<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 99.1
HILLENBRAND INDUSTRIES
CORPORATE NEWS RELEASE
HILLENBRAND INDUSTRIES ANNOUNCES CFO RESIGNATION
BATESVILLE, INDIANA, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2000 - Hillenbrand Industries Inc.
(NYSE:HB) today announced the resignation of Donald G. Barger, Jr., vice
president and chief financial officer. Barger, 58, said he has accepted the
position of senior vice president & chief financial officer of Yellow
Corporation, Overland Park, Kansas. He will remain with Hillenbrand until
mid-December to implement a smooth transition while the search for his successor
is completed.
Hillenbrand Chief Executive Officer W August "Gus" Hillenbrand said, "We will
miss Don, his integrity and his strong work ethic. We wish him and his family
all the best for the future."
Barger joined Hillenbrand as CFO in 1998. He previously was vice president and
chief financial officer of Worthington Industries, Columbus, Ohio. Barger
maintained a residence in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, as well as a second
home in Batesville, Indiana.
Upon announcing his new position, Barger commented, "As I join Yellow
Corporation, I leave behind many good friends and experiences at Hillenbrand
Industries, a strong industry leader whose future, both operationally and
financially, is bright. However, my new position and relocation to one residence
in Kansas will allow me to spend more time with my wife and family."
Hillenbrand President Frederick W. Rockwood said, "This announcement has been
anticipated and we have been actively recruiting for Don's successor. We
appreciate Don's contributions over the past three years as well as his
willingness to assist with a smooth transition until a successor is named."
ABOUT HILLENBRAND INDUSTRIES INC.
Hillenbrand Industries Inc. (NYSE:HB), headquartered in Batesville, Indiana, is
a publicly traded holding company for three major wholly owned businesses
serving the funeral services and health care industries. All three businesses
have headquarters in Batesville, Indiana.
The Company's Funeral Services Group consists of two businesses: Batesville
Casket Company, the leading manufacturer and supplier of burial caskets,
cremation products and related services to licensed funeral homes; and
Forethought Financial Services Inc., the leading provider of insurance and
trust-based financial products and services for pre-planning funeral services.
Hillenbrand's Health Care Group consists of the Hill-Rom Company Inc., a leader
in the worldwide health care community providing sales, rentals, service and
support for products including beds, therapy surfaces, stretchers, infant
warmers, incubators, furniture, communication systems, surgical columns, medical
gas management systems, modular headwalls, lighting systems and operating room
equipment.
<PAGE> 2
DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements made in this
press release contain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the Company's future
plans, objectives and expected performance. Specifically, statements in this
release that are not historical facts, including statements accompanied by words
such as "future ... bright" are intended to identify forward-looking statements
and convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes, but their absence does
not mean that the statement is not forward-looking. The Company cautions readers
that any such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that the
Company believes are reasonable, but are subject to a wide-range of risks, and,
readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements and there is no assurance that actual results may not differ
materially. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ include
but are not limited to: outlook for health care customers, demand for products,
actual and anticipated death rates, differences in anticipated and actual
product introduction dates, the ultimate success of those products in the
marketplace, changes in Medicare reimbursement trends, and the success of cost
control and restructuring efforts, among other things. The Company assumes no
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are also
urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by the
Company in the Company's periodic reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONTACTS: Financial Analysts and Investors: Mark R. Lanning, Vice President and
Treasurer, 812-934-7256; or, News Media: Christopher P. Feeney, Director, Public
Affairs & Corporate Communications, 812-934-8197, both of Hillenbrand
Industries. www.hillenbrand.com
###
