James E. Murphy is Elected to Arthur W. Page Society Hall of Fame

(New York, New York September 7, 2005) - The Arthur W. Page Society announced today that renowned communications professional James E. Murphy is this year's winner of its prestigious Hall of Fame Award. The Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for Accenture -- the world's leading management consulting and technology services firm -- will be inducted at the Page Society's Annual Awards Luncheon September 19 in Napa, CA.

The Hall of Fame, created in 1984, honors leading practitioners for career achievement and outstanding contributions to the profession. Murphy will become the 21st practitioner to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Murphy's extensive career is filled with numerous achievements and contributions. He is currently a member of Accenture's Executive Leadership Team and chairs the company's Marketing Management Committee. In a unique arrangement, he provides his management services to Accenture through Murphy & Co., of which he is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Murphy & Co. is a management consulting firm specializing in corporate communications and marketing strategy and services.

Murphy was named "Business Marketer of the Year" by BtoB magazine; he was given the Public Relations Professional of the Year Award by the Public Relations Society of American (PRSA); and Sales & Marketing Management magazine named Murphy a "Best Marketer." In addition, the Arthur W. Page Society recognized the Accenture re-branding program with its coveted Annual National Award.

Through the Arthur Page Society, Murphy organized and now chairs the PR Coalition, a group of 23 US-based professional organizations involved in corporate communications, public affairs and investor relations, representing over 50,000 professionals. The Coalition collaborates on issues of interest to all communications professionals, including the principles of practicing public relations on the Internet, restoring trust in business through corporate governance and improving diversity among public relations practicioners.

Before joining Accenture in 1993, Murphy was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Americas operations of Burson-Marsteller, the leading global public relations and public affairs agency. Before joining Burson-Marsteller in 1986, he served as the senior corporate communications officer for three of America's most prominent corporations: Owens-Corning, Beatrice and Merrill Lynch. As a result, Murphy possesses a rare combination of experience encompassing business, consumer and financial services communications.

Murphy has specialized in investor and government relations, editorial and media activities, sophisticated corporate positioning, and strategic issues. He has also accumulated extensive expertise in corporate advertising, crisis communications, marketing communications, community affairs and philanthropy.

Murphy has served on the boards of numerous civic, community and professional organizations, including the Institute for Public Relations Research and Education, the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, the School of Commerce at the University of Illinois, the College of Communications at the University of Illinois, and the March of Dimes. He is past president of the Arthur W. Page Society and is an accredited member of PRSA. He is a journalism graduate of the University of Illinois and attended the Graduate School of Business at the University of Michigan.

About The Arthur W. Page Society

The Arthur W. Page Society is select membership organization composed primarily of the chief communications officers of corporations with at least $2 billion in annual revenues and the CEOs of the largest public relations agencies. The organization's members also include academics from leading colleges and universities. The Page Society is dedicated to strengthening the management policy role of chief communications officers in publicly held corporations and promoting ethical communications practices.