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Whitman Announced Wendel H. Province Will Succeed the Retiring John R. Moore As Chairman and CEO of Midas International Effective January 1, 1998

17 December 1997

Whitman Announced Wendel H. Province Will Succeed the Retiring John R. Moore As Chairman and CEO of Midas International Effective January 1, 1998

    CHICAGO, Dec. 17 -- Whitman Corporation announced
today that Wendel H. Province has been named Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Midas International, effective January 1, 1998.  He succeeds John
R. Moore, who will retire as planned on January 31, 1998.  Mr. Moore will
continue to serve as a consultant to Midas after his retirement.
    Previously, Mr. Province was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer of Pep Boys-Manny, Moe and Jack.
    His entire career has been in the automotive service industry.  Before
joining Pep Boys in 1989 as Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Mr.
Province served as Senior Vice President of Whitlock and Vice President of
Autozone.
    Bruce S. Chelberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Wendel
Province is a proven executive with a record of success in this industry.  He
knows the business from the ground up.  There's nothing in automotive service
that he hasn't seen or done.  He's the right person to lead Midas to its next
level of performance."
    Mr. Chelberg added, "We will all miss Ron Moore.  He set the benchmark for
the auto service industry.  He was a leader on issues of integrity and
consumer trust.  He was ahead of the competition in adding new services.  And
he had the vision to realize the potential of expanding into the emerging
markets overseas.  He has left his mark on the company and the industry."
    Whitman expects to complete the spin-off of Midas to shareholders by the
end of January 1998.

SOURCE  Whitman Corporation