DEERFIELD, Ill., May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael T. Riordan, president and
chief operating officer of Fort James Corporation (NYSE: FJ), announced today
that he will leave the company in July.  Mr. Riordan assumed his present
position in August of last year following the merger of James River
Corporation and Fort Howard into the newly formed Fort James.
    Prior to the merger, Mr. Riordan had been Fort Howard's chairman and chief
executive officer.
    Miles L. Marsh is chairman and chief executive officer of Fort James, the
position he previously held at James River.
    "My commitment to the new company, and to Miles personally, was to devote
full energy and focus to the successful launch of Fort James," Mr. Riordan
said.  "With that accomplished, I believe the time is appropriate for me to
explore CEO opportunities elsewhere."
    "Mike and I have worked well together in bringing Fort James to this
point, and we believe the initial organizational transition is nearing
completion," Mr. Marsh said.  "Mike has my gratitude and full support, and his
interest in seeking another chief executive opportunity is understandable."
    Fort James said it has no plans to replace Riordan and that core business
reporting will revert to Marsh.
    Fort James Corporation is a leading international consumer products
company, serving consumers both at home and away-from-home with bathroom and
facial tissue, paper towels, napkins, and cups and plates.  The company's
popular brands include Quilted Northern, Brawny, Dixie, Vanity Fair, Mardi
Gras, Green Forest, Soft 'N Gentle and So-Dri in North America and Lotus,
Tenderly, Colhogar and Kittensoft in Europe.  Fort James also produces folding
cartons for packaging food and pharmaceuticals and communications papers such
as printing, publishing and office copy paper.  With annual sales of
$7.3 billion, the Company has approximately 29,000 employees and more than 65
manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Canada and 10 European countries.

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