ING Named as Sole Provider to the District of Columbia's 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

ING is pleased to announce that it has been re-affirmed by the District of Columbia as the sole provider for its DC PLUS 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. The strength of ING's continued relationship with the District of Columbia reinforces its commitment to the government market, and illustrates the strong momentum it continues to gain in this space.

"We are pleased that the District of Columbia has again put its confidence in ING as a trusted retirement plan provider to its government employees," said Brian Comer, Senior Vice President of ING's Public Markets Distribution and Retention group. "Our outstanding local service and support to participants, combined with a very competitive product and communication and education campaign, led to our ultimate selection by the District," he added.

ING has been the exclusive 457 plan provider to the District of Columbia since March 2002. Since then, plan assets have grown from $273.8 million to some $372 million as of July 2008. ING's successful outreach to employees has helped the District of Columbia increase plan participation by 10%. During the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, the plan added 1,285 new participants, with 1,385 participants increasing their contributions.

"We're pleased to continue our relationship with ING, a company with expertise in the government market, a dedicated team in the District, and a strong commitment to participant education and customer service," says Lasana K. Mack, D.C. Treasurer and Deputy Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Mack adds, "The local ING team has executed a strong outreach program that effectively communicates and educates employees on the benefits of saving for retirement."

ING's strong success in the District of Columbia follows on the heels of other recent successes, like the State of Kansas, County of San Bernardino, Tri City Medical Center and Arlington County, and demonstrates why ING continues to be a leading retirement plan provider in the government market.

  Press inquiries:
  Deborah Pont
  ING US Wealth Management
  +860.580.2678
  deborah.pont@us.ing.com

  About ING:

ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 85 million residential, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 130,000 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 http://www.ing.com/ .

DC - C08-0923-001R

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: debroah.pont@us.ing.com

SOURCE: ING

CONTACT: Deborah Pont, ING US Wealth Management, +1-860-580-2678,
deborah.pont@us.ing.com

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