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February 28, 2005

For Immediate Release:

Survey: Optimism Continues High For Improved Business Conditions

DALLAS, Texas — A recent survey conducted by Randall James Monroe, a Dallas-based global executive search consultancy, suggests that executives of major corporations are optimistic that business conditions will continue to improve for the next six months.

Results indicate that executive optimism with regard to business conditions continues on a positive trend that was registered in the second half of 2004. This is reflected by 81% of executives believing conditions within their companies will improve during the first six months of 2005. This may be due, in large part, to steady improvement of stock market conditions and encouraging corporate earnings reports, followed by stabilizing geopolitical conditions.

Professional Services executives showed the largest increase in optimism where 87% believe that business conditions will improve over the next six months for their organizations. 82% of both Software/IT and Financial Services executives indicated improving business conditions for their companies over the first half of 2005, followed by 80% in Healthcare, 79% in Manufacturing, 71% in Retail and 50% in Transportation and Distribution.

Optimism about executive hiring varies by industry. 41% of Software/IT executives surveyed expect hiring to increase in the next six months, followed by 40% in Telecommunications, 38% in Professional Services, 38% in Transportation and Distribution, 30% in both Manufacturing and Healthcare, 24% in Financial Fervices and 14% in Retail.

“There’s a clear up-tick in hiring and optimism” noted Randall Neal, CEO of Randall James Monroe. “Overall, the findings show that approximately 1/3 (34%) of executives responding to the survey believe that executive and senior level hiring will increase during the next six months. Couple this with a downward trend in lay-offs where roughly 2/3 (63%) were comfortable with their current staffing levels and you have the makings of an improved business climate that should stimulate and support continued growth in the economy.”

The survey was emailed to 500 executives working with some of the 1,000 largest companies in the nation. Approximately 200 responses were registered. For more information about the survey, you may contact Randall James Monroe at 972-392-3200.