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<PAGE>
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION UNDER THE PRIVATE
SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
This newsletter contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such
forward-looking statements with respect to revenues, earnings, performance,
strategies, prospects and other aspects of the businesses of FirstEnergy
Corp. and GPU, Inc. are based on current expectations that are subject to
risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results or
outcomes to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking
statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks and
uncertainties set forth in FirstEnergy's and GPU's filings with the SEC,
including risks and uncertainties relating to: failure to obtain expected
synergies from the merger, delays in obtaining or adverse conditions
contained in any required regulatory approvals, changes in laws or
regulations, economic or weather conditions affecting future sales and
margins, changes in markets for energy services, changing energy market
prices, availability and pricing of fuel and other energy commodities,
legislative and regulatory changes (including revised environmental and
safety requirements), availability and cost of capital and other similar
factors. Readers are referred to FirstEnergy's and GPU's most recent
reports filed with the SEC.
<PAGE>
GPUE DIRECTORS BEGIN WORK
ON REORGANIZATION NEXT STEPS
by Donna Rovins
Using GPU Energy's Vision and Inspired Leadership qualities as guideposts,
the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) has named 27 directors to lead the company
through the next phase of the reorganization and the proposed merger with
FirstEnergy.
"We are fortunate to have a large number of talented directors
and managers to draw from," said GPU Energy President and Chief Executive
Officer Mike Chesser. "I'm excited about the candidates. These new leaders
bring to our organization a depth of thinking that is critical to our
future success."
Under the new organizational design, the four regions will be
accountable for a balanced scorecard, which includes customer satisfaction,
employee satisfaction, asset management, process excellence and operational
excellence. The corporate organization, working as centers of excellence,
will support the efforts of the regions.
The four Regional Presidents - Kelly Tomblin, Western
Pennsylvania; Steve Schumacher, Eastern Pennsylvania; Ron Lantzy, Northern
New Jersey and Don Lynch, Central New Jersey, announced the following
selections:
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA:
o MARK LEYO, DIRECTOR - Engineering/Reliability
o DEE LOWERY, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT - Customer Focus
o JOE DEANE, DIRECTOR - Operations
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA:
o BOB STUMP, DIRECTOR - Engineering/Reliability
o ERNIE WATERS, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT - Customer Focus
o ANDY HUNTER, DIRECTOR - Operations
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY:
o VERA ADMORE, DIRECTOR - Engineering/Reliability
o STEVE NICHOLL, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT - Customer Focus
o BETH ARD, DIRECTOR - Operations
CENTRAL NEW JERSEY:
o JOE FEKETE, DIRECTOR - Engineering/Reliability
o PHIL LUCCARELLI, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT - Customer Focus
o RICH BREVOGEL, DIRECTOR - Operations.
The corporate vice presidents, Chuck Mascari, Technical Services
and Mike Roche, Customer and Regulatory Services, and Chesser announced the
following selections for the corporate organization:
TECHNICAL SERVICES:
o WALT LASOTA, DIRECTOR - Distribution Engineering
o SAM THOMAS, DIRECTOR - Transmission Systems
o KEVIN WRIGHT, DIRECTOR - Power Supply Portfolio Management
o DAVE ROBERTS, DIRECTOR - Power Market Evaluation
o RALPH PAPARELLA, DIRECTOR - Power Contract Support Service
o RICK FIDLER, DIRECTOR - Information Technology Services (IT/S)
In addition, Mascari also announced the following will retain
their general manager positions within IT/S:
o KEN BUNTING, GENERAL MANAGER - IT/S Infrastructure
o JOYCE MAYS, GENERAL MANAGER - Business Solutions
o TOM KRISE, GENERAL MANAGER - Project Office
CUSTOMER AND REGULATORY SERVICES:
o CHRIS PETERSON, DIRECTOR - Customer Services
o CHUCK MOWBRAY, DIRECTOR - Environmental Affairs
o BECKY WINGENROTH, DIRECTOR - Community and Economic Development
o MIKE FILIPPONE, DIRECTOR - Rates, Legislative and Regulatory/NJ
o BLAINE UPLINGER, STATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS VICE PRESIDENT/PA. He will
be accountable for Rates, Legislative and Regulatory issues in
Pennsylvania.
Chesser also announced the following selections:
o EARL BEGLIN, DIRECTOR - Accounting
o LARRY WENTZEL, DIRECTOR - Human Resources
Jeff Sturm, Director - Materials and Services, and Phyllis
Rispoli, Director - Budget and Planning, will be transition team leaders
for the next six months on the GPU/FirstEnergy merger. Responsibilities
during their absence will be handled by acting directors:
o CRAIG FRIES, ACTING DIRECTOR - Materials and Supplies
o JORGE PUENTES, ACTING DIRECTOR - Budget and Planning
The new directors will begin immediately working with the Work
Transition Team on the next steps of the process, which includes
organization structure, people in the organization, work processes and key
projects.
The Work Transition Team is working to develop a plan to aid in
the smooth and timely transition from the current organization to the new
structure.
Bill Zewe is project manager for the effort. The four areas of
focus are: Organization Structure, led by Stephanie Wolfe; People in the
Organization, led by Chris Walker; Work Processes, led by Puentes and Key
Projects, led by Joe Lombardo.
The next phase of the reorganization will be the selection of
managers in early December, supervisors by mid-December and full staffing
of the organization by the end of the year.
<PAGE>
BRIEFLY
MERGER VOTES TUESDAY
Another key step toward securing the merger of GPU, Inc. and FirstEnergy
Corp. occurs Tuesday when votes will be counted and certified at Special
Shareholders Meetings in Morristown, N.J., and Akron, Ohio. Additionally,
the companies recently submitted applications for approval of the proposed
merger to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, New Jersey Board of
Public Utilities and Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
FLU SHOTS
Employees unable to receive a flu inoculation at a scheduled location will
have the opportunity to receive an immunization from a medical provider of
their choice. If an employee receives a flu inoculation from another
provider, the company will reimburse the employee the cost of the flu
immunization up to a maximum of $13. Employees requesting reimbursement
should forward their receipt (include name, SAP number on receipt) to:
Human Resources, Bin 51, GPU Energy Headquarters, Reading Dependents of
employees are not eligible for reimbursement for the cost of flu
immunizations. Participation in the flu immunization program is entirely
voluntary. Questions should be directed to the Human Resources Service
Center, 3-910-5555.
INSIGHT
"Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in
actions." - Harold Geneen
<PAGE>
WORK TRANSITION TEAM MANDATE:
SMOOTHLY MOVE GPU ENERGY
INTO ITS NEW ORGANIZATION
by Donna Rovins
The members of the newly identified Work Transition Team wasted
no time getting to work last week after being named by GPU Energy's Senior
Leadership Team (SLT). Then again - there's no time to waste.
"We are on a very aggressive timeline to complete critical
components to move the company's reorganization forward," said Bill Zewe,
project manager for the team. "We spent the better part of last week
digesting comments from about 100 employees who had already begun to
identify needs and issues in putting together the new organization. We're
using that information as the foundation for our work. We welcome
additional comments and suggestions from employees."
The Work Transition Team is focusing on four specific areas:
ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE - the design for what the organization
structure will look like underneath the director and manager positions on
the current chart. Stephanie Wolfe of Performance Management is leading
this effort. By Dec. 3, the team will deliver an organizational chart with
all positions identified and counted.
PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION - develop and manage a process to map
and move people in the organization into the new positions, and develop
programs to help manage the transition by ensuring GPU Energy has the
necessary resources to accomplish the transition without a decline in
performance. Chris Walker of Compensation is leading this effort. By Dec.
15, the team will deliver a set of job descriptions, salary
recommendations, benefit packages, and appropriate documentation detailing
the job assignments.
WORK PROCESSES - lifting current work processes and placing them
into the new organization with minimal interruption and maximum retention
of work process efficiency. It's not anticipated that a total redesign of
the company's processes will be necessary, although some redesign work may
be necessary. Jorge Puentes of Project Management is leading this effort.
By the end of March, this team will deliver a list of work processes with
new owners identified.
KEY PROJECTS - assuring that key projects that are critical to
the company's operations are managed and the resolutions communicated.
These projects include, but aren't limited to the Critical Business Issues,
Top Quartile Team Recommendations, the business plan integration process,
the storm management policies and any other major project initiative that
may be under way. This effort is being led by Joe Lombardo of Planning and
Cost Analysis. By the end of January, this team will deliver a "living"
list of projects, progress, project owners, and the transfer of ownership
where applicable.
As project manager for the team, Zewe will act as liaison between
the teams and Central New Jersey Regional President Don Lynch, the SLT
representative to the team. Zewe also will ensure that the efforts are on
target and moving forward, that they're being conducted in accordance with
the design principles and with maximum input from the organization. He'll
also work to remove any obstacles that may arise, so that the teams can
move quickly and efficiently to completion.
"One of the first things the team decided was to work together in
developing the organizational structure," Zewe added. "That work is so
critical to how the other components move forward, that it made sense to
use the Work Transition Team itself as the core organization structure
group, reaching out to others where necessary."
The team also reached out quickly for support, asking Kathy
Moyer, a former Top Quartile Team member, to join the team. Moyer had been
involved in some of the earlier work transition work.
The team delivered to the SLT on Friday, a first cut at an
organization structure: a starting point, according to Zewe, for
discussions and refinement to the plan. The team also will work very
closely with the company's new directors as the reorganization proceeds.
