Patterson Companies, Inc. (Nasdaq: PDCO) today announced that Matthew L. “Buzz” Levitt, secretary and general counsel, will be retiring after more than 25 years with the company, effective at the end of the fiscal year, on April 26, 2014. Levitt will be succeeded by Jonelle R. Burnham, who is being promoted to the position of vice president, general counsel and secretary. Burnham’s appointment is effective on April 27, 2014.

“I want to acknowledge Buzz’s contributions to the growth and evolution of Patterson Companies,” said Scott P. Anderson, chairman and chief executive officer. “Buzz has provided Patterson with exceptional legal counsel over the past 25 years and is highly respected by our senior leadership team and employees, as well as his industry peers. We want to publicly thank him for his commitment and counsel in helping to make Patterson the company it is today. The entire Patterson organization wishes Buzz and his family all the best going forward.”

Burnham has served as Patterson Companies’ associate general counsel since 2009. Prior to her tenure at Patterson, Burnham held positions as counsel, assistant secretary and senior patent attorney for Kimberly-Clark Corporation, a global consumer brand company, and as an associate attorney in the Minneapolis office of the Merchant & Gould law firm. Burnham is also on the board of directors of Living Well Disabilities Services and The Lazarus Project, two Minnesota-based nonprofits. She holds a JD degree from Marquette University School of Law and a BCE from the University of Minnesota.

“Jonelle’s legal background, coupled with her knowledge of our business and demonstrated leadership skills, makes her the ideal candidate to manage this critical function for us,” continued Anderson. “We are confident Jonelle will be a valuable contributor to our future success as Patterson enters the next phase of our growth trajectory. On behalf of all of Patterson, I would like to congratulate Jonelle and we look forward to working with her in her new role.”

About Patterson Companies, Inc.
Patterson Companies, Inc. is a value-added distributor serving the dental, companion-pet veterinarian and rehabilitation supply markets.
Dental Market
As Patterson’s largest business, Patterson Dental provides a virtually complete range of consumable dental products, equipment and software, turnkey digital solutions and value-added services to dentists and dental laboratories throughout North America.
Veterinary Market
Patterson Veterinary is a leading distributor in the U.S. and U.K. of consumable veterinary supplies, equipment and software, diagnostic products, vaccines and pharmaceuticals predominantly to companion-pet veterinary clinics.
Rehabilitation Market
Patterson Medical is the world’s leading distributor of rehabilitation supplies and non-wheelchair assistive patient products to the physical and occupational therapy markets. The unit’s global customer base includes hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics and dealers.

This release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are information of a non-historical nature and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are beyond the Company’s ability to control. The Company cautions shareholders and prospective investors that the following factors, among others, may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements: competition within the dental, veterinary, and rehabilitative and assistive living supply industries; changes in the economics of dentistry, including reduced growth in expenditures by private dental insurance plans, the effects of economic conditions and the effects of healthcare reform, which may affect future per capita expenditures for dental services and the ability and willingness of dentists to invest in high-technology products; the effects of healthcare related legislation and regulation which may affect expenditures or reimbursements for rehabilitative and assistive products; changes in the economics of the veterinary supply market, including reduced growth in per capita expenditures for veterinary services and reduced growth in the number of households owning pets; the ability of the Company to maintain satisfactory relationships with its sales force; unexpected loss of key senior management personnel; unforeseen operating risks; risks associated with the dependence on manufacturers of the Company’s products; and the ability of the Company to successfully integrate the recent acquisitions into its existing business. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the cautionary language set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.