NEW YORK, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) today joins the worlds of academia and economics in mourning the passing of Paul A. Samuelson, the first American Nobel laureate in economics and widely regarded as "the Father of Modern Economics." Since 1948, McGraw-Hill has published 19 editions of Samuelson's seminal college textbook, "Economics," which was the nation's best-selling textbook for nearly 30 years. Translated into more than 40 languages, it established Professor Samuelson as one of the foremost academic economists of the 20th century.

"Our partnership with Paul Samuelson was one of the proudest chapters in our history of publishing and educational advancement," said Harold McGraw III, chairman, president and chief executive officer of The McGraw-Hill Companies. "As an economist and one of the most influential voices of the 20th century, Paul revolutionized the field with his mathematical approach and clear analysis that made his theories instantly applicable to real-world challenges. As a policy adviser, he earned the trust of presidents, members of Congress, and other leaders from around the globe. And as an educator, his lessons helped shape the thinking of some of today's foremost global economists and scholars."

Release issued: December 15, 2009

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