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EXHIBIT 99-2
FINAL FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
CURTIS J. ZAMEC
OR
Bill W. Forsberg
(708) 865-1600
WILBERT'S NEW CHAIRMAN RESPONDS TO YORK'S ADOPTION OF POISON PILL
CHICAGO - October 3 2000 - Curtis J. Zamec, the newly-minted chairman
and chief executive officer of Wilbert(R), Inc., today expressed his company's
disappointment with The York Group's board of directors' decision to adopt a
"shareholder rights plan" in response to Wilbert's recent stock purchases.
Wilbert indicated in its latest 13-D filing on September 20, 2000 that it had
acquired 1,046,400 shares or approximately 11.3% of The York Group and expects
to continue purchasing stock.
Mr. Zamec stated, "The action taken by York's board on September 27,
2000 appears to be aimed at limiting our ability to make further purchases
without incurring extreme dilution of our ownership interest. We fail to see how
disenfranchising the company's largest shareholder is in the best interest of
either York or its many shareholders, employees, customers, vendors and
distributors."
Mr. Crawfords September 27th press release stated that, "the rights are
designed to protect and maximize the value of shareholders' interest in York."
However, Mr. Zamec noted, that on the first day following the announcement
York's stock dropped 9.4%. "As a result we believe the negative reaction to
York's announcement is a clear message from investors that York's board is only
further entrenching themselves with no consideration for any other
stakeholders."
Further,York's September 27, 2000 news release indicated the
shareholder rights plan would allow the company to "complete refinancing of its
indebtedness without distraction."
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"Wilbert's substantial resources give us the ability to assist York
with its refinancing efforts," commented Zamec. "In our estimation, it doesn't
make any sense for York's board to basically turn their back on a potential
source of financial support at this critical time. Consequently, Wilbert, Inc.
has requested that York's board of directors both reverse its poison pill action
and remove all obstacles to Wilbert's further purchases of York stock."
ABOUT CURTIS J. ZAMEC
Curtis J. Zamec, chairman and chief executive officer of Wilbert, Inc.,
originally joined the Wilbert family of companies when he was hired by
Thermoform Plastics, Inc. (a subsidiary of Wilbert, Inc.) in 1985 as vice
president of operations, responsible for the manufacturing and sales
departments. He was subsequently promoted to executive vice president and
general manager, then president. Under Mr. Zamec's direction, Thermoform
Plastics, Inc. grew from $21 million in revenues to $52 million in revenues.
During 1997, the Wilbert, Inc. board of directors voted to bring Mr. Zamec to
Wilbert, Inc. to serve as president and chief executive officer. Mr. Zamec was
elected chairman at Wilbert, Inc.'s annual shareholders' meeting in Tucson,
Arizona this past September. This marks the first time in Wilberts' 107-year
history that a Wilbert non-licensee was elected to the office of Chairman.
In addition to spearheading record financial performance, Mr. Zamec
has also streamlined communications and cooperation between the parent company
and its subsidiaries, and has been a strong supporter of employees and their
rights.
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ABOUT WILBERT, INC.
Founded in 1893, Wilbert Inc. is the privately held holding company of
Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. (WFSI), Thermoform Plastics Inc. (TPI) and
American Industrial Technologies, Inc. (Ameritek-AIT). WFSI is the leading
single-source supplier of burial vaults and cremation-related products and
services to over 22,000 funeral homes, cemeteries and crematories in North
America. With over 250 manufacturing, warehousing and distribution locations in
the United States and Canada, WFSI is the largest concrete burial vault
manufacturer in the world. Thermoform, one of the largest custom-thermoforming
manufacturers in the nation, specializes in manufacturing large parts for the
agricultural, heavy truck and recreational industries, and also supplies WFSI
with liners used in burial vaults. Ameritek is a leading producer of laminating
and specialty adhesives, rust-inhibiting coatings, sealants and adhesives for
many industries, as well as for burial vault products.
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