News Release

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2000--

       Morgan Honored As Business Visionary, Global Citizen and
                         Bay Area Civic Leader

James C. Morgan, chairman and chief executive officer of Applied Materials, Inc. has been named to the Bay Area Business Hall of Fame by the Bay Area Council. The award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of individuals and families who have advanced Bay Area-based business to positions of national and international prominence and enrich the civic life of the Bay Area Community.

Since 1995, the Bay Area Council has attempted to create a broader appreciation and recognition for extraordinary local individuals and families through its Bay Area Business Hall of Fame. Previous inductees include: Charles Schwab, Walter Shorenstein, the Bechtal, Haas and Kaiser Families, and William R. Hewlett and David Packard. "These are all individuals and families who have made significant contributions to the Bay Area and its standard of living," says Bay Area Council Board Chairman Jay Harris. "This is a region where the exceptional is expected and viewed as ordinary -- we're trying to put things in a more thoughtful and appreciative perspective."

Under Morgan's leadership, Applied Materials has become the largest provider of wafer fabrication systems and services for the worldwide semiconductor industry. Morgan's leadership has fostered an entrepreneurial environment for employees. The Company has introduced numerous technological innovations that have revolutionized the way semiconductor chips are manufactured. In the process, Applied Materials has become one of the great global companies of the century and a core holding of the new economy. A pioneer among U.S. business leaders, Morgan saw the enormous potential of the global high-technology market, and established operations outside of the United States beginning in 1976.

In addition, Morgan has served on numerous government advisory boards counseling others on ways to strengthen the competitiveness of the U.S. semiconductor industry. In 1996 he received the National Medal of Technology, recognizing his contribution to technological innovation.

Morgan is a founder of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley, an unprecedented coalition of business, government, education and community leaders joining forces to advance Silicon Valley's economy. Under his leadership Applied Materials has been an active supporter of initiatives aimed at bridging the digital divide and improving math and science education for children locally and throughout the United States. Applied Materials has received national recognition under Morgan's leadership, including being named to Fortune Magazine's list of "50 Best Companies For Minorities," and Industry Week's list of "100 Best Managed Companies."

Morgan is a member of the board of directors of Cisco Systems, Inc. and serves as a board member of the Congressional Economic Leadership Institute and the National Center for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. He is a member of the Council on Competitiveness and the Chairman's Circle of the Pacific Basin Economic Council. He is director emeritus and past president of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International, (SEMI) the first global trade association. Morgan is a past board member of the American Electronics Association and of SEMI/SEMATECH, the association of U.S. equipment companies which supplied advanced systems to the SEMATECH chip-making consortium. He is a member of the World President's Organization, and from 1986-1991 he was co-chairman of the Japan-Western U.S. Association. The World Forum of Silicon Valley named him "International Citizen of the Year" in 1995. In addition, he co-authored the book, Cracking the Japanese Market: Strategies for Success in the New Global Economy.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) is a leader of the Information Age and the world's largest supplier of products and services to the global semiconductor industry. Applied Materials' web site is http://www.appliedmaterials.com.

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