ING Launches Second Annual Seminar Series for Mid Market Consultants and Advisors

WINDSOR, Conn., Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- ING's U.S. Retirement Services division announced today that it will commence its second annual series of educational roundtables for mid market retirement plan consultants and registered investment advisors.  As a leader across all defined contribution market segments, ING is hosting these events as a way to reach more employers with $10 million to $150 million in 401(k) plan assets.  

The first roundtable will be held on October 5 in Schaumburg, Illinois.  Additional meetings will take place across the country throughout the rest of 2010.  The series will build upon the success of ING's mid market spring symposium and inaugural 2009 roundtable series, which have helped to deepen relationships with 401(k) professionals in this community.

The roundtables also provide an opportunity to continue promoting ING's Framewor(k)(SM) product, a customizable plan solution that combines the benefits of pure open architecture and full fee disclosure with a comprehensive suite of defined contribution services.  

"ING's commitment to the mid market has never been stronger, and our goal is to continue making it easier for consultants and advisors in this field to do business with their clients," said Bill Elmslie, head of intermediary sales and service for ING U.S. Retirement Services.  "Following our successful spring symposium and 2009 series, we've found that this group is eager for information, insights and value-added resources that can address the unique needs of mid market plan sponsors."

Developed exclusively for the mid market, ING's roundtable series will cover a wide range of topics including target-date funds and plan investment options; relationship building and practice management strategies; industry trends that drive sponsor decision-making; and policy issues and legislation affecting retirement plans.  Attendees will also learn about the opportunities for mid market sponsors to graduate into more flexible products with large plan features, such as those offered by ING Framewor(k).

ING Framewor(k) is built on a platform to accommodate various plan sizes, and specifically sponsors with $10 million or more in retirement plan assets.  With its open architecture, Framewor(k) allows sponsors and financial professionals to select any funds they want for their lineup without a proprietary requirement.  It includes many market leading funds across all asset classes.  Among other services, Framewor(k) offers customized employee communications, dedicated support and best-in-class participant and plan sponsor Web sites.  The product was made available in 2009 through all of ING's distribution channels.

As proof of its appeal, ING's mid market sales pipeline is up more than 200% over the same period last year, with several new key customers adopting Framewor(k) in recent months.

"Our research tells us that many sponsors in the mid market – especially those outgrowing a small plan product – want features associated with a large plan, such as competitive pricing, full fee disclosure and open architecture with no proprietary requirements," said Steve Davis, head of mid market sales for ING U.S. Retirement Services.  "ING's Framewor(k) is well-suited to meet these needs, providing sponsors with a dynamic yet cost-effective operating platform.  We're thrilled with the positive feedback we've received and we know the roundtable events are a perfect forum to continue spreading the word."

ING's U.S. Retirement Services is part of ING's global insurance operations.  The business holds top rankings in the defined contribution industry and has approximately $267 billion in combined assets under administration and management.  It is one of the few providers with the ability to serve all sizes and segments of the defined contribution market, including corporate, government, healthcare, K-12 and higher education employers.

About ING

ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 85 million private, corporate and institutional clients in over 40 countries. With a diverse workforce of more than 107,000 people, ING is dedicated to setting the standard in helping our clients manage their financial future.

In the U.S., the ING (NYSE: ING) family of companies offers 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 and financial planning. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves approximately 30 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit www.ing.com/US.

SOURCE ING