Aetna Financial Services Partners With 100 Black Men of America; Atlanta Mayor Announces Financial Education and Mentoring.

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 3, 1999--

Aetna Financial Services today announced an alliance with 100 Black Men of America, Inc., in which Aetna Financial Services will provide leadership, financial education, and economic-development programs to "mentees" of "The 100."

100 Black Men of America will endorse Aetna Financial Services as the organization's provider of financial and retirement-plan services.

Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell held a press conference this morning at City Hall to announce the alliance, as part of the kickoff to 100 Black Men of America's 13th Annual Presidents' Summit.

"This alliance is the beginning of a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership," said Willard I. Hill, Jr., Senior Vice President and Head of Domestic Emerging Markets at Aetna Financial Services. "We're proud to join The 100's national leadership role in the education of young African American men, and we're pleased at the opportunity to bring financial education programs and services to their network of chapters. By working with The 100, we'll begin to increase the number of African Americans in the financial services profession. This effort, along with our other corporate initiatives, helps us to fulfill our brand promise of providing partners that relate to all of our customers."

"Aetna's Domestic Emerging Markets strategy recognizes the growing economic clout of professional and entrepreneurial African Americans," said Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., National President of 100 Black Men of America. "We're gratified to accept this additional funding for our signature mentoring program, and we know our chapters across the country will embrace this important component of educating our youth."

Founded in 1963, the mission of 100 Black Men of America is to improve the quality of life for our communities and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all African-Americans. The 100 serves as the national flagship for the member chapters and is governed by a Board of Directors that includes all member chapter presidents and nine elected executive committee members. With more than 10,000 members and 87 national and international chapters, The 100 has touched the lives of more than 130,000 youth through its mentoring and youth development programs.

The 100's "Miracles of Mentoring Campaign" hopes to raise $35 million by the year 2001. Funds raised will be allocated to chapter projects related to initiatives in the four strategic service areas: support for local chapter facilities and operations; national headquarter projects, related to improving the national office facility; establishing the National Mentoring and Leadership Institute in Georgia, dedicated to training chapter members and the students with whom they work; and scholarship endowment for students in need of financial support. Less than 10 percent of all monies raised will be used for administrative costs.

Aetna Life Insurance and Annuity Company, an operating company of Aetna Financial Services, provides a full range of products for a lifetime of financial needs. Securities offered through Aetna Investment Services, Inc. and Aetna Financial Services, Inc. All of these companies are wholly owned indirect subsidiaries of Hartford, Connecticut-based Aetna Inc., a leading provider of health, retirement and financial services benefits. Through its three core businesses -- Aetna U.S. Healthcare, Aetna Financial Services, and Aetna International -- the company provides nearly 40 million people worldwide with quality products, services, and information to help them manage best what matters most: their health and financial well-being.