Betty Woods

BETTY WOODS served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Premera Blue Cross, formerly Blue Cross of Washington and Alaska, one of that area's largest health care contractors, and also served as Chief Executive Officer of PREMERA, holding company of Premera Blue Cross from 1992 until her retirement in July 2000. She joined Premera Blue Cross in 1976. She serves on the Seattle-Northwest Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors, is on the Board of Trustees of Seattle University and Ambia, a privately-held architecture firm, and is a founding member of the National Institute for Health Care Management. Ms. Woods has been a director of Beckman Coulter since 1994 and has served as the Chairman of the Board since April 2005. In April, 2008, Ms. Woods will assume the role of Lead Independent Director. The Board of Directors recommends a vote "For" the above nominees. The persons named in the accompanying proxy intend to vote the shares represented by the proxy for the election of the director nominees listed above, unless authority to vote for one or more of such nominees is withheld in the proxy. The proxies cannot be voted for a greater number of persons than the number of nominees named. A plurality of the votes cast at the meeting in person or by proxy by the holders of shares entitled to vote in the election is required to elect directors.