Aetna Honors Northeast Region Small Businesses of the Year.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- --Aetna to donate $10,000 to New Jersey charity --

Sanguiliano Garden Center & Florist, a Scotch Plains, N.J.-based company that sells gardening and landscaping products, has been chosen as Aetna's Northeast Region Small Business of the Year for 2004. In recognition of its business achievements and commitment to its local community, Aetna (NYSE: AET) will donate $10,000 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Northern New Jersey Chapter.

"Sanguiliano Garden Center & Florist is a shining example of a family-run small business that has been both commercially successful and a valued contributor to charitable causes in their community," said James Reid, Aetna's general manager for small-group business in the Northeast Region. "The company embodies the entrepreneurial spirit, dedication to their employees and commitment to their communities that Aetna seeks to honor with its Small Business of the Year program."

Sanguiliano came into being when family members started the company from scratch six years ago. Today, siblings Peter, Maria and Jennifer Sanguiliano run the company, which has expanded to offer specialized services such as floral design for weddings, funerals and other events. Community involvement is an important part of the company's philosophy, and the Sanguilianos donate time, labor and products to surrounding towns and community groups. The business is actively involved in the "Adopt a Highway" program in Scotch Hills.

Sanguiliano Garden Center & Florist chose to direct the Aetna donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Northern New Jersey chapter. Many members of the Sanguiliano family have been impacted by the disease.

Created to highlight the extraordinary strengths, achievements and community involvement of local small businesses, Aetna's Small Business of the Year contest is open to organizations that currently offer an Aetna Small Group (ASG) health benefits plan. A panel of judges considers criteria including evidence of community involvement, a unique start-up story, skill in overcoming small business challenges, and remarkable growth and profitability. Companies are nominated by Aetna customers, non-profit organizations and licensed brokers and agents selling Aetna products. After Aetna named its 2004 regional honorees, each business then selected a charity to receive a donation from Aetna directly on their behalf.

Aetna Small Group provides health and related benefits plans to meet the needs of companies with two* to 50 employees. Designed to provide choice, simplicity and affordability to small businesses, Aetna Small Group's products include HMO and PPO health plans, as well as dental, life and short-term disability products, prescription drug coverage and a broad network of participating providers. (* one employee in some states)

As one of the nation's leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care benefits, Aetna puts information and helpful resources to work for its approximately 13.6 million medical members, 11.6 million dental members, 8.3 million pharmacy members and 13.3 million group insurance members to help them make better informed decisions about their health care and protect their finances against health-related risks. Aetna provides easy access to cost-effective health care through a nationwide network of more than 646,000 health care professionals, including over 385,000 primary care and specialist doctors and 3,908 hospitals. For more information, please visit www.aetna.com. (Figures as of September 30, 2004), please visit www.aetna.com. (Figures as of September 30, 2004)