CONEXIS Names New President; Announcement Highlights the Continued Growth of CONEXIS, the Nation's Leading Benefits Administration Company.

ORANGE, Calif. -- The Word & Brown Companies today announced that Michael L. Close has been named president of CONEXIS, the nation's leading benefits administration company. CONEXIS specializes in COBRA/HIPAA administration and compliance, the administration of Flexible Benefits including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA), and Direct Bill Services.

Close succeeds Ken Farrell, who recently completed his commitment to lead CONEXIS through a national expansion. "We're very pleased with Ken's accomplishments over the last several years and know that Michael will continue to deliver growth and service excellence in the marketplace," said John M. Word III, founder and managing partner of the Word & Brown Companies, parent of CONEXIS. "Michael's senior management background with major multi-million dollar companies and his focus on service delivery and process improvement have become major assets to CONEXIS, and to our customers."

Close joined CONEXIS in 2003 as chief sales and marketing officer and led the sales and marketing team which included executives from both the company's Dallas, Texas headquarters and Orange, Calif. offices. Close has an extensive background in employee benefits and managed health care spanning more than 20 years, holding senior executive positions with several premier organizations. He held positions with Health Net of California that included vice president/general manager for a $200 million business unit, and senior vice president of a $2 billion sales organization where he managed more than 600 employees. He also held the position of chief sales and marketing officer for American Specialty Health, the nation's leading complementary health care organization with over $100 million in revenues. His responsibilities with CONEXIS have ranged from directing sales, marketing, and account management to product development and strategic planning.

In 2004, Close facilitated the implementation of Performance Standards and Guarantees for all of CONEXIS' clients, regardless of size. These guarantees were a first for the benefits administration industry and differentiated CONEXIS as the leader in customer service and innovation. Also in 2004, Close directed the launch of a nationwide employee-focused Flexible Benefits education and awareness program designed to help employers increase participation in Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) as part of a Consumer Directed Health Care program.

Close holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio State University and is an active member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU).

About CONEXIS

For more than 17 years, CONEXIS has delivered a wide range of employee benefit solutions to employers, third-party administrators (TPAs), business outsourcing partners and health plans nationwide. Specializing in the complex areas of administration and compliance, its expertise includes COBRA and HIPAA Administrative Services; Direct Bill Services for Retirees, Leave of Absence (LOA) and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA); and Flexible Benefits Administration, including Section 125 Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Section 132 Transportation Plans, Section 105 Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA). CONEXIS is the only industry-leading outsourcing provider to offer benefits administration on a single Web-based, fully integrated system, which helps its clients to easily and cost-effectively develop, implement and manage these highly regulated and complex programs. With headquarters in Dallas, Texas, and an operations/customer service center in Orange, Calif., CONEXIS is a Word & Brown company. For more information about CONEXIS, contact Janet Bollman at 7l4-567-4582, or visit the company's Web site at www.CONEXIS.org.