FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAN ANTONIO - March 5, 2001. South Texas Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgical Associates announces the addition of James Garrison, M.D. to its staff. Dr. Garrison earned his B.A. in Biology from University of Texas, his Doctor of Medicine from Texas Tech University, and completed his internship and residency in General Surgery from the University of Louisville. He went on to complete a Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Texas Heart Institute and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Dr. Garrison is Board Certified in Surgery and Thoracic Surgery. He has worked and resided in Abilene, Texas for the past 2 ½ years, where he was in private practice and served as the Chairman of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Hendrick Medical Center.