PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 5, 2004--
Robert E. Martini, Chairman, and Francis G. Rodgers, a Director,
Retire at Stockholders' Meeting
Following the AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC) annual
meeting of stockholders, held today in Philadelphia, the Company's
Board of Directors elected James R. Mellor, Chairman of the Board,
replacing Robert E. Martini, who, along with Director Francis G.
Rodgers, retired at the meeting.
During the annual meeting, stockholders elected Edward E.
Hagenlocker and Kurt J. Hilzinger to the Company's Board of Directors.
At the meeting stockholders also heard a report from out-going
Chairman Martini on the Board's governance activity during the year,
and Chief Executive Officer R. David Yost delivered an update on the
Company's activities and outlook.
Mr. Mellor, 73, joined the AmerisourceBergen Board of Directors at
the Company's inception in August 2001, having served 22 years on the
Bergen Brunswig Corporation Board of Directors. He has been Chairman
of USEC Inc. since 1998, and was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of General Dynamics Corporation from 1993 to 1997. Mr. Mellor is also
a director of Computer Sciences Corporation, Net2Phone, Inc., and USEC
Inc.
A leader in the pharmaceutical distribution industry, Mr. Martini
retired as Chairman and a member of the Board of Directors after more
than four decades of combined service on the Company's and predecessor
company Bergen Brunswig Corporation's boards of directors. He served
as Chairman of the Board of Directors at both companies for a combined
period of more than 10 years. At Bergen Brunswig, he also served as
Chief Executive Officer from 1990 to 1997 and again from 1999 until
the creation of AmerisourceBergen, and he served as President for more
than 10 years.
Mr. Rodgers retired after more than 20 years of combined service
as a member of the boards of directors of AmerisourceBergen and Bergen
Brunswig. He is an author and lecturer who previously served as Vice
President of Marketing at IBM Corporation.
Mr. Hagenlocker, 64, has been a member of the Board of Directors
since AmerisourceBergen's inception almost three years ago, having
previously served on the AmeriSource Health Corporation Board of
Directors since 1999. He was Vice Chairman of Ford Motor Company from
1996 until his retirement in 1999 and held other key management
positions at Ford. He is also a director of Boise Cascade Corporation,
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., American Standard Companies, Inc.
and Lucent Technologies, Inc.
Mr. Hilzinger, 43, was elected to the Board of Directors for the
first time and is currently President and Chief Operating Officer of
AmerisourceBergen. He previously held the same position at AmeriSource
Health Corporation. He joined AmeriSource in 1991 and held several
other executive management positions, including Chief Financial
Officer. He is also a director of Humana Inc.
The AmerisourceBergen Board of Directors is composed of nine
directors.
About AmerisourceBergen
AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC) is the largest pharmaceutical
services company in the United States dedicated solely to the
pharmaceutical supply chain. It is the leading distributor of
pharmaceutical products and services to the hospital market,
physician's offices, alternate care and mail order facilities, and
independent and chain pharmacies. The Company is also a leader in the
long term care pharmacy marketplace, the workers' compensation
fulfillment business and contract packaging for manufacturers. With
more than $45 billion in annualized operating revenue,
AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and employs
more than 14,000 people. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #24 on the
Fortune 500 list and was ranked #6 in the 2003 Business Week 50, a
list of the 50 best performing companies in the S & P 500. For more
information, go to www.amerisourcebergen.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements
are based on management's current expectations and are subject to
uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary
materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements may include statements
addressing future financial and operating results of AmerisourceBergen
and the benefits and other aspects of the 2001 merger between
AmeriSource Health Corporation and Bergen Brunswig Corporation.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to
differ materially from those described in any forward-looking
statements: competitive pressures; the loss of one or more key
customer relationships; customer insolvencies; changes in customer
mix; changes in pharmaceutical manufacturers' pricing and distribution
policies; regulatory changes; changes in U.S. government policies;
failure to integrate the businesses of AmeriSource and Bergen Brunswig
successfully; failure to obtain and retain expected synergies from the
merger of AmeriSource and Bergen Brunswig; and other economic,
business, competitive, regulatory and/or operational factors affecting
the business of AmerisourceBergen generally.
More detailed information about these factors is set forth in
AmerisourceBergen's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2003.
AmerisourceBergen is under no obligation to (and expressly
disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter any forward looking
statements whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
CONTACT: AmerisourceBergen Corporation
Michael N. Kilpatric, 610-727-7118
mkilpatric@amerisourcebergen.com
SOURCE: AmerisourceBergen Corporation