Thousands to ''Explore Life's Possibilities'' at United Way Kick Off Event at the Principal Plaza; Event to Provide Vibrant Photo Opportunities for Local Media.

Principal Financial Group:

WHO:      -- Thousands of Principal Financial Group(R) employees
          -- Barry Griswell, chairman and CEO of the Principal
             Financial Group
          -- Shannon Cofield, president of United Way of Central Iowa
          -- Madou Dembele(a), master West African drummer, along with
             other African musicians

WHAT:     The Principal Financial Group will kickoff its annual United
          Way campaign with the safari adventure themed event,
          "Explore Life's Possibilities." The event will include
          lunch, information on how employees' contributions benefit
          the community, prize drawings and entertainment.

WHEN:     Friday, Aug. 5, 11a.m. - 1 p.m.
          -- 11a.m. - noon, Madou Dembele performs and prize drawings
             take place
          -- Noon, Barry Griswell, Shannon Cofield speak
          -- 12:30p.m. - 1:00 p.m., Madou Dembele performs

WHERE:    The Principal Plaza, located between 7th Street and 8th
          Street

          Metered parking available along 8th Street


(a) About Madou Dembele:
    Raised in Mali, West Africa, Madou comes from a family of 33
generations of jembe players. Madou's performances have thrilled
audiences at the Kennedy Center and the Guggenheim. One performance
for the Hunger Project in NYC so impressed the president of Mali that
he asked for a private audience with Madou.

    Madou has performed with Stevie Wonder and Blue Man Group,
recorded with Herbie Hancock, toured with Ziggy Marley, and was a
featured performer for six months at Disney World. He headlined the
prestigious Des Moines Arts Festival in 2003 and performed for The
World Food Prize (The "Nobel Prize" for Food) in the Iowa State
Capitol Building Rotunda in 2004.