Angelica Appoints Ronald J. Kruszewski to Board of Directors.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 2004

Angelica Corporation (NYSE:AGL), a leading provider of textile rental and healthcare linen management services, today announced the appointment of Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stifel Financial Corp. and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, St. Louis, MO to serve on the Company's Board of Directors, effective today.

Mr. Kruszewski has over 20 years of broad-reaching financial experience, most recently at Stifel Financial Corp. and its subsidiary, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, a regional, full-service brokerage and investment banking firm, where he has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since April 2001 and as President and Chief Executive Officer since September 1997. Prior to joining Stifel Financial Corp. and Stifel Nicolaus, he served as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Baird Financial Corporation and Managing Director of Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. from 1989 to September 1997. Mr. Kruszewski is active in community affairs, serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Downtown Saint Louis Partnership, Inc., as well as serving on the Board of Trustees for St. Louis Science Center, the Business Advisory Board of the School of Business and Technology at Webster University, and the Board of Directors for the Regional Commerce and Growth Association.

"We welcome Ron Kruszewski to the Angelica Board of Directors," stated Steve O'Hara, President and CEO of Angelica. "Ron has extensive financial expertise and a well-deserved reputation of integrity and excellence in client service. His guidance should prove invaluable as we work to grow our business organically and through strategic acquisitions to become the leading provider of linen management services to the U.S. healthcare market."

Angelica Corporation, traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AGL, is a leading provider of textile rental and linen management services to the U.S. healthcare market. The Company also operates a national chain of retail healthcare uniform and shoe stores with a fully-integrated catalogue and e-commerce operation as a discontinued operation pending sale of this division.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any forward-looking statements made in this document reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. These potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, competitive and general economic conditions, the ability to retain current customers and to add new customers in competitive market environments, competitive pricing in the marketplace, delays in the shipment of orders, availability of labor at appropriate rates, availability and cost of energy and water supplies, the cost of workers' compensation and healthcare benefits, the ability to attract and retain key personnel, actual charges to the restructuring reserve significantly different from estimated charges, the ability of the Company to sell the Life Uniform segment under financial terms and conditions currently anticipated, the ability of the Company to accomplish its strategy of re-directing its resources to its healthcare linen management business in a timely and financially advantageous manner, unusual or unexpected cash needs for operations or capital transactions, the effectiveness of certain expense reduction initiatives, the ability to obtain financing in required amounts and at appropriate rates, the ability to identify, negotiate, fund and integrate acquisitions, and other factors which may be identified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.