Owens & Minor Ranks First in the 2003 InformationWeek 500

Virginia-Based Medical and Surgical Supply Distributor Achieves Top Ranking for the Second Time; Marks Fourth Year in a Row As The Leading Healthcare Company on Prestigious List

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 23, 2003 -- Owens & Minor (NYSE: OMI) announced today that it was ranked No. 1 in the InformationWeek 500, a prestigious annual listing of the most innovative users of information technology in the United States. Owens & Minor led all companies in the survey for the second time in three years and was the leader among healthcare companies for the fourth year in a row.

"We are delighted to receive this recognition for the second time," said G. Gilmer Minor, III, chairman and chief executive officer of Owens & Minor. "Although technology is not our primary business, it is a critical component in our ability to help our customers be more efficient and reduce costs. We are constantly seeking new and more innovative ways to help our customers succeed, which, in turn, will make us more successful. We not only use our innovative technology to help our customers, we also use it to make a dramatic and positive impact on the productivity of our internal operations. We are very pleased to be at the top of this prestigious group."

For 15 years, InformationWeek, a publication of CMP Media LLC, has tracked the IT agendas of the nation's best-known companies. The annual ranking surveys companies that demonstrate a pattern of technological, procedural, and organizational innovation. In its survey, InformationWeek examined core areas of operations including IT budgets, technology deployment, e-business, customer knowledge, infrastructure, and business and technology strategies. Owens & Minor led the way among other well-known companies such as General Motors, FedEx, and Harley-Davidson. In all, 27 healthcare and medical companies were named to the InformationWeek 500, including several Owens & Minor supply chain partners.

"The InformationWeek 500 are a major force in the U.S. economy," said Stephanie Stahl, editor of InformationWeek. "Collectively, this year's 500 businesses will spend nearly $177 billion on technology tools, products and services. We expect this commitment to continue into 2004, when we estimate that the InformationWeek 500 will spend $185 billion to establish and move technology initiatives forward."

The InformationWeek 500 is the most detailed source of industry- specific IT budget data. The research project gathers in-depth information directly from companies about how they approach and prioritize their IT investments. The research identified and ranked the companies following an extensive online and telephone survey.

Owens & Minor, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, is the nation's leading distributor of national name brand medical and surgical supplies. The company's distribution centers throughout the United States serve hospitals, integrated healthcare systems and group purchasing organizations. In addition to its diverse product offering, Owens & Minor helps customers control healthcare costs and improve inventory management through innovative services in supply chain management and logistics. The company has also established itself as a leader in the development and use of technology. For news releases, or for more information about Owens & Minor, visit the company's Web site at http://www.owens- minor.com.

InformationWeek helps more than 440,000 business-technology professionals who buy, build, and manage technology drive business innovation powered by technology. In addition to the weekly magazine, InformationWeek provides a platform of information solutions, including InformationWeek.com; InformationWeek Research; InformationWeek Events, which includes the InformationWeek Conference for business-technology executives; and the InformationWeek Daily, an E-mail news service. In May 2003, in conjunction with Optimize, InformationWeek launched its Media Network. The Media Network consists of Optimize, Government Enterprise, and Healthcare Enterprise, as well as its Vertical Industry Network publications, Bank Systems and Technology, Insurance and Technology, and Wall Street and Technology. InformationWeek is consistently recognized for its commitment to excellence and innovation, receiving several of the industry's top media accolades, including top spots in Technology Marketing's Influencers Report, BtoB Magazine's annual Media Power 50, as well as awards from ASBPE.

CMP Media LLC (http://www.cmp.com) is a leading high-tech media company providing essential information and marketing services to the entire technology spectrum -- the builders, sellers, and users of technology worldwide. Capitalizing on its editorial strength, CMP is uniquely positioned to offer comprehensive, integrated media solutions tailored to meet marketers' individual needs. Its diverse products and services include newspapers, magazines, Internet products, research, direct-marketing services, education and training, trade shows and conferences, custom publishing, testing, and consulting.

Safe Harbor Statement

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the rate at which new business can be converted to the company, intense competitive pressures within the industry, success of strategic initiatives discussed, changes in customer order patterns, pricing pressures, changes in government funding to hospitals and other healthcare providers, loss of major customers, and other factors discussed from time to time in the reports filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company assumes no obligation to update information contained in this release.

SOURCE Owens & Minor, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.owens-minor.com