Bank Investment Consultant Recognizes Eight from PrimeVest in Top Reps of 2008

Bank Investment Consultant magazine's recently released "Top 50 Bank Reps" list featured eight financial professionals from PrimeVest Financial Services, one of the United States' largest broker-dealers exclusively serving financial institutions. PrimeVest was the only broker-dealer to land multiple selections among the six individuals profiled in the magazine, and the only broker-dealer to have more than two individuals in the top 10.

"We're very proud of our PrimeVest reps that earned accolades from Bank Investment Consultant, and we congratulate them on an excellent 2008," said PrimeVest President and CEO Catherine Bonneau. "It was a challenging year to be a financial professional, one that emphasized providing exceptional service to clients, and these honors are a well-deserved indication of the energy this group brings to those they serve."

The honored PrimeVest financial professionals included James O'Connor (Midwest Heritage Bank; Clive, Iowa) at No. 4, John Nixon (Ann Arbor Commerce Bank; Ann Arbor, Mich.) at No. 6, Joni Larsen (ESSA Bank & Trust; Stroudsburg, Pa.) at No. 9, David Donaldson (TD Banknorth; Plantsville, Ct.) at No. 18, Gerard Lowe (Whitney National Bank; New Orleans, La.) at No. 24, Julie Simmons (BankTrust; Selma, Ala.) at No. 26, and Jeff Tooley (German American; Jasper, Ind.) at No. 48. LeDoux Faust (Whitney National Bank; New Orleans, La.) received honorable mention.

"It is an honor to be selected by Bank Investment Consultant as I consider it one of the best-published industry magazines I have read," said O'Connor. "The selection does come at a traumatic time in our industry, making it hard to feel good about it, but it's no less a tribute to PrimeVest and the support provided throughout their system and especially by ING's Advanced Markets Group."

Bank Investment Consultant based its selections on a production-to-branch deposits ratio. The December issue with the full list of honorees can be found at www.bankinvestmentconsultant.com.

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, investments, retirement services and life insurance to over 85 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of over 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, institutional investment management, annuities, employee benefits, financial planning, and reinsurance. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves over 17 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.bankinvestmentconsultant.com/
http://www.ing.com/