HerbVest.com

On July 2, 2001 Wells Fargo Co. (NYSE: WFC) announced that it had completed its acquisition of H.D. Vest, Inc., the nation's largest provider of financial services delivered through tax professionals. The acquisition is believed to be the first of its kind in the banking industry.

"H.D. Vest's network of tax professionals and the client relationships they manage will benefit from the broad array of Wells Fargo capabilities, including personal trust services, mortgages, and insurance," said Dennis Mooradian, president of Wells Fargo Private Client Services. "We are very excited about the strategic advantages of this partnership."

"Our clients will benefit from Wells Fargo's capabilities as a nationwide financial services company," said Herb D. Vest. "In addition to our existing products and services, our Advisors will now be able to offer their valued clients an expanded array of financial solutions."

Wells Fargo is a $280 billion diversified financial services company providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer finance services through more than 5,400 stores, the industry's #1 Internet bank (www.wellsfargo.com), and other distribution channels across North America and elsewhere internationally.

Today, H.D. Vest is committed to four main strategic corporate goals:

Enhance Advisor training.
Provide access to a broadened group of products and services.
Increase and improve client communication tools.
Simplify the Advisor's practice.

All of the Company's strategic initiatives fall into one of these goal categories.