SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- For the months of August and October 2009, four different MassMutual Funds available through MassMutual's SmartArchitecture(SM) Investment Program have been crowned "Category Kings" by The Wall Street Journal. The MassMutual Funds feature a subadvised structure, in which MassMutual serves as the investment advisor and exercises the flexibility to select from some of the industry's best available asset managers, who handle the day-to-day portfolio management of each MassMutual Fund. The Wall Street Journal's Category Kings recognizes funds ranked in the top 10 of their respective Lipper(1) mutual fund categories, ranked by year-to-date total returns* (changes in net asset values with reinvested distributions) as of month-end.(2)

August 2009

MassMutual Premier Value Fund (S share class)

MassMutual Premier Discovery Value Fund (S share class)

MassMutual Select Focused Value Fund (S share class)

October 2009

MassMutual Select Aggressive Growth Fund (S share class)

MassMutual Select Focused Value Fund (S share class)

"This recognition is a testament to the investment strategies of these Funds, to the quality of the asset managers we have selected, and to the considerable research and analytical resources we bring to bear on the MassMutual SmartArchitecture Investment Program," says Eric Wietsma, corporate vice president and head of Investment Services for MassMutual's Retirement Services Division.

For more information about MassMutual's retirement services, please call your retirement plan advisor or contact MassMutual at (888) 626-4911, www.massmutual.com/retire.

*Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

(1)Lipper, a Reuters company, is a global leader in supplying mutual fund information, analytical tools, and commentary.

(2)Category Kings is also published on calendar quarters using different performance time periods.

About MassMutual

MassMutual's Retirement Services Division has been serving retirement plans for more than 60 years. It offers a full range of products and services for corporate, union, nonprofit and governmental employers' defined benefit, defined contribution and nonqualified deferred compensation plans. It serves approximately one million participants.

Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyholders. The company has a long history of financial strength and strong performance, and although dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid dividends to eligible participating policyholders every year since the 1860s. With whole life insurance as its foundation, MassMutual provides products to help meet the financial needs of clients, such as life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, retirement/401(k) plan services, and annuities. In addition, the company's strong and growing network of financial professionals helps clients make good financial decisions for the long-term.

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) [of which Retirement Services is a division] and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual is headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts and its major affiliates include: Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MassMutual International LLC; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC; OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.

For more information, visit massmutual.com.

Copyright © 2009 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and affiliates, Springfield, MA 01111-0001.

All rights reserved.

Contact: Lisa Reilly
(413) 744-0589
lreilly@massmutual.com

SOURCE MassMutual Retirement Services Division

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