JAMES J. BROWN NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RUSS BERRIE INSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL SALES AT WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY

Jim Brown, a prominent sales executive with more than 30 years of experience in the industry, has been named executive director of the new Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J.

The Institute, established in December 2002, represents a unique partnership between the private sector and higher education. Just three weeks before his death, Russ Berrie, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Russ Berrie and Company, Inc., committed to invest up to $5 million over five years to establish the Institute, which is the first program of its kind in the Northeast.

As executive director, Brown will lead the development of the Institute, which will offer both professional and academic programs for undergraduate students and sales professionals. Plans for the Institute include:

*A concentration in professional sales as part of the University’s current bachelor of science degree in business administration. This program will evolve into a bachelor of science degree in professional sales.

*A certificate program in professional selling to be offered to working professionals, degree-holding graduates, and University students majoring in other disciplines who wish to learn sales skills.

*Extensive continuing/executive education opportunities such as workshops and seminars in sales and sales management.

Brown most recently served as president of the Ardmore Group, Inc. in Mantoloking, N.J., a marketing services firm that specialized in working with companies that were developing new sales organizations or revitalizing existing ones. Previously, he was vice president for national account sales at Automatic Data Processing (ADP) in Roseland, N.J. Earlier, he served as general manager for ITEL Corporation and sales manager for Burroughs Corporation.

He has developed, trained and restructured sales organizations at a wide range of firms, including AT&T, IBM, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, First Data Corporation, Dun & Bradstreet and Dale Carnegie & Associates, among others. He regularly shares his sales expertise at conferences such as the Selling Summit in New York City and the Strategic Account Management Association.

A graduate of Manhattan College with a degree in marketing, Brown is a member of the college’s alumni council. He has taught sales and marketing courses at Rutgers University. Brown is a resident of Mantoloking, N.J.

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For Further Information, contact:

Mary Beth Zeman, Director, Public Relations 973-720-2966

2/20/03