ING Names UConn Priority Recruiting Partner - First in Americas

ING and the University of Connecticut announced today that ING has named the university to be an official priority-recruitment school as part of a global effort to partner with higher educational institutions around the world. The new partnership, the first in ING's Americas region, will include the creation of a variety of enhancement activities and programs such as internships, mentorships, research projects and lecture opportunities to benefit UConn students and faculty, as well as ING.

"The aim of ING's university recruitment approach is to attract talented, diverse and smart future leaders by partnering with selected universities in a focused manner," said Kathleen Murphy, CEO of ING U.S. Wealth Management. "The University of Connecticut embodies the characteristics we're looking for in a leading school: a high-quality institution, a global perspective and educational programs that fit well with the needs of a world-class financial institution."

This newest commitment to the university builds on a robust relationship through the ING Center for Financial Services and the ING Chair in Financial Services, which were established at the UConn School of Business in 2001. The ING Center specializes in research and development of real-world solutions to marketing challenges such as identifying profitable customers and optimizing customer acquisition and retention. Corporate clients have included IBM, Bristol-Meyers and L.L. Bean.

"This effort builds on an already strong partnership between ING and UConn," said Robert Crispin, chairman and CEO of ING Investment Management Americas. "This effort is mutually beneficial. ING gains by focusing our efforts to recruit talented future leaders, and UConn students get access to enhanced learning opportunities and an edge at becoming part of a global business leader."

"Expanding UConn's relationship with ING ties in strategically with the University's academic plan, which prioritizes globalization, curricular diversity and workforce development. The opportunities for experiential learning and mentorship will have tremendous benefit for students," said Peter Nicholls, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at UConn.

ING's recruitment efforts will target a variety of disciplines, primarily business, investments, accounting and actuarial science. ING is developing programs that will support workforce development in these fields, including internships, scholarships and networking events.

ING Foundation makes $450,000 gift

ING is continuing its support of UConn with a gift of $450,000 to The University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc., paid over three years.

"This grant to benefit the University of Connecticut is symbolic of ING's global commitment to supporting communities in which we live and do business," said Rhonda Mims, president of the ING Foundation. "Whether we're educating individuals about financial literacy, volunteering in schools near our corporate offices, or fostering workforce development through grants such as this, supporting education is a core component of ING's philanthropic efforts."

In the first year, ING's gift will support strategic initiatives at the School of Business, focusing in three areas:

  -- Career services;
  -- Graduate assistantships, scholarships and projects;
  -- ING Center for Financial Services.

"The creation of the ING Center for Financial Services and ING Chair in Financial Services in 2001 has enabled our faculty and students to pursue cutting-edge research in the field of financial services - an industry that is vital to the state of Connecticut," said Mohamed Hussein, interim dean of the UConn School of Business. "ING's latest commitment will help us to enhance the breadth and depth of experiential learning opportunities available to UConn business students. These multidimensional learning experiences are critical in preparing students for today's dynamic workforce."

The School of Business has placed among the top 70 best business schools in the last three consecutive rankings by Business Week. The undergraduate program is ranked 31st among public institutions and 59th overall by U.S. News & World Report.

The University of Connecticut (http://www.uconn.edu/) is the state's flagship university. Founded in 1881, UConn has grown to include 10 schools and colleges at its main campus in Storrs, five regional campuses throughout the state, the Schools of Law and Social Work in Hartford, and the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine at the UConn Health Center in Farmington. UConn is a research-intensive university, a prestigious designation shared by only the nation's top higher education institutions. The university has more than 70 research centers where faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates explore everything from improving human health to protecting the country's natural resources. UConn has been named the number one public university in New England for eight consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report.

The University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. (http://www.foundation.uconn.edu/), of Storrs, Conn., was founded in 1964. The foundation is a tax-exempt corporation that operates exclusively to promote the educational, scientific, cultural, and recreational objectives of the University of Connecticut. As the primary fundraising vehicle for the university, the foundation's mission is to solicit, receive, and administer gifts and financial resources from private sources to support UConn's pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, and public service. During fiscal 2006, the foundation raised $51.5 million in annual cash gifts from more than 34,000 households. The foundation's total assets grew by 7 percent to reach a record $366.4 million. Over the past four years, the foundation has successfully grown the endowment by 52 percent to $299 million.

ING (http://www.ing.com/) (NYSE: ING) is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to more than 60 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 offers 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.

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SOURCE: ING; University of Connecticut

CONTACT: Richard Veilleux of University of Connecticut, +1-860-486-0890,
Richard.veilleux@uconn.edu; or Arthur Sorrentino of The University of
Connecticut Foundation, Inc., +1-860-486-6926,
asorrentino@foundation.uconn.edu; or Phil Margolis of ING U.S. Financial
Services, +1-860-723-4783, phil.margolis@us.ing.com

Web site: http://www.ing.com/us
http://www.foundation.uconn.edu/