Media:      Steve Conway, 612/683-7133
Financial:  Brad Allen, 612/683-7395

J. PHILLIP SAMPER NAMED CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF CRAY
RESEARCH

EAGAN, Minn., May 17, 1995 -- Cray Research, Inc. (NYSE: CYR)
today announced that J. Phillip Samper, former vice chairman
of Eastman Kodak and president of Sun Microsystems Computer
Corporation, has been named chairman and chief executive
officer.  

Samper, 60, was appointed yesterday by the executive
committee of Cray Research's board of directors to succeed
John F. Carlson, who retired as chairman this month, according
to Robert G. Potter, a Cray Research board member and
chairman of the executive committee.

A Sun Microsystems board member since 1991, Samper was
named president of Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation
and corporate executive officer of Sun Microsystems, Inc., in
February 1994.  Prior to that, he served as president and CEO of
Kinder-Care Learning Centers, Inc.  In a career spanning 28
years with Eastman Kodak (1961-1989), he held a variety of
management positions including vice chairman, as well as
executive officer and general manager of the company's
Photographic and Information Management Division.  He also
managed Kodak's worldwide operations.

Samper serves on the boards of Armstrong World Industries,
Inc., Lancaster, Pa.; Interpublic Group of Companies, New York;
Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc., Columbia, Md.; and on the
advisory board of the University of California Business School. 
An MIT Sloan Fellow (1972-73), he is married to the former
Gail Harrison and has two children.

"I am excited to assume this leadership role in a company of
Cray's stature," Samper said.  "The Cray Research name is
synonymous with technology leadership and strong customer
relationships based on delivering unique value.  My primary
focus will be  on profitability and growth as Cray Research
increasingly expands into new technical and commercial
markets."

"Phil Samper is the ideal person to lead Cray Research at this
important point in the company's history," Potter said.  "His
strong record of business leadership in the computer industry
and other industrial technology sectors will help maintain
Cray's supremacy in the high-end supercomputing market and
drive the company's growing success in new markets.  Phil will
advance Cray's business strategy and build shareholder value,
working closely with Cray president and COO Bob Ewald and
other members of the management team."  Potter said the
Board thanked Ewald for his success in the last six months in
moving the company forward in the absence of a CEO.

In fiscal year 1994, Cray Research had net earnings of $55.7
million on record revenues of $921.6 million. 

Cray Research holds a two-thirds global share of the high-end
supercomputing market for systems priced at $1 million and
up.  In 1994, Cray Research's first full year in the market for
massively parallel processing (MPP) systems, the CRAY T3D
product became the revenue-leader in that market.  Orders for
the company's new CRAY J90 supercomputer systems are
expected to substantially boost Cray's marketshare in the
growing sector for sub-$1 million products in 1995.  The
company has also been successful in penetrating the growing
commercial database server market with its CRAY
SUPERSERVER 6400 (CS6400) system.

Cray Research provides the leading high-performance
computing tools and services to help solve customers' most
challenging problems.

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