ADVISORY/NJ-NIRI to Hold Seminar on August 7th.

Business Editors

ADVISORY...for Wednesday (Aug. 7)

MADISON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 22, 2002

The New World of Corporate Responsibility: How Investor Relations

can Maintain and Enhance Your Company's Corporate Reputation in

Today's Demanding Market Environment

The New Jersey Chapter of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI), in partnership with the Corporate Communication Institute (CCI) at Fairleigh Dickinson University, today announced that it will present a seminar -- "The New World of Corporate Responsibility: How Investor Relations can Maintain and Enhance Your Company's Corporate Reputation in Today's Demanding Market Environment."

It will be held on Wednesday, August 7th, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm in the Hartman Lounge, The Mansion, at Fairleigh Dickinson University's Madison, New Jersey campus.

    WHO:
        The New Jersey Chapter of the National Investor Relations
        Institute (NIRI), in partnership with the Corporate
        Communication Institute (CCI) at Fairleigh Dickinson
        University.

    WHAT:
        SEMINAR: The New World of Corporate Responsibility: How
        Investor Relations can Maintain and Enhance Your Company's
        Corporate Reputation in Today's Demanding Market Environment.

    WHEN:
        Wednesday, August 7th, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

    WHERE:
        Fairleigh Dickson University, Madison, NJ campus, The Hartman
        Lounge in The Mansion

    FOCUS:
        The seminar will be of particular interest to directors, chief
        executive officers, chief financial officers, investor
        relations officers, senior corporate management and others who
        must deal with the practical issues surrounding investor
        relations and corporate reputation management in the current
        market environment.

    FEES:
        The cost for this seminar is $35.00 for NJ-NIRI and CCI
        members/$50.00 for all others, including lunch.

    PRESS:
        Complimentary admittance for the press. Please contact Van
        Negris / 212/396-0606.

"NJ-NIRI's seminar -- The New World of Corporate Responsibility -- will be a very stimulating and thought-provoking day for investor relations professionals and corporate management," said Van Negris, Senior Managing Director of Kehoe, White, Van Negris & Company and a member of NJ-NIRI's Executive Committee.

Mr. Negris continued: "With the government's commitment to bringing a new era of integrity to American business in the wake of the continuing scandals roiling the financial markets, investor relations professionals are on the front lines of corporate reputation management and corporate disclosure practices. They are being challenged, as never before, to maintain trust in their companies with Wall Street, investors, communities, government officials, the media, and the general public.

"This seminar will offer practical approaches that investor relations professionals and corporate management can take to ensure that their companies' financial reporting reflect a more transparent picture of earnings, accomplishments and anticipated future performance that will contribute to investor confidence and enhance their companies' credibility and integrity."

SEMINAR AGENDA

The Realities of Investor Relations in 2002; Philip J. Denning, Kehoe, White, Van Negris & Company -- Publicly-traded corporations have a special obligation to disclose accurate and timely information to their investors. In the new world of corporate reporting in 2002, traditional reactive approaches to investor relations won't do the job. Mr. Denning will explore how a proactive approach to investor relations, rooted in the responsible application of financial marketing techniques, can enhance a company's profile in the investment community and contribute to the ability of investors to make informed investment decisions

Systematic Outreach: Best Practice Methods for Reaching the Buy-Side and Sell-Side; Paul Marcus, Director; Corporate Investor Relations Sales, Bigdough.com - The turbulent financial markets have resulted in a massive restructuring of the buy-side and sell-side on Wall Street. Mr. Marcus discusses how investor relations professionals can effectively use state-of-the-art profile-based, peer-based, sector buying and quantitative targeting techniques to achieve greater research coverage and institutional ownership in these turbulent financial markets.

Corporate Reputation Management and the Impact of Corporate Citizenship Activities; Dr. Michael B. Goodman, Director, Corporate Communication Institute at Fairleigh Dickinson University -- The role of corporate citizenship as an essential component in rebuilding trust in corporations. Dr. Goodman explores Reputation Management in this context, and uses information from the annual CCI Corporate Communication Practices and Trends Study to illuminate and support courses of action.

Issues at the Forefront of the Investor Relations Industry: An Overview of Proposed and Current Complex Reporting Issues Domestically and Abroad; Michael Becker, Manager, Global Disclosure Services, Business Wire -- Reporting material items in a timely manner has become an increasingly difficult task for today's IRO. Knowing what myriad items are material, when to report, and geographically where to report has become a necessity to a fluid and comprehensive IR program. With disclosure becoming a global initiative rather than a domestic item, Mr. Becker will present an overview of global disclosure and reporting requirements for multinational corporations, an update of proposed SEC Regulations for Disclosure, a review of the SEC's EDGAR system and potential new filing requirements.

Communications Management in an Age of Turbulence; Sherman Frankston, Frankston Associates -- Despite recent market volatility, good stewardship of the corporate message can withstand buffeting by the market and unexpected crisis events. Mr. Frankston will discuss how companies can effectively implement a corporate communications plan that communicates internal yardsticks for all their constituencies to gauge their performance.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Paul Marcus, Director; Corporate Investor Relations Sales, Bigdough.com -- Paul Marcus manages the Corporate Investor Relations business group at bigdough.com and is responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with corporate clients. Throughout his career at bigdough, Paul has talked with thousands of companies and Investor Relations Officers to help them better understand the value of building shareholder relationships and introduce the tools necessary to achieve that goal. In 2001, he led a special projects group at bigdough which resulted in the release of the Shareholder Relationship Management system, a powerful blend of relationship management software, a communications platform and a capital markets database. Paul routinely speaks to investor relations audiences on the benefits of systematic relationship building in IR, and the importance of goal setting in the targeting process. Paul graduated from Skidmore College and currently resides in Rockville, Maryland.

Michael Becker, Manager, Global Disclosure Services, Business Wire -- Mr. Becker joined Business Wire in 1999 as Financial Information Services Specialist. Prior to joining Business Wire he worked for Capital Link, Inc. where he created and implemented comprehensive media and investor relations programs for the international investor relations firm's high profile clients, including SBF-Paris Bourse and the Athens Stock Exchange.

Philip J. Denning, Managing Director, Kehoe, White, Van Negris & Company -- Mr. Denning, a principal of the firm, manages all aspects of client companies' Strategic Investor Relations and Financial Marketing programs, from design to implementation. He serves as Trustee of the Village of Tuckahoe, New York. In this elected position, Mr. Denning oversees the management of Village finances and assets and proposes and votes on local legislation. Mr. Denning received his B.S. with a concentration in finance from Fordham University, College of Business Administration, and his M.B.A. from Fordham University, Graduate School of Business Administration with a dual concentration in finance and accounting. Prior to joining the firm in 1997, Mr. Denning was a registered analyst and NASD member firm Account Executive focusing on micro- to mid-cap growth equities.

Dr. Michael B. Goodman, Director, Corporate Communication Institute at Fairleigh Dickinson University -- Dr. Goodman is the director of the Corporate Communication Institute and Graduate Programs in Corporate Communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Prior to FDU, he directed the graduate and undergraduate business communications programs at Northeastern University, Boston, and taught business communications and literature courses at New York University, New York Institute of Technology, and SUNY at Stony Brook. Since 1981, Dr. Goodman has been a consultant in corporate communications, managerial communications, problem solving, new business proposals, change, and corporate culture. He has published widely, including seven books. His most recent published books are "Corporate Communications for Executives" (SUNY Press, 1998) and "Working in a Global Environment: Understanding, Communications, and Managing Transnationally" (IEEE Press, 1995). He is currently at work on "While You Were Looking the Other Way -- Sixteen Forces That Are Redefining Marketing and Advertising" with Sandy Sulcer, Cleve Langton and Peter Hirsch. Dr. Goodman received his Ph.D. and M.A. degrees from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Sherman Frankston, Frankston Associates -- Mr. Frankston is President of Frankston Associates Inc., a corporate communications group located in Glen Rock, New Jersey. Previously, he managed Corpcom, a subsidiary of Corporate Annual Reports, and held various management posts in the parent organization including Vice President, Director of Sales & Marketing as well as Account Supervisor and Writer for many of their key accounts. He also spent four years as Network Editor and Correspondent for Metromedia Radio News in Baltimore, New York and Washington, D.C. As an Adjunct Professor, Mr. Frankston lectures on investor and corporate communications at Fairleigh Dickinson University's Madison Campus. Additionally, he is a member of the executive committee of the New Jersey Chapter of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI), as well as being one of the founding members of the chapter. Mr. Frankston has served as Vice Chairman of the Township of Teaneck's Cable Television Advisory Committee and Chairman of that town's Transportation Advisory Committee. In Glen Rock, he serves as a communications advisor to the Board of Education. Mr. Frankston regularly addresses NIRI and IABC chapters, New York University and PRSA on communications topics. He holds a degree in Mass Communications. He attended Hunter College and the University of Buffalo.

About the New Jersey Chapter of the National Investor

Relations Institute (NIRI)

The New Jersey Chapter of the National Investor Relations Institute (NJ-NIRI) is committed to furthering the profession of investor relations through a strong commitment to education. In 1995, the NJ-NIRI Chapter began a dialog with Fairleigh Dickinson University that resulted in the first graduate course in investor relations offered in the United States; a second course offering is planned for 2003 that will be international in scope and web-based. Through the partnership with the Corporate Communications Institute of Fairleigh Dickinson University, the NJ-NIRI Chapter offers an impressive roster of briefings, seminars, symposia and other programs, each targeted toward the needs of Chapter members, senior corporate management, and senior communications executives.

About the Corporate Communication Institute (CCI) at

Fairleigh Dickinson University

The Corporate Communication Institute at Fairleigh Dickinson University provides a world-class, research driven teaching program in Corporate Communication. CCI offers information on the best practices and theory of the profession to university students, practicing professionals, and scholars through traditional university courses, professional seminars and symposia, traditional publications, electronic and on-line media, and briefings and white papers. Devoted to the theory and practice of corporate communication, The Corporate Communication Institute provides vital information for corporate practitioners, as well as scholars, policy makers, and the general public.