MassMutual Celebrates New Milestone—160 Years

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- It began in a leased, one-room office in Springfield, Mass., on May 15, 1851. Today Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) — one of the largest and most admired insurers in America* — announced it will commemorate its 160th anniversary with a series of special activities and initiatives that will run throughout the year. The kick-off of the anniversary observance is marked by the launch today of an interactive timeline experience that sends users back in time to participate in MassMutual's strong history and impact on the community and the nation.

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The timeline is available both online and on iPads® and showcases the breadth of MassMutual's 160-year history among other milestones in our nation's past and chronicles MassMutual's local and national impact. The timeline begins with MassMutual's founder, George Rice, and his vision of a mutual company operating for the benefit of the policyholders it serves.

The retrospective also includes a variety of interactive features including adjustable audio, a sliding bar to move through the eras, and clickable milestones that provide additional information about each important point in history, including

• MassMutual's first president, Caleb Rice, is elected as the first mayor of Springfield, Mass., in 1852.
• MassMutual provides food and shelter to flood victims in western Massachusetts in the early 20th century.
• MassMutual purchases New York City's iconic Chrysler Building out of a bankruptcy proceeding in the late 1970s, and the landmark is renovated.
• More than $1 billion in dividends to policyholders were paid in 2000. Since 1960, dividends to eligible participating policyholders totaled more than $25 billion.

"Our 160th anniversary is a great opportunity for us to recognize how MassMutual has grown from such humble beginnings to one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in the U.S.," said Roger W. Crandall, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, MassMutual. "Our focus on the hallmarks that have made us successful—including our financial strength, our integrity and our commitment to our policyholders—is as clear and resonant now as it was when we first opened our doors for business in Springfield, Mass., in 1851. We look forward to continuing our legacy of providing financial security and peace of mind for our policyholders and reinforcing the good decision they have made to do business with MassMutual."

Special commemorative advertisements will acknowledge MassMutual's milestone this month in The Wall Street Journal and in Springfield's local newspaper.

To better capture the historical impact of MassMutual on the country and Western Massachusetts, an archiving project is under way with the Springfield Museums to review, index, preserve and display the company's historical artifacts as an integral part of the community and its economy. In addition, the company is compiling historical displays at company headquarters and the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History that depict MassMutual's story using artifacts, portraits and photographs and are scheduled to be installed later this year.

A proclamation from the City of Springfield declaring "MassMutual Day" on May 16 will set the stage for various commemorative activities in the company's cafeteria. Plans for an appropriate gesture to commemorate the company's long involvement in the city's growth, in conjunction with Springfield's 375th anniversary, are in process.

"Caleb Rice had the courage and conviction to lead our company from its inception through the challenges and uncertainty of the Civil War, the first of many national crises that we have endured," Crandall concluded. "He personified a commitment to ethics, integrity and community responsibility that to this day remains a fundamental characteristic of our company."

For more information about MassMutual's history and community impact, visit massmutual.com or facebook.com/massmutual. To experience MassMutual's interactive timeline, visit massmutual.com/160timeline.

iPad is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc.

*MassMutual is listed as one of the nine most admired life and health insurance companies in the world in the March 21, 2011 issue of Fortune.

About MassMutual

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) 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, LLC, member FINRA and SIPC; OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.  

For more information, visit www.massmutual.com or "Like" MassMutual on Facebook.

SOURCE MassMutual