Berkshire Hathaway Completes Acquisition of Applied Underwriters

"As anticipated, our new relationship with Berkshire Hathaway isgenerating positive market-place responses and exciting growthopportunities for our businesses, our managers and employees, and ourindependent agent network," noted Applied Underwriters' Chairman andChief Executive Officer, Sidney R. Ferenc. "Warren Buffett isrecognized and respected worldwide for his business acumen and for hisproven ability to choose market winners," Ferenc added. "Our clients,business partners and employees are proud to be part of the BerkshireHathaway companies."

"We're delighted to have completed all the regulatory and legalrequirements necessary to finalize our new partnership with one ofAmerica's best managed and most successful businesses," added StevenMenzies, Applied Underwriters' President and Chief Operating Officer."We're pleased to be officially part of the Berkshire Hathaway familyof businesses, and we look forward to a long and mutually rewardingpartnership."

Applied Underwriters provides business insurance solutions for awide range of companies, with specific expertise in crafting workers'compensation and business services solutions for small andmedium-sized enterprises. Applied's products include SolutionOne(R)and EquityComp(TM). Founded in 1994 by Sidney R. Ferenc and StevenMenzies, it is headquartered in Foster City, California in the SanFrancisco Bay Area and has it main operations center in Omaha,Nebraska.

Berkshire Hathaway and its subsidiaries engage in diversebusinesses including property and casualty insurance and reinsurance,utilities and energy, finance, manufacturing, retailing and services.Common stock of the company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange,trading symbols BRK.A and BRK.B.