Company Also Announces New Board Committee Assignments; Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend
DUBLIN, Ohio, Nov. 7, 2007 — Following its annual meeting today, Cardinal Health, a global provider of products and services that improve the safety and productivity of health care, released preliminary results of shareholder voting, announced new committee assignments for its board of directors and declared its 93rd consecutive quarterly dividend.
In addition, as previously announced, R. Kerry Clark was named chairman and CEO effective tomorrow, and Robert L. Gerbig retired from the board of directors.
“We are grateful for Bob Gerbig’s 32 years of dedicated service as a director of Cardinal Health,” said Clark. “Bob’s guidance has helped Cardinal Health evolve from a regional food distributor in 1975 into the diversified global health care company we are today.”
Based on preliminary results of shareholder voting, 10 directors were reelected to the board, the company’s external auditor was ratified and management proposals were approved to reduce certain supermajority voting requirements and implement a new non-employee director equity incentive plan. Two shareholder proposals failed to pass.
In addition, the board of directors approved the following appointments, effective today:
- J. Michael Losh, retired chairman, Metaldyne Corporation, was appointed chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Executive Committee;
- Gregory B. Kenny, president and chief executive officer, General Cable Corporation, was appointed to the Human Resources and Compensation Committee and will no longer serve on the Audit Committee;
- John B. McCoy, retired chairman and chief executive officer, Bank One Corporation, was appointed chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee; and
- Richard C. Notebaert, retired chairman and chief executive officer, Qwest Communications International Inc., was selected Presiding Director.
The board of directors also approved a regular quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share, payable on Jan. 15, 2008 to shareholders of record on Jan. 1, 2008. For more than 23 years, Cardinal Health has paid a quarterly dividend to shareholders. The company had approximately 362 million shares outstanding as of Nov. 1.
About Cardinal Health
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is an $87 billion, global company serving the health-care industry with products and services that help hospitals, physician offices and pharmacies reduce costs, improve safety, productivity and profitability, and deliver better care to patients. With a focus on making supply chains more efficient, reducing hospital-acquired infections and breaking the cycle of harmful medication errors, Cardinal Health develops market-leading technologies, including Alaris® IV pumps, Pyxis® automated dispensing systems, MedMined™ infection surveillance service, VIASYS® respiratory care products and the CareFusion™ patient identification system. The company also manufactures medical and surgical products and is one of the largest distributors of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies worldwide. Ranked No. 19 on the Fortune 500 and No. 1 in its sector on Fortune's ranking of Most Admired firms, Cardinal Health employs more than 40,000 people on five continents. More information about the company may be found at www.cardinalhealth.com.