NEW YORK, April 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), which has rebranded from ING U.S., marks its tenth year as a sponsor of the National Teacher of the Year, a project organized by the Council of Chief State School Officers.  The company joins in celebrating Sean McComb, an educator from the Patapsco High School & Center for the Arts in Baltimore, Maryland, as the 64^th National Teacher of the Year.

McComb, along with the 2014 State Teacher of the Year winners, will be recognized by President Barack Obama in a ceremony at the White House on Thursday, May 1, 2014.

"It's an honor to support such a worthy cause, which showcases the creativity, determination and passion of our best teachers across the country," said Jamie Ohl, president of Tax-Exempt Markets, Voya Financial.  "We understand how important our nation's educational system is to the future success of young people, which is why our company has sponsored the National Teacher of the Year program for a decade.  Voya congratulates Sean McComb and the other state winners for their commitment to excellence in the classroom."

McComb, who has more than seven years of experience as an educator, is serving this year as a staff development teacher at Patapsco High School & Center for the Arts.  He also prepares other teachers for the classroom as an adjunct instructor in education and writing at Towson University.  With his teaching philosophy, McComb pushes students to become better readers, writers, thinkers and, ultimately, better people.  He has won several awards for his focus on education in the community, including recognition by Baltimore County for his outstanding leadership of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) college preparatory program.  McComb belongs to several professional organizations, including the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the Association of School Business Officers, and the Maryland State Education Association.  He received a B.A. in English Literature and a Masters of Education in English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a Certificate in School Improvement Leadership from Goucher College.

Voya Financial's support for teachers, children and education extends beyond the National Teacher of the Year to other signature programs — such as Unsung Heroes® and the Voya-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge.  The company is committed to making sure students have the resources to be successful, and that they stay in school, graduate on time, and are prepared to continue their education and enter the 21^st century workforce.

As an industry leader and advocate for greater retirement readiness, Voya Financial is also committed to becoming America's Retirement Company™ and to making a secure financial future possible — one person, one family and one institution at a time. 

Media Contact:
Joe Loparco 
Voya Financial 
Office:  860.580.2677 
Cell:  860.462.6525 
joseph.loparco@voya.com 

About Voya Financial
Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), which has rebranded from ING U.S., is comprised of premier retirement, investment and insurance companies serving the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers in the United States. The company's vision is to be America's Retirement Company™ and its guiding principle is centered on solving the most daunting financial challenge facing Americans today — retirement readiness. Working directly with clients and through a broad group of financial intermediaries, independent producers, affiliated advisors and dedicated sales specialists, Voya provides a comprehensive portfolio of asset accumulation, asset protection and asset distribution products and services. With a dedicated workforce of approximately 7,000 employees, Voya is grounded in a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time. For more information, visit http://voya.com.  Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

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SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.