BMO Global Asset Management's Brand Extended to the Business Lines of M&I Institutional Trust Services

CHICAGO, Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- BMO Global Asset Management announced today the three primary lines of business within the former M&I Institutional Trust Services will be renamed to reflect their full integration into BMO's global businesses.  M&I Institutional Trust Services was previously a unit of Marshall & Ilsley Trust Company N.A., an affiliate of BMO Harris Bank N.A.  

This follows an initiative earlier this year that rebranded the Marshall Funds to BMO Funds and the merging of M&I Investment Management Corp into Harris Investment Management Inc, which was renamed BMO Asset Management Corp.

The newly branded businesses are BMO Retirement Services, BMO Taft-Hartley Services and BMO Not-for-Profit Services.  All include the services provided by the firm's Retirement and Trust and Custody division and have access to the investment expertise of BMO Global Asset Management. 

"Rebranding these lines of businesses was the next step in our successful integration efforts and reflects the importance they play in our overall business strategy," said Barry S. McInerney, Co-Chief Executive Officer.  "Our ability to provide clients with holistic asset management solutions and service excellence is at the core of our corporate principles.  Our proven ability to deliver the results clients expect will continue to be the key to our North American growth strategy."

BMO Retirement Services features a premier, award-winning platform of retirement and trust and custody services.  BMO Taft-Hartley Services provides recordkeeping, custody, securities lending and other financial services for both single and multi-employer benefit plans, as well as unions and other labor related entities.  BMO Not-for-Profit Services offers a wide range of services to charities, endowments and other not-for-profit organizations.

"As an integrated part of BMO Global Asset Management, clients of these three businesses will benefit from the backing, reach and extensive resources of a truly global financial services provider," McInerney added.

About BMO Financial Group
Established in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified North American financial services organization.  With total assets of $542 billion as at July 31, 2012, and more than 46,000 employees, BMO Financial Group provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions. 

About BMO Global Asset Management
BMO Global Asset Management is a global, award-winning provider of investment management, retirement, trust and custody services.  The firm provides holistic, solution-driven services to our institutional and high-net-worth clients and the BMO family of mutual funds.  With an extensive history of fiduciary service – and goal of promoting retirement readiness to our more than 500,000 participants in over 1,500 retirement plans – our clients include retirement plans, Taft-Hartley funds, government and public funds, not-for-profit organizations and family offices.  BMO Global Asset Management's commitment to service excellence has led us to be recognized by Pension & Investments as one of the Top 100 largest asset managers, as of Dec. 31, 2011.

BMO Retirement Services, BMO Not-for-Profit Services and BMO Taft-Hartley Services are a part of BMO Global Asset Management and a division of the BMO Harris Bank N.A., offering products and services through various affiliates of BMO Financial Group.

BMO Securities Lending is a part of BMO Global Asset Management and represents the securities lending services provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A., offering products and services through various affiliates of BMO Financial Group.

BMO Global Asset Management is the brand name for various affiliated entities of BMO Financial Group, that provide trust, custody, securities lending, investment management, and retirement plan services. Certain of the products and services offered under the brand name BMO Global Asset Management are designed specifically for various categories of investors in a number of different countries and regions. Those products and services are only offered to such investors in those countries and regions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. BMO Financial Group is a service mark of Bank of Montreal (BMO). Investment products are: NOT FDIC INSURED - NO BANK GUARANTEE - MAY LOSE VALUE

Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the BMO Funds. This and other important information is contained in the prospectuses and/or summary prospectuses, which can be obtained by calling 1-800-580-3863. Please read carefully before investing.

SOURCE BMO Global Asset Management