yet final, but we decided to come together anyway," said Eier. "It was a great way for us all to get to know each other better."

Online registration available

This year's race will be run entirely within Grant Park with the start/finish line on Columbus, between Balbo and Roosevelt. For the first time this year, online registration is available at www.jpmorganchasecc.com. Forms also can be downloaded or ordered through the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge hotline at [phone]. The entry fee is $20 per person.

JPMorgan Chase will donate $2.50 from each regristration fee to the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago operates more than 30 suburban centers and 100 extension sites throughout Chicagoland.

Winning Teams Compete in NYC Championship

The three fastest teams from Chicago companies will win spots in the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Championship in New York City on October 1. In 2004, two teams from General Electric and one from CNA Financial Corp. in Chicago competed in the championship race.

Over 29 years, the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Series has grown from a single event of 200 runners in New York's Central Park to the largest corporate fitness event in the world. It includes races in 15 cities, in six countries, on five continents. In 2005, JPMorgan Chase will conduct events in the United States, Australia, Germany, Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom, with more than $500,000 expected to be raised for not-for-profit organizations.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) and its Bank One subsidiary are the largest bank in the Chicago area, serving customers under the Bank One, Chase and JPMorgan brands. The global firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and businesses, financial transaction processing, asset and wealth management, and private equity. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has its U.S. consumer and commercial banking headquarters in Chicago and its corporate headquarters in New York. Information about the firm is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.