The Outstanding Directors Exchange (ODX) and Columbia Business School’s Executive Education division today announce the 2004 Outstanding Directors awardees. They will be honored at the seventh annual dinner and awards ceremony on March 31, 2005 at the Ritz-Carlton/Battery Park Hotel in New York City.The honorees are:Teresa Beck – Director of Albertson’s, Inc., ICOS Corporation, Lexmark International and Questar CorporationPeter C. Browning - Director of Acuity Brands, Inc., EnPro Industries, Inc., Lowe’s Companies, Inc., Nucor Corp., The Phoenix Companies and Wachovia Corp.John L. Clendenin – Directorof Acuity Brands, Inc., Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.,Equifax, Inc., Home Depot, Inc., The Kroger Co. and Powerwave TechnologiesJames F. Hardymon – Director, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., American Standard Companies, Inc., Circuit City Stores, Inc. and Lexmark International, Inc.Frank C. Herringer – Director of Amgen, Inc., AT&T Corp. andCharles Schwab Corp.Sandra O. Moose – Director of The AES Corporation, Rohm and Haas Corporation and Verizon CommunicationsJosh S. Weston – Director of Gentiva Health Services, Inc. and Russ Berrie and Company, Inc.In making the announcement, J. Michael Cook, President of the Institute of Outstanding Directors and Retired Chairman and CEO of Deloitte & Touche LLP says, “It is with great pride that we announce this year’s Outstanding Directors awardees. These men and women have ‘led the field’ during a period tarnished by scandal. They epitomize the integrity, strategic thinking and leadership that must prevail in the boardroom. We applaud them and their hard work and accomplishments.”The dinner and award ceremony is part of a joint conference sponsored by Columbia Executive Education and ODX entitled “A Dialogue With Today’s Most Respected Directors.” It will be held March 30- April 1, 2005, also at the Ritz-Carlton/Battery Park Hotel in New York City. The conference will convene corporate directors and academic thought leaders to explore and discuss issues of corporate governance.In addition to Mr. Cook, ODX conference program leaders are: David O. Beim, Professor of Professional Practice, Columbia Business School, and, Michael D. Griffin, Chairman of the Institute of Outstanding Directors and Chief Executive Officer, Money-Media, Inc.“Each of these honorees has made a difference in the boardroom,” says Mr. Griffin. “Since we initiated the Outstanding Director’s program seven years ago, the job of a corporate director has become increasingly demanding - yet these eight individuals have been nominated and vetted by their peers for their exceptional contributions. There is no higher honor.”The conference will cover topics including CEO succession, board evaluation and development, audit and executive compensation issues. Sessions will address these issues with directors actively serving on relevant committees.Speakers include Edward D. Breen, Chairman and CEO of Tyco International; Robert L. Nardelli, President, Chairman and CEO, The Home Depot, Inc.; The Honorable Richard C. Breeden, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission; and Charles R. Schwab, Chairman and CEO, The Charles Schwab Corporation.The forum will also include case studies from Columbia Business School Professors Beim and E. Ralph Biggadike, presented in an interactive, small group setting.“We share in congratulating this year’s Outstanding Directors. They bring a critical perspective and dedication to their complex roles, which is so important today,” comments Ethan Hanabury, Associate Dean of Columbia Executive Education. “At the same time, we recognize the need for top-flight educational resources to corporate directors, and are proud to be part of this conference. It augments our Accounting Essentials for Corporate Directors course, which focuses on the financial responsibilities of directors. In both cases, the mix of academic rigor and boardroom insight is an unbeatable combination.”The conference is accredited by Institutional Shareholder Services as a Preferred Boardroom Education Provider. Registration and additional information can be found at www.OutstandingDirectors.com.About The Outstanding Directors Exchange The Outstanding Directors Exchange (ODX) is part of Money-Media’s Institute of Outstanding Directors, which serves to educate independent directors through the annual Outstanding Directors Awards, the Outstanding Directors Exchange (ODX) conference series, and boardroom publications including Base and Bonus and Board Alert. Additional information can be found at www.OutstandingDirectors.com.About Executive Education at Columbia Business School  Consistently top-ranked in Executive Education by the Financial Times and other surveys, Columbia Executive Education is a division of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. It offers programs that deliver a global perspective on the latest theories and trends driving business around the world. Columbia Executive Education offerings include open enrollment programs for individuals and customized programs to meet specific corporate goals. The Institute for Not-for-Profit Management is housed within Executive Education, and is designed to build the managerial capacity of non-profit organizations. Columbia Executive Education is located on the Columbia University campus in New York City.