Compiled by Lauri Johnson. U.S. NEWS RANKS WASHINGTON U., SLU, UMSL AMONG NATION’S BEST Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University rank among the nation’s best according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges” issue. Among the nation’s best universities, Washington University tied with Northwestern University in the No. 11 spot in undergraduate programs. Saint Louis University ranked No. 81. Harvard University and Princeton University tied for No. 1. In the best value category, Washington University ranked No. 12 and Saint Louis University claimed the No. 50 spot. The University of Missouri-St. Louis appeared on the magazine’s list of top undergraduate international business programs in the No. 10 spot. The program, which began in 1999, ranked No. 18 last year. THREE LOCAL FIRMS ARE AMONG FORTUNE’S FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES FORTUNE magazine has included three St. Louis-based firms on its annual list of the 100 fastest-growing companies. Talx ranked highest among local firms at No. 35, and Panera Bread and Engineered Support Systems held the No. 59 and No. 79 spots, respectively. To compile the list, FORTUNE considered companies with a minimum market capitalization of $50 million, at least $50 million in revenue over the past four quarters, and 20 percent or better annual growth in sales and earnings per share over the past three years. MODERN HEALTHCARE NAMES RYAN ONE OF MOST POWERFUL IN NATION Sister Mary Jean Ryan, president and CEO, SSM Health Care. For the second year in a row, Sister Mary Jean Ryan, president and CEO of SSM Health Care, has been named by Modern Healthcare magazine as one of the “100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare.” Sister Ryan ranked No. 7 on this year’s list and was the first person outside of the U.S. government to be named to the list. She joins such prestigious company as President George W. Bush, (No. 4), Senators Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), (No. 2), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), (No. 3) and Edward Kennedy (D –Mass.), (No. 5), and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, (No. 6). David Brailer, national healthcare IT coordinator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was ranked No. 1.

November 2004 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - George Robnet and Botanical Heights. In St. Louis alone, Habitat for Humanity has built 165 homes. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.stlrcga.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.technologygateway.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ‘Oh, baby!’ The Smiths are happy with Dr. Sherman Silber. St. Louis Fire Chief Sherman George believes there’s always room for change. Meet Charlie Brennan in the morning.