Driving Business Value Beyond Sarbanes-Oxley --SOX404-- Sign-Off -- Former SEC Chairman Leads Conference for Public Companies.

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- Frontlines Forum 'Shift to Value' Conference Scheduled April 21, 2005 in California; Chaired by Honorable Roderick M. Hills

Frontlines, a resource for governance practitioners and thought leaders, announces today that Roderick M. Hills, former SEC Chairman will chair the Frontlines Forum Conference this spring.

The Frontlines Forum conference theme 'Shift to Value,' will focus on how public companies can leverage the $6.1 billion(1) that is estimated to be spent in 2005 on Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. At the invitation-only conference, public company officers, directors and senior executives will learn about SOX 404 guidance, engage in active dialogue and develop new considerations designed to drive business value beyond initial compliance sign-off.

"Since leaving the SEC I have spent a considerable part of my life on corporate governance matters. One of my areas of focus is ensuring that the significant cost of complying with securities laws are not wasted. Sarbanes-Oxley presents a serious challenge to public companies," said Roderick M. Hills, partner at Hills & Stern LLC and former SEC Chairman. "It is for that reason that I am pleased to serve as Chairman of this year's Frontlines Forum."

Assisting Mr. Hills with the conference program are committee members Lee Dittmar, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP; Ellen M. Heffes, Managing Editor, Financial Executives International; and Vani Kola, CEO of Certus.

"Frontlines is designed to address governance and compliance issues and initiatives by bringing together leaders from public companies and governance bodies," said Vani Kola, CEO of Certus. "This year's conference, 'Shift to Value,' reflects my personal mission and that of Certus to assist companies in establishing good governance as a valued corporate asset."

Frontlines Forum 'Shift to Value' features speakers Susan Decker, CFO, Yahoo!; Dennis Powell, CFO, Cisco Systems; Lynn Sharp Paine, Harvard Business School; Michael Emen, NASDAQ; Mike Moran, Goldman Sachs; and Silvio Tavares, Corporate Executive Board, among others.

"Companies are coming to grips with the fact sustaining compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley is about more than accounting requirements, it's about strategy, process, people and technology. This year's Frontlines Forum is focused on the linkage between compliance requirements and building value from that effort. I am pleased to be a speaker at this year's Forum," said Lee Dittmar, keynote speaker at the Frontlines Forum and Principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP.

"With the advent of Sarbanes-Oxley and its Section 404, financial reporting must consider incorporating a thorough business narrative as well as demonstrating financial transparency," said Ellen Heffes, managing editor of Financial Executive magazine. "Information sessions such as the Frontlines Forum Spring Conference 'Shift to Value' can serve as important elements in creating that dialog."

Program content will address timely and relevant topics in 2005 for public companies including:

--Compliance as a catalyst for sustainable business performance

--Sarbanes-Oxley impact on investor confidence

--NASDAQ regulatory requirements

--Internal and external audit practices

--Partnering with IT to achieve governance objectives

What: Frontlines Forum 'Shift to Value'

Who Attends: Invited governance thought leaders and practitioners

Date: April 21, 2005

Location: Claremont Resort & Spa, Berkeley, California

Frontlines Forum is an invitation-only conference. The full conference program and a comprehensive list of speakers are available at www.frontlinesforum.com.

(1) Source: John Hagerty, AMR Research: "Final SOX 2005 Spending Forecast," December 16, 2004

About Frontlines

Frontlines(SM) proactively addresses corporate governance standards; compliance, risk and audit practices; and their impact on business, through primary research and its thought leadership conference, Frontlines Forum. Established to foster shared dialogue and learning, Frontlines Forum brings together a select group of policy makers, auditors, academics, governance thought leaders, and practitioners in public corporations.

For more information on Frontlines or to be considered for an invitation to attend Frontlines Forum, please email [e-mail].