DESEM Executive Receives Global Honors.

INDIANAPOLIS, In--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 16, 1999--

Mr. Jaime Santibanez, Executive Director of Sistema DESEM, received one of Junior Achievement International's (JAI's) highest individual honors this week at an international awards luncheon during the JAI World Leadership Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. In attendance were over 500 Junior Achievement professionals from 55 nations.

Mr. Santibanez was named the 1999 recipient of Junior Achievement International Bata Lifetime Achievement Award for 24 years of leadership during his career. Jaime has expanded DESEM's reach in Mexico from 150 students in 1975 to more than 100,000 annually in 1999.

Junior Achievement International's Chief Operating Officer, Sam Taylor, said today, "Jaime is a dynamic leader with a positive vision for Mexico and the young people of that country."

Mark Suwyn, Chairman and CEO of the Fortune 500 Company, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, and volunteer Chairman of Junior Achievement International, of which Sistema DESEM is a Member Nation, was on hand to present Mr. Santibanez his award.

Junior Achievement is the world's oldest, largest and fastest-growing nonprofit economic education organization. JA International (www.jaintl.com) is responsible for developing and serving programs for over 1.1 million students in 106 countries outside the United States.