Mr. Wilson will have management responsibilities for the external team that wholesales life insurance product and sales concepts to the MassMutual career agency sales force. He will work closely with career agency system general agents and their immediate sales support staff to increase life sales. Mr. Wilson will also coordinate and drive marketing and sales efforts with the internal wholesalers team to maximize marketing efforts with target agencies and producers.

"Rick has a wealth of sales experience, which immediately makes him a valuable asset to our general agents, their sales support staff, and our entire career agency system," Mr. Zabel said. "He is a welcomed addition to our organization."

Mr. Wilson, 44, joins MassMutual from Met Life Investors/Travelers Life & Annuity in Boston, Mass., where he served as regional sales vice president. Mr. Wilson brings more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry to MassMutual. He previously spent eight years with New England Financial in Boston, as national sales manager for the company's Annuities Division, where he recruited, trained and managed designated outside wholesalers and internal sales consultants. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Bates College in Maine, holds Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant designations, and Series 7, 24, 63 and 65 licenses.

MassMutual Financial Group is the fleet name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliates, with more than 13 million clients and over $395 billion in assets under management at year-end 2005.

Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a mutually owned financial protection, accumulation and income management company headquartered in Springfield, Mass. MassMutual's major affiliates include: OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SiPC (www.finra.org www.sipc.org), MassMutual International, Inc. and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.