Billionaire to Champion New Biotech Hub and Vision for the Future at BIO 2006; `Dream Team' of Major Universities, Community Colleges, Private Sector Partner at North Carolina Research Campus.

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. -- Billionaire David H. Murdock will meet with biotechnology industry leaders and scientists at BIO 2006 in Chicago on Monday, April 10, to share his vision for an emerging hub of knowledge, resources and business - the North Carolina Research Campus. He will also be available to speak with members of the media about the campus and the biotech trends that promise to improve our lives.

Owner and chairman of Dole Food Co., Inc. and Castle & Cooke, Inc., Mr. Murdock is a passionate believer in the transformative power of science. He is funding a significant portion of the $1 billion, 350-acre campus now under construction on the former site of a textile mill in Kannapolis, N.C., near Charlotte. Plans include a `dream team' of partners and resources:

--Research institutes led by Duke University, N.C. State University and UNC-Chapel Hill in collaboration with N.C. A&T University, N.C. Central University, UNC-Charlotte and UNC-Greensboro among others.

--Work force training programs through the N.C. Community College System.

--The 311,000-square-foot David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building that will house the 80,000-square-foot core lab to be managed by Duke University and outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment.

--A $150 million charitable foundation established by Mr. Murdock that will fund the purchase of equipment for the core laboratory as well as other not-for-profit activities on the campus.

--A $100 million venture capital fund established by Mr. Murdock to attract new companies to the area.

"This is the best example of what can happen when public institutions and private institutions, like my company, learn to work together for the good of the community and the nation," said Mr. Murdock at a recent campus groundbreaking ceremony.

To schedule an appointment with Mr. Murdock, please contact L. Hester at [phone] or [e-mail]. For more information on the campus, please visit www.ncresearchcampus.net.

Who: David H. Murdock, owner and chairman of Dole Food Co., Inc. and Castle & Cooke, Inc., and the visionary behind the North Carolina Research Campus.

What: Interview opportunity regarding the North Carolina Research Campus, biotech trends and public-private partnerships.

When: Monday, April 10, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where: The North Carolina Pavilion (booth 431), BIO 2006, McCormick Place, South Building Grand Concourse, Chicago.

Why: The campus is an ambitious and pioneering partnership between the public and private sectors as well as a powerful symbol of the transition from traditional economic engines to new ones. U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said of the project: "We'll continue to lead the global economy because of what you are doing here."

How: Contact L. Hester at [phone] (office), [phone] (mobile) or [e-mail].