June 23, 2003

Ann Arbor, Michigan – June 23, 2003 – Kenneth R. Baker, Altarum’s President and Chief Executive Officer, has been appointed by Governor Granholm to serve on Michigan’s Life Sciences Steering Committee (LSSC). Baker’s term will extend through March 1, 2006.

Mr. Baker will join twelve Michigan leaders from academia, industry and the nonprofit sector. All have been appointed by the Governor and, together, make up the Life Sciences Steering Committee. A principal responsibility of the committee is to oversee the Michigan Life Sciences Corridor Fund. The fund, which recently announced approximately $30 million in awards to advance the research and commercialization of new life-sciences products in Michigan, is a critical component of Governor Granholm’s Technology Tri-Corridor initiative. Michigan has the fastest growing life sciences industry in the nation. The state is home to over three hundred life sciences firms, including Pfizer, Lumigen, Osmic, Apolife, Esperion Therapeutics, and Statprobe and Pharmacia.

“It is, of course, a tremendous honor to take on this appointment,” said Mr. Baker, “and I thank the Governor for the opportunity. Perhaps the thing I find most exciting is knowing that, just as Michigan continues to lead the world in automotive innovation, Michigan is again demonstrating how to discover, design and deliver better than anyone in the world in the area of life science innovation. I cannot think of a more valuable societal contribution that Michigan could make. It truly is good news for all of us and I am proud to be a part of the continuous evolution of this state.”

Baker was named President and Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit Altarum Institute in 1999, after 30 years with the General Motors Corporation. He culminated his career at General Motors by heading its research and development activity – one of the largest in the world. In addition to the LSSC, Mr. Baker serves on the Board of Directors of AeroVironment, Inc., Millennium Cell, Inc., the University of Michigan College of Engineering National Advisory Board, the Board of Trustees of Clarkson University, and the Board of Governors of the Cranbrook Institute of Science.

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