Consumers Union Board Selects Its Chair James Guest as C.U.'s Next President.

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YONKERS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 18, 2000

James Guest, Executive Director of the American Pain Foundation since 1997, and Chair of the Board of Consumers Union since 1980, has been selected by CU's Board to serve as the new President of Consumers Union. The new President will replace Rhoda H. Karpatkin, who is retiring from the post after nearly 27 years. Consumers Union (CU), based in Yonkers, N.Y., is the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine.

The appointment of Mr. Guest was announced on Friday, December 15 by the Board's new Chair, Sharon Nelson. "After an exhaustive internal and external search, we have unanimously agreed upon the right person for the job," said Ms. Nelson. "We have seen firsthand the talents and principles Jim has brought to his 21 years of service as CU's Board Chair. We believe he has the values, commitment, knowledge, determination, leadership qualities and experience as a CEO to lead CU at this critical time. We are confident that he will ensure continuity, growth, and the type of principled leadership that the position demands." Mr. Guest will assume his new position in late February.

Mr. Guest is currently the Executive Director of the American Pain Foundation, which he founded in 1997 as a national consumer information, education and advocacy organization to prevent pain and promote better pain management. He has also served as the chief executive of a national gun violence prevention organization, a regional office of Planned Parenthood, a statewide economic development agency, and as Secretary of State in Vermont.

"I can't imagine a more exciting opportunity than leading Consumers Union and its terrific staff at this time," said Mr. Guest. "Rhoda Karpatkin is leaving this organization in a state of great strength and dynamism, well-poised for the 21st century. CU has invested seriously in the expansion of its testing, research, and multi-media publishing, with solid market wisdom and Internet savvy. It has established its voice on behalf of the consumer interest where government and industry make decisions that affect all of us. But most important, CU has a keen sense of what consumers need in this era, and pursues that with unwavering independence. I will carry on this tradition as we meet the new challenges to come."

As President of Consumers Union of U.S., Inc., Mr. Guest will oversee one of the world's most highly respected and trusted independent, nonprofit consumer testing and information organizations, with a total operating budget of more than $140 million and a staff of nearly 500.

CU is best known as the publisher of Consumer Reports, one of the largest circulation magazines in the U.S. with more than four million subscribers and a projected readership of about 20 million, and Consumer Reports Online, one of the most successful paid subscription websites on the Internet, with more than 500,000 paid subscribers.

The President's office is located within the Consumer Reports National Testing and Research Center in Yonkers, New York. The Center houses 50 product testing laboratories, a Survey division that reports on the shopping and buying experiences of millions of CR subscribers, as well as Editorial, research, and production offices. CU's President also has overall responsibility for the Consumer Reports Auto Testing Center in East Haddam, Connecticut; three regional advocacy offices in Washington, DC; Austin, Texas; and San Francisco, California; and the Consumer Policy Institute in Yonkers.

Ms. Karpatkin lauded the Board's choice. "I am pleased that the Board is entrusting this precious American institution to a highly qualified individual who knows us well and is dedicated to our work and values," said Ms. Karpatkin.

In addition to Consumer Reports magazine and Consumer Reports Online, at www.ConsumerReports.org, CU also publishes the monthly Consumer Reports Travel Letter, Consumer Reports on Health, and provides New and Used Car Price Services to consumers to assist them in obtaining better deals when purchasing autos.

Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, is an independent, nonprofit testing and information gathering organization, serving only the consumer. We are a comprehensive source of unbiased advice about products and services, personal finance, health, nutrition, and other consumer concerns. Since 1936, our mission has been to test products, inform the public, and protect consumers.

ALSO ENCLOSED: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JAMES GUEST FACT SHEET ON CONSUMERS UNION

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PHOTOS, AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

JAMES A. GUEST

James A. Guest has served since 1980 as Chair of the Board of Directors of Consumers Union (CU) of United States, Inc., the independent nonprofit product-testing and consumer advisory organization, founded in 1936, which publishes the monthly magazine, Consumer Reports, and leading website Consumer Reports Online (www.ConsumerReports.org).

During his service as Chair of CU's Board of Directors, Mr. Guest worked to focus Board attention on strategic and fiduciary oversight, on increased teamwork among Board members, and on clarification of the respective roles of Board members and executive staff. He also led the Board in its support for new product development and helped to identify new Board members with expertise important to CU's growth and development.

Mr. Guest has had a rich career in public service as chief executive of several nonprofit organizations and government agencies. He is now serving as founding chief executive director of the American Pain Foundation, a national consumer information, education and advocacy organization for pain prevention and management. Under his guidance, the Foundation has developed programs to increase consumer access to practical information and advice about effective pain control. As founding CEO, Mr. Guest wrote the organization's business plan, formed the board of directors, raised seed money, secured its legal status as a nonprofit corporation, and launched its program operations in 1998.

Mr. Guest has also been the chief executive of Handgun Control Inc. and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence (1996-1997), Planned Parenthood of Maryland (1989-1995) and the Vermont Development and Community Affairs Agency (1985-1987). Prior to that, he hosted a public affairs radio program at WJOY in Vermont (1983-1984).

Mr. Guest was elected twice as secretary of state in Vermont, serving from 1977 to 1981. Under his direction, the agency became Vermont's ombudsman for citizen service and information. He has also been commissioner of the Vermont Banking and Insurance Department (1973-1976), and a legislative assistant to Sen. Edward Kennedy (1968-1971).

Mr. Guest is a graduate of Amherst College and Harvard Law School. He was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at MIT, where he studied economics at the graduate level.

He enjoys distance running, foreign travel, playing tennis and writing poetry. He is married and has two children.

CONSUMERS UNION FACT SHEET

MISSION: Test, Inform, Protect. Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer

Reports, is a nonprofit [501(c)3] organization established in 1936

to provide consumers with information and advice on goods,

services, health, and personal finance, and to initiate and

cooperate with individual and group efforts to maintain and

enhance the quality of life of consumers.

IMPARTIALITY: Consumers Union is beholden to no commercial interest

and is responsible only to its subscribers and members. CU's

income is derived solely from the sale of our publications and

services, from individual contributions, and from a few

noncommercial grants. CU accepts no free product samples; every

product we test is bought at retail. Neither Consumer Reports nor

any CU publication accepts outside advertising, and we never grant

permission for commercial use of our name or our test results.

HOW WE TEST: More than 100 testing experts work in 50 labs at CU's

National Testing and Research Center in Yonkers, NY and at our

327-acre Auto Test Center in East Haddam, CT. Product tests and

ratings for performance, safety, reliability, and value are based

on government and industry standards, and on standards our

specialists think should also apply. To supplement laboratory

testing, the Survey Research Department gathers -- through an

Annual Questionnaire -- the experiences that thousands of Consumer

Reports subscribers have had with products and services.

HOW WE INFORM: CU's flagship monthly publication, Consumer Reports,

has more than four million paid circulation; total readership

(according to MRI) is estimated at about 20 million. CU

information reaches millions of additional consumers through CU's

websites: Consumer Reports Online (www.ConsumerReports.org, with

more than 500,000 paid subscribers); www.ConsumersUnion.org; and

www.Zillions.org, (a consumer website for young people 8 and up);

Consumer Reports Travel Letter; Consumer Reports on Health;

Consumer Reports Special Publications; Auto Price Services; Auto

Insurance Price Service; Consumer Reports by Request (fax and mail

service); Electronic Publishing (through Lexis-Nexis and Dialog);

Consumer Reports Television; Report to Consumers radio features;

and From Consumer Reports, CU's syndicated column. The Consumer

Reports Center for Children, Youth, and Families also produces

teacher-support materials for classroom use.

HOW WE PROTECT: Staffers at CU's three Advocacy Offices-in Washington,

DC; Austin, TX; and San Francisco, CA-testify before Federal and

state legislative and regulatory bodies, petition government

agencies, and file lawsuits on behalf of consumers on: product

safety, health care, finance, food, economic discrimination,

housing, the environment, telecommunications, and other consumer

issues. The Consumer Policy Institute-in Yonkers, NY-conducts

research and education projects on such issues as biotechnology,

toxic air pollution, community right-to-know laws, and pesticides.

GOVERNANCE: Consumers Union is governed by a Board of 18 directors,

who are elected by CU members and meet quarterly. Consumers Union

members are invited to attend CU's annual meeting, held in October

at the Yonkers, NY headquarters. CU's President, Rhoda H.

Karpatkin, oversees a staff of more than 490.

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