Donald Fites, Former Caterpillar Inc. CEO & Chairman, Joins WWW Board of Directors.

ROCKFORD, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 1999--Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NYSE:WWW) today announced the appointment of Donald V. Fites to fill a new seat on the Company's board of directors.

Fites, 65, served as Chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc., from June 1990, until his retirement early this month. As chairman, he strengthened Caterpillar's leadership as the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines.

"The appointment of Don Fites to our board of directors is another step toward Wolverine World Wide's stated goal of becoming a great global company," said Geoffrey B. Bloom, Wolverine World Wide Chairman and CEO. "His experience as the leader of one of the world's most successful and competitive companies and his hands-on knowledge in running major businesses in Europe, Asia, South America and Africa bring an important perspective to board deliberations."

"I have been acquainted with Wolverine World Wide since 1994, when the company was licensed to manufacture and market Caterpillar footwear around the world," Fites said. "This mutually successful relationship our companies enjoy has helped build the Caterpillar and Wolverine brands around the world. I'm pleased to join the board of directors of a successful U.S. company, with a presence in 135 countries, that shares my global outlook."

In addition to continuing his membership on Caterpillar's board of directors, Fites also is a director of Mobil Corporation, Georgia Pacific Corporation and AT&T. A leading proponent of free trade, he is a past chairman of The Business Roundtable, the U.S.-Japan Business Council, the National Foreign Trade Council and the Equipment Manufacturers' Institute. He is a director of the National Association of Manufacturers, and a member of the Business Council and the President's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. In September 1998, he was the recipient of the consumers for World Trade Annual Award. In March 1995, he was named CEO of the year by Financial World magazine.

Fites was elected chairman of The Salvation Army National Advisory Board in January 1999. He is a trustee of Knox College, a director of Valparaiso University, and chairman of the World Methodist Council Financial Development Committee.

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. manufactures and markets a wide variety of branded footwear and performance leathers. Major branded products of the Company include Bates(R) Uniform Footwear; Caterpillar(R) Footwear; Coleman(R) Footwear; Harley-Davidson(R) Footwear; Hush Puppies(R) shoes, slippers and accessories; Hy-Test(R) occupational and safety footwear; Merrell(R) performance outdoor footwear; Sioux-Mox(R) Moccasins; Tru-Stitch(R) slippers; Wolverine(R) work, sport and rugged outdoor footwear, apparel and accessories; and Wolverine(R) All Season Weather Leathers(TM). The Company's premier comfort technologies include Wolverine Fusion(TM), Wolverine DuraShocks(R) and Hush Puppies(R) Bounce, Comfort Curve and HPO2.