Citigroup and the State University of New York Announce Launch of 'Financing Your Independence'; Citigroup Foundation Awards $620,000 Grant to SUNY.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Financial Education Program to Reach 1,200 Students and Community Residents in Buffalo, Long Island, Rochester and Syracuse

Eric Eve, Executive Director of Community Relations, Citigroup; and Robert L. King, State University of New York Chancellor; will announce the launch of "Financing Your Independence," a financial education program designed to help broaden employment opportunities and teach the skills needed to make informed financial decisions, at a reception honoring Distinguished Alumni of SUNY's Educational Opportunity Centers on Sunday, February 20th. SUNY Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs) in Buffalo, Long Island, Rochester, and Syracuse, which serve academically under-prepared students who are enrolled in academic programs leading to college or vocational programs leading to employment, will participate in the program.

At the event, Eric Eve will present Chancellor King with a grant check in the amount of $620,000, payable over two years, from the Citigroup Foundation to support the implementation of the program. Earlier in the year, the Deputy Director of Citigroup's Office of Financial Education conducted a Financial Education Training seminar at SUNY System Administration for 14 State University instructors to enable them to teach students and community residents about personal financial education.

"We are pleased to join with the State University of New York to deliver a financial education program that will give hundreds of students and residents in campus communities an education that will serve them well throughout their lives," said Eric Eve, Citigroup's Executive Director of Community Relations. "At Citigroup, strengthening the communities we serve is the foundation of our community commitment. Our $200 million, ten year commitment to financial education is just one of the ways we are striving to build bridges to underserved communities and to provide the resources, tools and information that will empower people to achieve their goals."

"We were thrilled that this announcement could come at a time when we were honoring 16 Distinguished EOC alumni for their remarkable achievements," said SUNY Chancellor Robert L. King. "Our EOCs serve as an invaluable stepping stone for so many who go on to excel in higher education and their chosen vocation. We appreciate Citigroup and the Citigroup Foundation's confidence in the value of this program and know that our relationship with them will benefit many New York state residents."

William Chalmers, Assistant Provost and Director of EOC Operations, said, "This program is designed to inspire and educate our students to become more knowledgeable about saving, investing, credit and banking. Thanks to Citigroup and the Citigroup Foundation, hundreds of SUNY students will get a head start on a bright financial future."

EOC faculty noted a number of positive comments from students that participated in the pilot program including decreasing discretionary spending and working to become smarter shoppers. One participant said, "I learned about the different programs you can get through a bank and ways of investing. I learned about spending wisely month to month on what you need, and not just what you want."

Each SUNY EOC will use Citigroup's Financial Education Curriculum to train enrolled students on saving, investing, credit management, banking and financial services. EOC students will receive 18 hours of classroom instruction. In addition, instructors will develop and lead financial literacy workshops available to community residents. A State University of New York (SUNY) certificate of completion will be awarded to those who successfully complete the program. Local Citigroup employees will also volunteer in the program.

Recently, Citigroup and the Citigroup Foundation announced a 10-year, $200 million global financial education commitment, the formation of a new Office of Financial Education and a global initiative designed to encourage its 300,000 employees around the world to devote time to support financial education and other charitable causes. Under the new initiative, employees may take a day off from work to volunteer for non-profit organizations in their communities.

The Citigroup Financial Education Program is a global, company-wide effort to identify, support and implement initiatives that help give individuals, families and communities the tools needed to make sound financial decisions. Citigroup's recently announced 10-year, $200 million global financial education commitment is focused in three areas: Personal Financial Education, Small Business Financial Education, and Institutional Financial Education. Additional information about Citigroup's Financial Education Program, including Foundation guidelines, links and resources, including the Citigroup Financial Education Program Curriculum and Facilitator's Guide may be found at: financialeducation.citigroup.com.

Citigroup (NYSE: C), the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, insurance, securities brokerage, and asset management. Major brand names under Citigroup's trademark red umbrella include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney, Banamex, and Travelers Life and Annuity. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com.