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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carolyn Hickey
Phone: 703-243-9262

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 8, 2002) - The Health Industry Group Purchasing Association (HIGPA) is pleased to announce that Kathy Hohenberger, Vice President of National Accounts for Hill-Rom Company and Darrel Weatherford, Chief Operating Officer for Consorta, will be joining HIGPA's Board of Directors. Both Ms. Hohenberger and Mr. Weatherford are filling vacant positions.

"Both Kathy and Darrel bring to HIGPA a wealth of information about the health care supply chain and I know the Board is looking forward to working with both of these outstanding individuals over the next few years," said HIGPA President and CEO Robert Betz, Ph.D. "HIGPA welcomes Kathy and Darrel to the leadership ranks of the Association "

Since 1987, Kathy Hohenberger has held various positions at Hill-Rom leading up to her current position as Vice President of National Accounts. In this capacity, she is responsible for the strategy and implementation of Hill-Rom's national contracts in acute and long-term care. Additionally, Ms. Hohenberger holds a bachelor's degree in nursing and participates in the Center for Nursing Leadership.

Upon being named as board member for HIGPA, Hohenberger said, "I look forward to the opportunity to contribute with the HIGPA Board of Directors team in our quest to improve quality and reduce costs as we provide solutions to the health care markets that we serve."

Through his tenure in the group purchasing industry, Darrel Weatherford has held various positions with the University Hospital Consortum, Humana, Inc., and Premier, leading up to his most recent post as COO of Consorta. Additionally, he was a consultant for Concepts in Healthcare, Inc., in which Darrel worked with some of the industry's leading IDNs as well as health care manufacturers. Mr. Weatherford holds a master's degree in business administration.

"I appreciate the opportunity to serve on the HIGPA Board of Directors," said Weatherford. "I welcome the chance to help HIGPA realize its vision to assure that innovative standards of practice and excellence are maintained in the health care products marketplace."

Following is a complete list of HIGPA's 2002 Board of Directors:

Chairman	Gerald Vicenzi	SYNERNET
Immediate Past Chair	Derwood B. Dunbar, Jr.	MAGNET, Inc.
Chairman-elect	Ed Gravell	Allegiance Healthcare
Treasurer	Alfred J. LoBiondo	GNYHA Services
Secretary	Wayne Thompson	Konica Medical Imaging
Board Member	Steve Stuber	McKesson Corp.
Board Member	D. McWilliams Kessler	Henry H. Kessler Foundation
Board Member	Howard E. Sanders	Premier Inc.
Board Member	Henry Levi	Eli Lilly & Co
Board Member	Allan Fine	Peterson Consulting
Board Member	Mark McKenna	Novation
Board Member	Rand Ballard	MedAssets
Board Member	Todd Ebert	AmeriNet, Inc.
Board Member	Kathy Hohenberger	Hill-Rom
Board Member	Darrel Weatherford	Consorta
President & CEO	Robert Betz, Ph.D.	HIGPA

HIGPA is a chartered trade association of approximately 160 health care purchasing and supply chain organizations. HIGPA's Industry Members include purchasing groups, associations, and health care provider alliances. HIGPA's Trading Partner members include many of the world's leading health care product manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and related suppliers. 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.

To learn more about HIGPA or the group purchasing industry, visit www.higpa.org or call 703-243-9262.

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