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Top Texas Business Leaders Honored

HOUSTON, Aug. 3, 2004 -- Five prominent Texas business leaders are being honored as the 2004 inductees into the Texas Business Hall of Fame and will be recognized at the foundation's 22nd Annual Induction Dinner to be held on Thursday, October 28, 2004 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort, San Antonio. Additionally, at a luncheon earlier that day, the foundation will honor as many as 20 Texas college and university MBA students, awarding each a $5,000 scholarship.

The Texas Business Hall of Fame recognizes the state's business leaders who have made outstanding contributions in their field and in the communities in which they live. The 2004 inductees are:

 --  Tilman J. Fertitta, chairman, president and chief executive
     officer of Landry's Restaurants, Inc., a Houston, Texas-based
     restaurant enterprise, which owns and operates over 300
     restaurants across the United States.

 --  Matt F. Gorges, Rio Grande Valley food processor of products
     including, meat, seafood and vegetables.

 --  Peter M. Holt, chief executive officer of HOLT CAT, the largest
     Caterpillar dealership in the United States, headquartered in San
     Antonio and chairman and chief executive officer of Spurs Sports
     & Entertainment.

 --  Rosemary E. Kowalski, founder and chairman emeritus of The RK
     Group, an award-winning San Antonio-based catering business.

 --  Lowell H. Lebermann, Jr., chairman of Centex Beverage Inc., a
     wholesale distributor of Miller Brewing Company products and
     imported beverages in Austin, Texas.

Previous honorees into the prestigious Texas Business Hall of Fame include former President George Bush; former Texas Governor William P. Clements, Jr.; Comer J. Cottrell, founder of Proline; Michael Dell, founder of Dell Computer Corporation; Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics; Stanley Marcus, founder of Neiman Marcus department stores; and Ross Perot, former chief executive officer of Electronic Data Systems (EDS).

About TBHF

The Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation is a non-profit organization of 100 directors who are business leaders from cities throughout the state. The organization's mission is to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of Texas business leaders, to perpetuate and inspire the values of entrepreneurial spirit, personal integrity and community leadership in all generations of Texans. This mission is achieved by inducting honorees at an annual dinner, publicizing their accomplishments throughout the state and providing financial support for business education in Texas. Since its inception in 1983, the successful efforts of the Texas Business Hall of Fame have made it possible to fund over $2 million in scholarships awarded to outstanding Texas graduate business students who exhibit the same inherent entrepreneurial drive and leadership spirit as the inductees of the Texas Business Hall of Fame.

For additional information, contact TBHF at (713) 993-9433 or visit www.texasbusiness.org. Media inquires, please contact (248) 554-0845.

CONTACT:  Gael Sandoval, International Meeting Managers
          (248) 554-0845