PRESS RELEASES

"Greg will make an exceptional leader for the talent we already have in our group," said Wayne Hunter, head of First Union Securities' Technology Investment Banking Group. "Greg has successfully completed a number of high-profile equity and M&A transactions in the IT Services, B2B and Software sectors. We are thrilled to have someone of Greg's caliber and expertise join our team."

"First Union Securities is in an excellent position to serve the needs of growing companies within the rapidly changing technology industry," said Ager. "I'm excited at the prospect of working with a team that has such an excellent platform."

Ager joins First Union Securities from Thomas Weisel Partners, a firm he joined at its inception in January 1999 after working at Montgomery Securities for three years. Prior to Montgomery, he worked in the Technology Investment Banking Groups in San Francisco for Morgan Stanley and Salomon Smith Barney. He received his BA from Yale University and his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University.

First Union Securities' Technology Investment Banking Group focuses on the following sectors: Infrastructure, Internet Professional Services, Business to Business, Enterprise Software, Network Software and eFinance Enablers, Semiconductors, Wireless and Wireline Hardware.

First Union (NYSE:FTU), with $247 billion in assets and stockholders' equity of $15 billion at September 30, 2000, is a leading provider of financial services to 15 million retail and corporate customers throughout the East Coast and the nation. The company operates full-service banking offices in 11 East Coast states and Washington, D.C., and full-service brokerage offices in 45 states and international offices worldwide. Online banking products and services can be accessed through www.firstunion.com.

Important Notice: First Union Securities is the trade name under which Charlotte based First Union Corporation conducts its investment banking, merger and acquisition, asset management and mutual fund, brokerage and insurance businesses.

First Union Securities includes: (1) First Union Securities, Inc. ("FUSI"), a registered broker-dealer and member NYSE/NASD and SIPC providing investment banking, merger and acquisition advisory and brokerage services to corporations, individuals and other institutions throughout the United States; (2) First Clearing Corporation ("FCC"), a separately registered broker-dealer and member NYSE/NASD and SIPC, providing securities clearance and settlement services; (3) the Capital Markets and Capital Management Groups within First Union National Bank ("FUNB"), a national banking association, and its subsidiaries, providing asset management, lending, structured finance risk management, derivatives, and fiduciary services to institutions and individuals; (4) various subsidiaries within First Union Corporation providing investment advisory, administrative and other services to the Evergreen and Mentor families of mutual funds; and (5) various wholly-owned state insurance agencies.

Stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other securities offered or sold through First Union Corporation or any of its bank or non-bank subsidiaries are not deposits of any bank and are not insured, guaranteed or otherwise protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency; are not endorsed or guaranteed by First Union Corporation, FUNB or any bank; and involve investment risk, including possible loss of principal.