BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 2000--Simmons Graduate School of Management has honored Bright Horizons Family Solutions (NASDAQ: BFAM) President and Chief Operating Officer Mary Ann Tocio with the 2000 Phyllis Rappaport Alumnae Achievement Award. Tocio was recognized for her outstanding professional and personal achievements and for fostering a culture of professional excellence for women nationwide.

Tocio is one of the fewer than five percent of women in the country to serve as president of a public company. In that capacity, she oversees the management and professional development opportunities for the company's 12,000 employees worldwide, more than 95 percent of whom are women.

In her nomination for the award, Tocio was recognized as "an unsung hero in the broader community, but a true champion within Bright Horizons Family Solutions." Her nomination continued, "For thousands of women in the organization, Mary Ann is a model of intelligence, competency and compassion. She is a shining example of a successful businesswoman who has successfully balanced her work and family responsibilities and helped thousands of women grow and thrive."

Tocio joined Bright Horizons when the company was still in its start-up phase. She has been responsible for the company's current position as the world's leading provider of employer-sponsored child care, early education and work/life solutions. She created the management systems and infrastructure upon which the company could build nationally, and most recently she was responsible for creating the operational structure to take the company into the international marketplace. She is ultimately responsible for the quality of care and profitability at more than 325 Family Centers in 36 states, Europe and the Pacific Rim.

Tocio, a resident of Concord, MA, graduated from the Simmons Graduate School of Management in 1992. In addition to being an outstanding businesswoman, she is also the devoted mother of two children. Before joining Bright Horizons, Tocio was the senior vice president of operations for Health Stop Medical Management and worked as a nurse for many years.

The Phyllis Rappaport Alumnae Achievement Award was established in 1985 by Jerome Lyle Rappaport to honor his wife, a member of the first class to graduate from Simmons GSM in 1975. The award recognizes alumnae whose significant deeds and accomplishments have helped further the school's tradition of creating broader opportunities for women.

Bright Horizons Family Solutions

Bright Horizons Family Solutions (www.brighthorizons.com) is the world's leading provider of employer-sponsored child care, back-up care, early education and work/life solutions. The company operates more than 325 Family Centers in 36 US states, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. Bright Horizons serves more than 250 clients, including 75 of the Fortune 500 and 45 of the "Best Companies to Work For in America" as designated by Working Mother magazine. Bright Horizons clients include Motorola, Cisco Systems, Chase Manhattan Bank, Pfizer, the PGA Tour, Sun Microsystems, Citigroup, Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, and Universal Studios.

Simmons Graduate School of Management

The Simmons Graduate School of Management, founded a quarter of a century ago, is the only school of management in the world designed specifically for women. Today there are 3,600 alumnae around the globe who hold leadership positions in corporations, entrepreneurial ventures, nonprofit organizations, and the public sector.

CONTACT: Bright Horizons Family Solutions

             Ilene Hoffer
             (617) 673-8044
             ihoffer@brighthorizons.com