St. Paul, Minn./January 5,  2004/Satnews/ Digital Angel Corporation (AMEX:DOC) , an advanced technology company in the field of rapid and accurate identification, location tracking, and condition monitoring of high-value assets, today announced that it has named veteran Hughes Electronics Corporation senior executive and former DirecTV Latin America Chairman, Kevin N. McGrath, to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. The appointment of McGrath increases the total number of independent, outside Directors to three and expands the Board to six members.

Mr. McGrath has spent the past 16 years at El Segundo, CA-based Hughes Electronics Corp., and for the past seven years has been Chairman of DirecTV Latin America, a Hughes subsidiary based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and was a Hughes Corporate Vice President and a member of its Management Committee. McGrath was responsible for the start-up, development and operation of what has become the world's largest Latin American, direct-to-home pay television business with 1.6 million subscribers in 28 countries and more than $600 million in annual revenue.

"Kevin's financial management background, business acumen and entrepreneurial skills make him a key addition to the Digital Angel Corporation Board of Directors," said Scott R. Silverman, Vice Chairman of Digital Angel Corporation. "He has considerable expertise in developing and launching domestic and international business enterprises and has successfully reshaped and managed organizations during periods of significant shifts in strategic focus. Kevin's counsel and leadership will be invaluable in the months ahead as we reposition Digital Angel to become a significant force in the field of advanced location technology and condition monitoring for high-value assets."

McGrath also spent two years as President of DirecTV International and helped bring satellite-based Pay TV to a world-wide audience. During that time he also advised Hughes Management and its Board of Directors in all aspects of creating, funding and managing satellite-based businesses in diverse regions of the world. He has also held a number of other senior level executive positions at Hughes, including President of Hughes Communications, Inc., and Chief Financial Officer of Hughes Space and Communications Group.

Prior to his work at Hughes, McGrath spent two years as Chief Financial Officer for Electronic Data Systems, Asia and Pacific, and 10 years in various financial management positions at General Motors Corp.

McGrath is a graduate of Princeton University and received

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