PLMD Polymedica Corp (MM)

Appointments aimed at building strength for new Hill-Rom Board when company separation is completed BATESVILLE, Ind., July 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hillenbrand Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HB) today announced the appointments of three new members to its Board of Directors. New members include: Ronald A. Malone, chairman and CEO of Gentiva Health Services, Inc.; Jose A. Mejia, a technology sourcing and global supply chain consultant and expert, and Patrick T. Ryan, president and CEO, PolyMedica Corporation. All three have been elected to join the Hillenbrand Industries Board of Directors in positions that have been open, bringing the Board to full roster. It is anticipated that following the spin-off of Hill-Rom, these newly appointed directors will serve on the new Hill-Rom Board of Directors. "I am excited to have these three thought leaders agree to bring their expertise to our Board," said Rolf A. Classon, chairman of the Board of Directors for Hillenbrand Industries. "Their diverse backgrounds and experiences will extend our areas of expertise and will provide excellent knowledge sets for the new Hill-Rom Board." Peter H. Soderberg, president and CEO of Hillenbrand Industries and Hill- Rom, added, "The expertise brought to our board by each of these directors is consistent with the strategic imperatives we laid out in our public discussions last fall. Jose Mejia brings an extensive background in international operations and supply chain management while both Ron Malone and Patrick Ryan bring deep health care industry knowledge touching all along the continuum of care." Ronald Malone has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:GTIV), the nation's largest provider of comprehensive home health and related services, since 2002. He previously led Gentiva's home nursing unit and its Home Health Division. Before Malone joined Gentiva, he was Executive Vice President and President of Olsten Staffing Services, North America, one of the world's largest staffing services companies at the time. A graduate of Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, Malone also serves as director of the National Association for Homecare and Hospice, the leading trade association of the home care industry. Jose Mejia is a noted expert in international operations and supply chain management with leadership experience at some of the nation's top companies. He is currently an independent external technology sourcing and operations consultant and the Chairman of Univa Capital, an investment company dedicated to Hispanic Integration. He served as Executive Vice President of Operations at Spansion, the world leader in flash memory. Before Spansion, he served in leadership roles at other world-class companies, including as President-Supply Chain for Lucent Technologies, Inc. Before that time, he served as Vice President of External Manufacturing at Nortel Networks and as Materials Manager, Manufacturing and Design Engineer and Director of Process Leadership at the Ford Motor Company. Mejia is an engineering graduate of the University of Michigan and holds an MBA in Finance and Operations Research from Duke University. In 2003, he was named Hispanic Engineer of the Year and in 2006 he became recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award. He also currently serves on the boards of Liberty Property Trust, Pella, and Duke University Fuqua School of Business. Patrick Ryan is an accomplished health care CEO with expertise and experience in many aspects of the industry, including home care delivery, purchasing behavior and reimbursement trends. He is President and Chief Executive Officer of PolyMedica Corporation (NASDAQ:PLMD), a leading direct- to-consumer provider of health care products and services for individuals with chronic diseases. He has served as CEO of two separate publicly traded companies and been on the boards of three public companies. His past experience includes roles with large market leading companies such as American Hospital Supply Corporation and several entrepreneurial situations. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Rochester in New York. He currently serves on the board of Affiliated Managers Group, Inc., an asset management company with equity investments in a diverse group of growing, boutique investment management firms. ABOUT HILLENBRAND INDUSTRIES, INC. Hillenbrand Industries is organized into two operating companies serving the health care and funeral services industries. Hill-Rom is a leading worldwide manufacturer and provider of medical technologies and related services for the health care industry, including patient support systems, non-invasive therapeutic products for a variety of acute and chronic medical conditions, medical equipment rentals, and workflow information technology solutions. Hill-Rom's comprehensive product and service offerings are used by health care providers across the health care continuum in hospitals, extended care facilities and home care settings to enhance the safety and quality of patient care. Hill-Rom ... enhancing outcomes for patients and their caregivers. Batesville Casket Company is a leader in the North American death care industry through the sale of funeral services products, including burial caskets, cremation caskets, containers and urns, selection room display fixturing and other personalization and memorialization products. Batesville Casket Company ... helping families honor the lives of those they love. DATASOURCE: Hillenbrand Industries, Inc. CONTACT: Investors: Blair A. (Andy) Rieth, Jr., Vice President, Investor Relations, Corporate Communications & Global Brand Development, +1-812-931-2199, , or Media: Lauren Green-Caldwell, Director, Corporate Communications & Public Relations, +1-812-934-8692, , both of Hillenbrand Industries, Inc. Web site: http://www.hillenbrand.com/

Copyright