EXHIBIT 99.1

Joe Reinhart
(503) 671-5500
Fletcher Chamberlin
(503) 671-5233

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                     ESI Names Jim Dooley President and CEO

Portland, Oregon (December 16, 2002) -- Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
(NasdaqTM-ESIO) announced today that the company's board of directors has named
James T. Dooley as president and chief executive officer. Mr. Dooley was also
elected a director of the company.

"After an extensive search that considered a number of candidates from around
the world, the board has unanimously agreed that Jim Dooley is the right person
to lead ESI to the next level," said David F. Bolender, who has been acting
chief executive officer of the company since April and who will continue as
board chairman. "His leadership, character, focus on shareholder returns and
knowledge of the industry and the company will provide solid strategic and
operating guidance for the ESI team."

Mr. Dooley, 48, has been senior vice president, chief financial officer and
acting chief operating officer of ESI since April 2002. He joined the company in
1992 in the Electronic Component Systems business and was named corporate
controller in 1994. From 1996 until he was named vice president and chief
financial officer in 2000, he was director of manufacturing in the company's
Portland Operations. Prior to joining ESI, he held management positions with IRT
Corporation, Eli Lilly & Company, Intermedics, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, Inc.

"I'm honored to be the board's choice and I look forward to the challenge," said
Dooley. "We have a great team of people, excellent technology, leading market
positions and a very strong financial position. We'll use that base to expand
our available markets, increase our focus on meeting customer requirements for
more productive manufacturing equipment, and continuously improve all of our
processes."


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                                    About ESI

ESI, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, supplies high-value, high-technology
manufacturing equipment to the global electronics market. Using its expertise in
laser/material interaction, small parts handling, machine vision and real-time
control systems, the company enables the production of leading-edge products for
customers in the semiconductor, passive component and electronic interconnect
markets. ESI's web site is http://www.esi.com.

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