Wells Installs AEDs for Tenants; Largest Program of its Kind

NORCROSS, Ga. (Aug. 5, 2009) – Wells Real Estate Funds today announced an unprecedented effort to save lives in its office properties nationwide, installing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for direct tenant use.

Without immediate treatment, sudden cardiac arrest is often fatal, with odds of survival dropping as much as 10 percent for every minute of delay prior to defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, according to the American Heart Association.

The Wells effort is believed to be the largest AED project of its kind by a major office landlord in the United States, according to the maker of the devices.

"The typical office building only has a few AEDs, usually in security stations," said Leo Wells, president of Wells Real Estate Funds. "By installing them and training tenants to use them, we're seeking to ensure that the people who work in our buildings have access to these life-saving devices as quickly as possible.

"It's really a natural outgrowth of our company creed to care for people."

Wells Real Estate Funds is a national real estate investment company based in suburban Atlanta; its investment portfolios own 115 buildings, mostly Class-A office properties. In the coming days, AED installations and tenant training will take place in the Houston and Charlotte areas.

An estimated 85,000 people work at Wells properties nationwide, including other major markets such as New York, Washington, Houston and Atlanta.

"Companies that participate in AED programs - not only purchasing the equipment, but also training providers in lifesaving CPR and AED skills - are making a vital contribution to the health and safety of their employees," said Dr. Michael Sayre, chair of the American Heart Association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee. "Employers who support an onsite AED program are showing their commitment to workplace wellness."

Participating tenants include such companies as Anglo Irish Bank Corp., Bank of Texas NA, Coca-Cola Enterprises, The Counsel of the European Union, New Zealand Trade & Enterprises, and Wells Fargo & Company.

Wells is the first major property management company to offer AEDs to all its tenants, according to Jonathan A. Rennert, president of ZOLL Medical Corp., manufacturer of the AED Plus® selected for the nationwide rollout. "This represents an important initiative to improve public safety in the event of sudden cardiac arrest, and we hope others will follow this lead," he said.

Each year, out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest kills more than 260,000 Americans. It strikes all ages and fitness levels, usually without warning as victims go about their daily routines. In a cardiac emergency, CPR and defibrillation within three minutes is optimal, as brain death begins within four to six minutes - yet emergency medical services response times average more than 8 minutes nationally.

Wells is identifying multiple volunteers for every AED being placed, to be trained in use of the devices. Trainees will take a 3-1/2-hour training course, including skills tests, and will be recertified under the American Heart Association every two years. Wells is arranging for all necessary training, upkeep and maintenance, significantly reducing costs. (A common misconception suggests that volunteers who help revive victims could be liable in the event of a fatality; "Good Samaritan" laws at the state and national levels protect such volunteer responders.)

The device Wells has selected - the ZOLL AED Plus® - analyzes the heart's electrical function, providing voice and text prompts to guide users through the appropriate CPR and defibrillation steps, while providing feedback allowing rescuers to see and hear how well they are performing the tasks.

Wells Real Estate Funds is a national real estate investment company based in suburban Atlanta. In its history, Wells offerings - current and closed - have invested more than $12 billion in real estate portfolios.

Readers of this press release should be aware that there are various factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements made in this release. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, changes in general economic and business conditions, industry trends, changes in government rules and regulations (including changes in tax laws), and increases in interest rates. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. This is neither an offer nor a solicitation to purchase securities.