UTICA, N.Y., Aug. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CONMED Corporation (Nasdaq: CNMD) today announced the appointment of Stephen M. Mandia to the Company's Board of Directors effective immediately.

Eugene R. Corasanti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated: "I am pleased that Steve has agreed to join our Board of Directors. His background in import and export sales, as well as his business experience in founding and leading an import company, will bring both a depth of experience and new perspective to our Board. His added experience in acquisitions and in working with multi-national companies will also bring valuable insights."

Mr. Mandia is the President and CEO of East Coast Olive Oil Corporation, which he founded in 1991. Located in Utica New York, his company is the leader in its market, and services the retail and foodservice trade in 40 states. Prior to that time, he was the Export Sales Manager for Oleificio Borelli SPA Imperia in Italy. Mr. Mandia holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Bentley College, located in Waltham, Massachusetts, having also undertaken undergraduate studies at Richmond College in London.

CONMED is a medical technology company specializing in instruments, implants, and video equipment for arthroscopic sports medicine, and powered surgical instruments, such as drills and saws, for orthopedic, ENT, neuro-surgery, and other surgical specialties. The Company is also a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of advanced surgical devices, including radio frequency, or RF, electrosurgery systems used routinely to cut and cauterize tissue in nearly all types of surgical procedures worldwide, and endoscopy products such as trocars, clip appliers, scissors, and surgical staplers. The Company also manufactures and sells a full line of ECG electrodes for heart monitoring and other patient care products. Headquartered in Utica, New York, the Company's 2,500 employees distribute its products worldwide from eight manufacturing locations.

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on certain assumptions and contingencies that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and relate to the Company's performance on a going-forward basis. The forward-looking statements in this press release involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results, performance or trends, including anticipated revenues and earnings, to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements herein or in previous disclosures. The Company believes that all forward- looking statements made by it have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs or projections as expressed in the forward-looking statements will actually occur or prove to be correct. In addition to general industry and economic conditions, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to: (i) the failure of any one or more of the assumptions stated above, to prove to be correct; (ii) the risks relating to forward-looking statements discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001 and the Prospectus dated May 22, 2002; (iii) cyclical purchasing patterns from customers, end-users and dealers; (iv) timely release of new products, and acceptance of such new products by the market; (v) the introduction of new products by competitors and other competitive responses; (vi) the possibility that any new acquisition or other transaction may require the Company to reconsider its financial assumptions and goals/targets; and or (vii) the Company's ability to devise and execute strategies to respond to market conditions.

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SOURCE CONMED Corporation

-0- 08/08/2002

/CONTACT: Robert Shallish, Chief Financial Officer of CONMED Corporation, +1-315-624-3206; or Investors: Lauren Levine or Lanie Fladell, or Media: Dan Budwick, all of Morgen-Walke Associates, +1-212-850-5600/

/Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/201850.html/