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                             THE CHERRY CORPORATION
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                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)


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CHERRY [Logo]

     CONTACT:  Dan King, Vice President of Finance and Administration
               The Cherry Corporation
               (847) 360-3541                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


                    CHERRY SPECIAL COMMITTEE HIRES FINANCIAL
                 ADVISOR; CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS FILED REGARDING
                                 BUYOUT PROPOSAL

WAUKEGAN,  Ill., May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cherry Corporation  (Nasdaq:  CHER -
news) today  announced  that the Special  Committee  of the  Company's  Board of
Directors,  which was formed to evaluate a proposal for the acquisition by Peter
Cherry of all of the  outstanding  common  stock of the Company not now owned by
Peter Cherry and his affiliates, has engaged Wasserstein Perella & Co., Inc., as
independent financial advisor to assist it in evaluating the proposal.

In April 2000, four class action lawsuits were filed in the Court of Chancery of
the State of Delaware,  alleging,  inter alia, breach of fiduciary duties on the
part of the directors of the Company in connection with Peter Cherry's proposal.
On May 9, 2000,  another class action suit was filed in Delaware Chancery Court.
The Company  believes these suits (which include  requests for  injunctions) are
premature and without merit.

The Cherry Corporation  manufactures proprietary and custom electrical switches,
sensors,  electronic  keyboards  and  controls  for  the  worldwide  automotive,
computer,  and consumer and  commercial  markets.  The company has two operating
divisions in the United States and seven wholly owned  subsidiaries  in Germany,
England, France,  Australia,  Czech Republic,  Mexico and Hong Kong. Cherry also
has 50-50 joint ventures in Japan, Hirose Cherry Precision Company Limited,  and
in India, TVS Cherry Limited.



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