Jerry Chicoine, president and chief executive officer for Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. announced today three new vice presidents to help lead the company.

Jerry Armstrong was named vice president for North American Sales. He will report to current vice
president for North American sales, Bob Wichmann, who plans to retire in 2000. Armstrong had been a Pioneer director for North American Sales since 1988.

Dean Oestreich, was named Pioneer vice president and director for Africa, Middle East, Asia and Pacific Operations. He had been a director for the company's worldwide supply management group. His appointment fills an open position.

Karen Pedersen, was appointed Pioneer vice president and director for human resources, a new position. She had been human resources director for Pioneer.

"While we are looking for opportunities to integrate with DuPont, we are very focused on staying true to our customers,'' said Chicoine. "We are making sure we have the leadership in place that will allow us to deliver the added value our combined companies will make possible.''

Along with the new vice presidents, Chicoine announced a change in responsibility for Pioneer vice president Paul Schickler. He was named vice president and director for Pioneer operations in Latin America, a position that had been open. Schickler previously had responsibility for Pioneer administration.

All four of the vice presidents will continue to work from the Pioneer headquarters in Des Moines.

"Farmers around the globe have come to expect the best products and services from the Pioneer brand,'' noted Chicoine. "We are committed to exceeding those expectations with the world's strongest agricultural research and product development program and with a great number of top-notch individuals like those we mention here today.''

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., a DuPont business, is the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics to farmers worldwide. With headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, Pioneer develops, produces and markets a full line of top-quality seeds, forage and grain additives and provides services to customers in nearly 100 countries. DuPont is a science company, delivering science-based solutions that make a difference in people's lives in food and nutrition; health care; apparel; home and construction; electronics; and transportation.

Jerry R. Armstrong
Vice President and Director, North American Sales Operations and Field Support
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

Jerry Armstrong joined Pioneer as an accountant in Tipton, Ind., in 1973 after graduating from Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. He went on to became Controller-Treasurer for the former Pioneer North American Eastern Division in 1980. He held several finance and sales positions at Pioneer before becoming Director of Sales Operations for North America in 1988. He was named Pioneer Vice President for North American Sales in October 1999.

Armstrong is a Certified Public Accountant. Though now living in Iowa, he continues to be active in several civic organizations in Indiana. He is currently board president of the Tipton County Foundation, Inc., a $10,000,000 community foundation, of which he is a founding director. Armstrong also serves as treasurer of RAPID (Rapid Agricultural Product and Information Distribution) an industry nonprofit organization focused on helping age business realize the benefits of e-commerce.

A native of Elwood, Ind., Jerry and his wife, Nancy, relocated to Des Moines three years ago from the family farm in Tipton Co., Ind. They have two children.

Dean Oestreich
Vice President and Director, Africa, Middle East, and Asia and Pacific Operations
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

Dean Oestreich (pronounced OO-STIR-ICK) joined Pioneer in 1974 after graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in agronomy. He started his career as a corn breeder at the research station in Algona, Iowa. He held positions as worldwide parent seed director, information manager for North American Sales and information manager for Pioneer Research, before becoming a director for Supply Management in 1993. In that role, Oestreich was responsible for worldwide seed supply planning and for production operations in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa, Oceania, Pakistan and India. He was also responsible for worldwide parent corn oversight. He was named Pioneer Vice President and Director for Africa, Middle East, and Asia and Pacific Operations in October 1999.

Oestreich and his wife, Joni, (also a Pioneer employee), live in the Des Moines area.

Karen Pedersen
Vice President and Director, Human Resources
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

Karen Pedersen came to Pioneer in 1986 as a training and development manager. She took on
responsibilities for all Pioneer human resources activities in 1990 as the Pioneer Human Resources Director. Pedersen was named Pioneer Vice President and Director for Human Resources in October 1999.

Before joining Pioneer, Pedersen worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service in several administrative leadership roles. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska in interior design and architecture and a Ph.D. from Iowa State University in adult education.

Pedersen and her husband, Larry, have three children and live in the Des Moines area.

Company news release
N2209