Exhibit 99.1



ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Doug Draper (Media)
937-495-3319

Mark Pomerleau (Investors)
937-495-3456


               MEAD SHAREOWNERS APPROVE MERGER WITH WESTVACO

DAYTON, Ohio. January 28, 2002. The Mead Corporation (NYSE: MEA) announced
today that 78% of Mead's outstanding shares, representing 99% of those
voting, were voted in favor of the proposed merger of equals with Westvaco
Corporation at the company's special meeting today in Dayton, Ohio, which
surpassed the two-thirds of the outstanding vote required for approval.

"This vote shows that our shareowners recognize the value of the merger
with Westvaco," said Jerry Tatar, Mead's chairman, president and chief
executive officer. "We are excited about the vote and expect to complete
the merger tomorrow afternoon. MeadWestvaco will be a leading company in
our industry, uniquely positioned with strong global platforms in targeted
markets and the potential to generate superior financial returns. We look
forward to ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday
morning to celebrate our first day of trading as MeadWestvaco."

In August 2001, Mead and Westvaco announced that they agreed to a merger of
equals creating a global company with leading positions in packaging,
coated and specialty paper, consumer and office products, and specialty
chemicals. The new company, MeadWestvaco Corporation, will have $8 billion
in annual revenues, profitable growth platforms in the company's four core
businesses, and a strong balance sheet with substantial financial capacity.

The Mead Corporation, a forest products company with $4.2 billion in annual
sales, is one of the leading North American producers of coated paper,
coated paperboard and consumer and office products, a world leader in
multiple packaging and specialty paper, and a producer of high-quality
corrugating medium. In management of the company's more than two million
acres of forests, Mead is committed to practicing principled forest
stewardship and using resources in a responsible and sustainable manner.
For additional information about Mead, visit the company's web site at
www.mead.com.

Certain statements in this document and elsewhere by management of the
company that are neither reported financial results nor other historical
information are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such information
includes, without limitation, the business outlook, assessment of market
conditions, anticipated financial and operating results, strategies, future
plans, contingencies and contemplated transactions of the company. Such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are
subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which
may cause or contribute to actual results of company operations, or the
performance or achievements of each company, or industry results, to differ
materially from those expressed, or implied by the forward-looking
statements. In addition to any such risks, uncertainties and other factors
discussed elsewhere herein, risks, uncertainties and other factors that
could cause or contribute to actual results differing materially from those
expressed or implied for the forward-looking statements include, but are
not limited to, events or circumstances which affect the ability of Mead
and Westvaco to integrate successfully and achieve the anticipated benefits
of the transaction; competitive pricing for each company's products;
changes in raw materials; energy and other costs; fluctuations in demand
and changes in production capacities; changes to economic growth in the
U.S. and international economies, especially in Asia and Brazil; government
policies and regulations, including, but not limited to those affecting the
environment and currency movements. Mead undertakes no obligation to
publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise. Investors are advised, however, to
consult any further disclosures made on related subjects in each Company's
reports filed with the SEC.

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