Opta Food Ingredients Names New Director Candidate

Opta Food Ingredients, Inc. (Bedford, MA) has nominated William Carmichael, former senior VP of Sara Lee Corp., to its board of directors. The company's stockholders at its May 18, 1999 meeting will approve his nomination.

"We are at an important transition point in our company's evolution and we are moving into a phase of rapid commercial expansion," said Lewis Paine III, president and CEO. "Carmichael has held senior positions at major global food companies and his expertise and contacts in the food business, as well as his background with acquisitions, will be valuable to us."

Carmichael is founder of The Succession Fund, a consulting firm providing investors in private companies with an exit strategy. Prior to forming his current venture in 1998, he had 26 years of experience in various financial positions with global consumer product companies. Positions that he has held include senior VP and CFO of Beatrice Foods Co. and VP of Esmark, Inc. and of E-II Holdings, Inc.

Opta Food Ingredients, Inc, is a manufacturer and marketer of proprietary food ingredients that improve nutritional content, healthfulness, texture and taste of its customers' food products.