Celebrity Inc. strengthens board with marketing and finance expertise.

TYLER, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 10, 1995--Celebrity, Inc. (NMS: FLWR) today announced it has elected Valerie Anne Mars to its Board of Directors. Ms. Mars' election raises the number of outside directors serving on the five-person Board of Directors of Celebrity, Inc. to a majority.

Commenting on the election, Robert H. Patterson Jr., Celebrity's chief executive officer and chairman of the Board, said, "We are very fortunate to have Valerie join us and we look forward to her perspectives in a variety of areas. In particular, we believe her strengths in both marketing and finance will be of significant benefit as we address new markets, develop new products, and manage our business to meet these challenges as efficiently as possible."

Ms. Mars is a project consultant with M&M/Mars specializing in new product development and introduction, including advertising, product marketing, competitive positioning, and channel development. She also has considerable expertise in finance and accounting, having held finance positions with Bear, Stearns & Co. Manufacturer's Hanover Trust Company and several other organizations. Ms. Mars holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Yale University and a master's degree in finance and accounting from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business.

Patterson said, "Ms. Mars' election is part of our ongoing effort to strengthen Celebrity to take advantage of a variety of new opportunities we've identified for the balance of the decade. Having recently passed the $100 million mark in annual revenues, and with a fiscal 1995 growth rate of more than 30 percent, it was clear to us that investments in infrastructure and personnel, coupled with new perspectives from the outside in relevant areas, would be necessary to help us achieve our objective of continuing to expand our presence in the marketplace and operate our business as profitably as possible. Additionally," Patterson said, "we believe that having a majority of outside directors is in the best interests of the company and its shareholders.

"As we announced several months ago," Patterson continued, "we have augmented our management depth considerably in recent quarters through executive-level recruiting and internal promotions. These changes, combined with acquisitions and internal growth, have allowed us to broaden our revenue base substantially in recent quarters by adding permanent floral arrangements and artificial trees and planters to our product offering, expanding our line of Christmas items, initiating successful test marketing with major warehouse chains and discount retailers, and most recently acquiring India Exotics' decorative brass and cotton goods lines.

"As we assess our opportunities in the U.S. and abroad," Patterson said, "it is imperative that we have the best products, the best people, and the best support structure possible. The election of Ms. Mars to the Celebrity Board of Directors is another important step in fulfilling these objectives."

Celebrity, Inc. is one of the leading suppliers of high-quality artificial flowers, foliage, flowering bushes and other decorative accessories to craft store chains and other specialty retailers and to wholesale florists throughout North America and Europe. Celebrity imports and/or produces over 7,000 home accent, decorative accessory and giftware items, including artificial floral arrangements, floor planters and trees, a wide range of decorative brass and textile products, and a broad line of seasonal items such as Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands and other ornamental products.

CONTACT: Celebrity Inc.

Robert H. Patterson Jr., R. Thompson, 903/561-3981