JENNIE JOHNSON NAMED PRESIDENT OF LIBERTY CORPORATION'S PIERCE NATIONAL LIFE SUBSIDIARY; BILL BISCHOFF JOINS PIERCE NATIONAL LIFE AS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT.

GREENVILLE, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 17, 1995--Hayne Hipp, president and chief executive officer of The Liberty Corporation (NYSE:LC), today announced that Jennie M. Johnson (47) has been named President of the company's pre-need subsidiary, Pierce National Life. Hipp also announced that William C. Bischoff (51) has joined Liberty's pre- need operation as executive vice president.

Johnson joined Liberty in 1986 as vice president of planning and was named vice president of administration earlier this year. In her planning role, Johnson was involved in Liberty's entry into the pre-need market. Since then, she has worked with a variety of related activities that have built Liberty into the second largest pre-need insurance underwriter in North America. Johnson has held management positions in the insurance industry for 16 years.

Bischoff comes to Liberty from the Forethought Group in Batesville, Indiana, where he held the position of senior vice president for marketing and sales. He was a member of the team that created the Forethought pre-need insurance operation in 1984 for Batesville's parent, Hillenbrand Industries. Under Bischoff's leadership, Forethought's sales organization grew to be the recognized industry leader in less than three years.

Commenting on the announcements, Hipp said, "Jennie Johnson moves into the leadership of our pre-need business at a critical time. With six acquisitions completed, Jennie's ability to manage complex operations and to identify strategic opportunities will bring real strength to the area that Liberty has targeted for growth over the next five years.

"I am also pleased to welcome Bill Bischoff to Liberty," Hipp continued. "His extraordinary experience in the pre-need market comes to us at the perfect time as we prepare to launch the most comprehensive product offering the industry has ever seen. Bill's broad customer knowledge will be very valuable as Liberty moves on to its next phases of growth."

Liberty started in the pre-need business with a de novo operation in 1991. Since then, it has acquired Pierce National Life in Los Angeles; Estate Assurance in New Orleans; Pan Western Life in Columbus, Ohio; Howard Life in Denver; Brookings International Life in South Dakota; and American Funeral Assurance in Amory, Mississippi. Liberty's products are sold through more than 5,000 agents and 3,500 affiliated funeral directors. With almost $1.5 billion of insurance in force, Liberty is serving approximately 700,000 customers in 43 states and nine Canadian provinces.

The Liberty Corporation, headquartered in Greenville, S.C., is a holding company with primary subsidiaries engaged in life insurance and broadcasting. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol LC.

CONTACT: Liberty Corporation, Greenville

Ray Eanes, 803-268-8435