Roche's Pierson Honored as 2009 HBA Rising Star

NUTLEY, N.J., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Roche Product Director Kelly Pierson, of
Plainfield, N.J., was honored as a 2009 Rising Star by the Healthcare
Businesswomen's Association (HBA) at the organization's annual awards luncheon
on May 7, 2009 in New York City.

"Kelly combines her creative nature with meticulous attention to detail. Her
energy, inclusive style and strive-for-excellence attitude truly make Kelly a
Rising Star," said Richard Hinson, vice president, Commercial Operations.

"Kelly is among our best and brightest. We applaud her for joining the other
Roche women who have received this prestigious award. They inspire those
around them and contribute tremendously to the success of our company," added
George Abercrombie, Roche president and CEO.

Pierson is product director for Boniva(R) (ibandronate sodium), the
once-monthly prescription medication for the management of post-menopausal
osteoporosis. She joined Roche in 2000 as an Informations Systems Audit
Specialist and went on to serve as a manager in Interactive Marketing
Management before being named to her current position in 2004. Before Roche,
she was with Dun and Bradstreet Corporation and The Prudential. The
Philadelphia native earned a B.S. in Accounting from Pennsylvania State
University in 1992.

"Kelly is one of the few whose work has quite literally been seen by millions
of people," said Hinson, referring to the successful Boniva direct-to-consumer
campaign that features actress Sally Field.

"Working in the healthcare industry and in my role in marketing, I get the
personal satisfaction of providing women with the information they need to
make decisions to better manage their health," said Pierson, who was thrilled
to be selected as this year's HBA awardee. "I am truly honored to be
recognized as a Rising Star and to be among the amazing Roche women who have
been previously recognized."

The HBA, based in Fairfield, N.J. (www.hbanet.org), is a national
not-for-profit organization dedicated to furthering the advancement of women
in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Its Rising Star Award
recognizes women whose outstanding accomplishments make a difference in the
industry and inspire others.

Past Roche HBA Rising Stars include Sarah Vidal, Product Marketing; Suzann
Duncan, Product Marketing; Stella Xu, Pharma Partnering; Cathy Geddes, HCV
Management; Kathy Presto, Medical Affairs; Lori Martin, Marketing
Administration; and Michelle Zupancic, Specialty Business Operations. Carolyn
Glynn, vice president, Public Affairs, is a past HBA Woman of the Year.

About HBA
The Healthcare Businesswomen's Association, founded in 1977, is a global
organization dedicated to the advancement of women in healthcare and provides
professional development and recognition, networking and mentoring programs
and leadership opportunities for its 5,000 members. For more information,
visit www.hbanet.org.

About Roche
Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (Roche), based in Nutley, N.J., is the U.S.
pharmaceuticals headquarters of the Roche Group, one of the world's leading
research-oriented healthcare groups with core businesses in pharmaceuticals
and diagnostics. For more than 100 years in the U.S., Roche has been committed
to developing innovative products and services that address prevention,
diagnosis and treatment of diseases, thus enhancing people's health and
quality of life. An employer of choice, in 2008, Roche was named one of the
Top 20 Employers (Science) and ranked the No. 1 Company to Sell For (Selling
Power). In previous years, Roche has been named as Top Company of the Year by
Med Ad News, a Top Company for Older Workers (AARP) and one of the Best
Companies to Work For in America (Fortune). For additional information about
the U.S. pharmaceuticals business, visit http://www.rocheusa.com. Product and
treatment information for U.S. healthcare professionals is available at
www.RocheExchange.com.

All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.

Contact: Darien E. Wilson
Public Affairs
973-562-2232
darien_e.wilson@roche.com

SOURCE Roche

Darien E. Wilson, Public Affairs, +1-973-562-2232, darien_e.wilson@roche.com