September 23, 2003 at 1:41 PM EDT

McCormick Declares $0.12 Quarterly Dividend and Elects Margaret Preston to Board of Directors

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SPARKS, Md., Sep 23, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- The Board of Directors of McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE: MKC) today declared a quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share on its common stocks payable October 17, 2003, to shareholders of record on October 3. This is the 79th year of consecutive dividend payments by the Company.

In addition, Margaret M. V. Preston, Executive Vice President of Mercantile Safe Deposit & Trust Company in Baltimore, MD, has been elected to the Board of Directors of McCormick & Company, Incorporated. Ms. Preston, who joined Mercantile in 2002, leads the bank's Private Wealth Management Division and is responsible for Client Advisory Services, Fiduciary Services, Custody Client Management, Business Development, Family Office Services, and the Remote Offices.

Previously, she spent nearly 19 years with Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown, Inc. in Baltimore. Named Managing Director in 1990, her positions included Chief Financial Officer of Deutsche Bank Global Private Bank, Senior Business Development Officer for the Private Bank in America, Chief Operating Officer for Investment Banking in the Americas, Chair of the Public Equity Offering Screening Committee, Treasurer of Alex. Brown, Inc., and Investment banker with the Consumer and High Technology Investment Banking group.

Ms. Preston earned an A.B. degree in history with a concentration in economics from Trinity College in 1979 and received her Master's in business with a concentration in finance from Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration in 1983.

Named one of Maryland's Top 100 Women by the Baltimore Business Journal in 2000 and 2002, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Harvard School of Public Health, Gateway Investment Advisors, Trinity College, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Alex. Brown & Sons Charitable Foundation Inc., United Way of Central Maryland, the Roland Park Country School, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Commented Robert J. Lawless, Chairman, President & CEO, "We are extremely pleased to have Margaret as a Board member and will benefit from her extensive financial background. With this action, for the first time in the history of McCormick, the Board of Directors will have a majority of non-employee members."

McCormick is the international producer of spices, seasonings, flavorings, and specialty foods.

SOURCE McCormick & Company, Incorporated

McCormick & Company Corporate Communications, +1-410-771-7310

http://www.mccormick.com