ING Institutional Markets Group Pulls Together Top Executives Focused on Better Serving Major Accounts

WINDSOR, Conn., April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ING's U.S. Wealth Management division announced today details of a newly formed institutional markets team dedicated to servicing existing major accounts, and identifying new growth opportunities. The group will focus on serving the distinct needs of ING's largest customers and targeting new opportunities in the government, healthcare and higher education markets. ING is committed to serving the unique and evolving demands of these markets, as they operate in an environment that is undergoing significant change.

"ING seeks to strengthen its existing relationships in the institutional marketplace and develop new ones by proactively offering an enhanced value proposition," said Bill Jasien, Senior Vice President of ING's Institutional Sales and Major Accounts Team.

The business environment in these markets is rapidly changing as each sector experiences shifts brought on by factors such as consolidation and regulatory reform, as we've seen in the healthcare and education markets. ING is also adapting to these forces of change in order to be better positioned to serve the unique needs of its clients.

ING believes it can capture a greater share of the various sectors of the public markets space by attracting new talent to its institutional markets team, and promoting top talent from within. We are pleased to announce the following appointments:

-- Government Major Accounts: Robert Bolchoz will assume responsibility for ING's Government Market Major Accounts. Mr. Bolchoz joined ING in 2000, as Vice President of Government Affairs after practicing law in the government and private sectors for over 10 years. -- Healthcare Major Accounts: Frederick Blue was recently named Vice President of the Healthcare Major Accounts Market Segment. Mr. Blue joins ING from TIAA-CREF, where he spent six years, most recently as their Director of Institutional Relationships. Mr. Blue is a 16-year industry veteran who served in various capacities within the institutional defined-contribution markets with ING Financial Advisors, The Vanguard Group, as well as TIAA-CREF. -- Higher Education Major Accounts: Kate Lewis will assume responsibility for ING's Higher Education Market Major Accounts. Ms. Lewis will continue to build on her impressive track record with effectively managing our higher education client relations. Ms. Lewis has held various senior sales leadership positions and has extensive experience in the 403(b) healthcare and education markets. She joined the company in 1987. -- Consultant Relations and Industry Affairs: Janet Kendall, a 25-year veteran of the business, will continue to manage Consultant Relations, setting the strategy and expanding ING's presence in all defined- contribution markets. She will also assume responsibility for ING's Industry Affairs. Ms. Kendall is currently Vice President of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA) Industry Committee, and was recently elected to the Governing Council for the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (ISCEBS). -- Stable Value Business Development: Gregg Holgate will lead ING's Stable Value Business Development and Service Team, which is focused on delivering ING's high quality stable value products to plan sponsors across all markets. He was recently rehired from the Gabor Agency where he served as President for three years. Mr. Holgate began his career at ING in 1996, where he spent 11 years in varying senior sales management positions. -- Market Strategy: Kay Carey-Reid will assume responsibility for Institutional Sales and Major Accounts Market Strategy. Ms. Carey-Reid and her team will assist in developing strategies for ING's Institutional Markets Group. Before re-joining ING in 2002, she spent five years as an independent consultant in the financial services industry. During her 15 years with ING, Ms. Carey-Reid has served in various senior management positions in sales, service, marketing, product, and strategic planning and business development. -- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)/Urban Program: Ethel Pippin will continue to lead ING's effort to recruit, train and deploy representatives that help educators in the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities and in urban school districts. In 2007, ING recruited over 20 new diverse representatives to help educators with their financial matters. Ms. Pippin and her team will continue to focus on recruiting diverse talent in 6-7 key geographic areas, with opportunities to expand ING's HBCU and urban school district strategy. About ING:

ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to over 75 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of over 120,000 people, ING comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand.

In the U.S., the ING family of companies offer a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients, which includes life insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, direct banking, institutional investment management, annuities, employee benefits, financial planning, and reinsurance. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves over 14 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit http://www.ing.com/ .

C08-0415-008R (04/08)