Thomas Gardner Named by Reader's Digest Association to Lead its Books Are Fun Unit

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Thomas D. Gardner, President of Reader's Digest International, will assume additional responsibilities to lead Books Are Fun, a unit of the Consumer Business Services segment of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. . The move is part of a planned broadening of Gardner's corporate duties following his recent promotion to Executive Vice President. Joel Feigenbaum will continue as President of Books Are Fun, reporting directly to Gardner.

Over the past three years, Gardner, 48, has led RD International, which comprises the company's business in all parts of the world except North America. He will retain responsibility for RDI. Under his guidance, RDI stabilized its core business after several years of decline, while launching businesses in seven new countries. From Fiscal 2003 to Fiscal 2005, the division's operating profits improved by 55 percent.

Previously, as President, North America Books & Home Entertainment, he restructured that business and improved operating results. Gardner joined RDA in 1992 from McKinsey & Co. He holds a B.A. from Williams College and an MBA from Stanford University.

Books Are Fun, based in Fairfield, Iowa, is the world's leading display marketer of books and gifts. Its book fairs and displays supply superior quality products to employees at more than 70,000 schools, 50,000 businesses, 20,000 early-learning centers, 12,000 corporations, as well as hospitals, universities, government offices, and non-profit organizations across the United States and Canada. The company works with a network of 1,000 independent sales representatives.

The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. is a global publisher and direct marketer of products that inform, entertain and inspire people of all ages and cultures around the world. The company had consolidated revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005, of $2.4 billion. Global headquarters are located at Pleasantville, New York. For more information, visit http://www.rda.com/.

This release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future results and occurrences to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, contain a discussion of additional factors that could affect future results and occurrences. RDA does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements.