PrimeVest Honors Top Financial Institutions of 2007

PrimeVest Financial Services, one of the United States' largest broker-dealers exclusively serving financial institutions, recently honored its top performers of 2007 at its Senior Management Conference held in Las Vegas, Nev. The honorees included Bancnorth Investment Group (Portland, Maine), First Interstate Bank (Billings, Mont.), First Victoria National Bank (Victoria, Texas), Fentura Financial, Inc. (Hudsonville, Mich.), and Redstone Federal Credit Union (Huntsville, Ala.).

"In what was a spectacular 2007, these five institutions delivered outstanding results in comparison with their peers," said PrimeVest President Catherine Bonneau. "Each enjoyed vigorous growth while remaining focused on their clients' needs. We're delighted to recognize them for a job well done."

Bancnorth Investment Group led the way among PrimeVest's top financial institution clients of 2007, claiming highest honors in the $5 billion-and- above asset category. First Interstate Bank was named winner of the $1.5 billion-to-$5 billion category. The community banks class was dominated by First Victoria National Bank, winner of the $500 million-to-$1.5 billion category, and Fentura Financial, Inc., recipient of the under-$500 million category award. Most outstanding credit union acclaim went to Redstone Federal Credit Union.

Overall, PrimeVest investment programs enjoyed, on average, a 20 percent increase in GDC growth last year, making program-of-the-year selections challenging.

"We're proud of our programs' accomplishments and we're excited about what they are poised to accomplish in 2008," said Bonneau. "Early indications are that the competition continues to build because of the impressive efforts happening throughout our entire client base as programs strategically move more toward serving the holistic needs of investors."

About PrimeVest

PrimeVest Financial Services is a self-clearing broker-dealer serving the clients of nearly 600 financial institutions in 50 states and Guam. PrimeVest makes it easier for financial institutions to succeed by delivering innovative investment and insurance solutions, comprehensive support and a flexible program structure. One of the broker-dealers of ING, PrimeVest is a shareholder of the Chicago Stock Exchange, and a member of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the Securities Investors Protection Corporation (SIPC), and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Securities and insurance products offered by PrimeVest are: Not FDIC- /NCUSIF-insured; may go down in value; not financial institution-guaranteed; not a deposit; and not insured by any federal government agency.

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 (NYSE: 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 www.ing.com .

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SOURCE: PrimeVest Financial Services

CONTACT: Per Berger of PrimeVest, +1-800-245-0467, ext. 63165,
Per-Johan.Berger@us.ing.com

Web site: http://www.ing.com/
http://www.ing.com/us