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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David McDonough
Phone: 703-243-9262

Kimberly-Clark Corp. Receives HIGPA's 2001 Vendor of the Year Award

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 24, 2001) - Kimberly Clark Corp. received on October 16 the Health Industry Group Purchasing Association's Vendor of the Year Award at HIGPA's 2001 International EXPO in Palm Desert, California.

Ed Gravell, HIGPA Board of Directors chairman-elect and director of health systems at Allegiance Healthcare, presented this prestigious award to Keith Kuchta, executive director for national accounts and distribution at Kimberly-Clark.

"It's an honor to receive this significant award from HIGPA," Kuchta said. "Throughout the health care supply chain, we are focused on protecting patients and health care staff with the highest quality products and services. We strive to do so in a way that balances with the realities of today's cost-conscious healthcare environment, and we appreciate HIGPA's recognition of that effort."

The Vendor of the Year Award honors the health care manufacturer or distributor that sets standards of excellence for the health care industry. Nominations were collected from the HIGPA membership earlier this year, with the final vote taken by HIGPA members attending the 2001 EXPO.

"Kimberly-Clark has made significant contributions to the field, to their current customers, and to HIGPA," said Gravell. "They have demonstrated leadership and innovation in advancing the mission of top quality products and services, at the best price, for the benefit of all the patients served in the health care industry."

HIGPA's annual International EXPO was held this year in Palm Desert, California. Over 620 executives and senior managers from health care related companies attended this three-day educational and networking event, including leading Silver Sponsors GlaxoSmithKline and Bayer Corporation.

GlaxoSmithKline, EXPO Silver Sponsor. GlaxoSmithKline-one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies-is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information, visit the GlaxoSmithKline web site.

Bayer Corporation, EXPO Silver Sponsor. Bayer Corporation is a research-based company with major business in health care and life sciences, and chemicals. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Bayer Corp. had sales of $10.1 billion in 2000 and is one of Fortune magazine's Most Admired Companies. It is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, based in Leverkusen, Germany. For more information, visit Bayer Corporation.

HIGPA is a chartered trade association of approximately 175 health care purchasing and supply chain organizations that serve approximately three out of every four U.S. acute care hospitals, as well as most of the long term care, home care and medical group practice markets.

HIGPA's trading partner members include many of the world's leading health care product and medical supply manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and related suppliers. HIGPA's industry members include for-profit and not-for-profit corporations, purchasing groups, associations, multi-hospital systems, and health care provider alliances. According to a recent study conducted by a former principal analyst at the Congressional Budget Office, hospitals save patients approximately $20 billion each year by purchasing products through group contracts.

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