THE LPA GROUP INCORPORATED has merged with Michael Baker Corporation (NYSE Amex: BKR). The Michael Baker Corporation (www.mbakercorp.com) provides architecture, engineering and construction services for its client's most complex challenges worldwide. The firm's primary business areas are aviation, defense, environmental, facilities, geospatial, homeland security, municipal and civil, pipelines and utilities, rail and transit, transportation and water. Baker currently has more than 2,400 employees in over 40 offices across the United States.

LPA's Chairman and co-founder, Glen Lott, said, "The two organizations are strikingly similar in their approach to client service and to employees. The strategic benefits to both organizations will result in improved services for our clients and more opportunities for our people."

LPA's President and Chief Executive Officer, Ed Parrish, said, "All of us at LPA expect to benefit greatly by merging with Baker. Combining our capabilities with a company that shares our values allows our employees the opportunity to further develop their skills, and it provides everyone with a larger platform to serve our clients."

The LPA Group, operating as a unit of the Michael Baker Corporation, significantly expands Baker's presence in the United States with the addition of LPA's 35 offices across the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S., as well as Southern California. The merger of LPA's and Baker's services creates a powerhouse for transportation engineering and construction-related services in North America, expanding the ability of both companies to compete for and execute larger and more complex transportation projects on a national scale.

To learn more about the merger, please visit Baker's site at www.mbakercorp.com.