Barrie Christman, Principal Financial Group, Appointed to Federal Reserve Advisory Council.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Barrie G. Christman, chairman of Principal Bank([R]), has been appointed to the Federal Reserve Board's Thrift Institutions Advisory Council (TIAC).

Established by the board in 1980, TIAC is an advisory group that includes representatives from savings and loan associations, savings banks and credit unions. The 12-member council meets three times each year with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to discuss developments relating to thrift institutions, the housing industry, mortgage finance and regulatory issues.

"Particularly in times of financial stress, it's important that the Federal Reserve Board hear from as broad a constituency as possible," said Christman. "I'm looking forward to representing Principal Bank and the Principal Financial Group([R])on the council. Our inclusion ensures input from a diversified financial services company."

Christman's two-year term began Jan. 1, 2009.

Christman joined The Principal([R]) in 2001 as president and CEO of the Principal Bank. Prior to joining The Principal, Christman was executive vice president of Huntington National Bank in Columbus, Ohio. She has worked in the banking industry for 35 years.

About Principal Bank

Principal Bank([R]), a member of the Principal Financial Group([R]), is an FDIC insured federal savings bank offering customers traditional and innovative banking products and services through the Internet, telephone personal bankers, U.S. Mail and a nationwide network of ATMs. Established in February 1998, Principal Bank was one of the first truly direct online banks approved and chartered by the Office of Thrift Supervision as a federal savings bank. For more information, visit www.principalbank.com.

About the Principal Financial Group

The Principal Financial Group([R]) (The Principal([R]))1 is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance, and banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $287.4 billion in assets under management2and serves some 19.0 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

1 "The Principal Financial Group" and "The Principal" are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.

2 As of September 30, 2008.