Investing for Success Program to Be Held in Houston

Contacts:
Leslie Dunbar, NUL: 212/558-5438
Derede McAlpin, ICI: 202/371-5420

Washington, DC, October 13, 2000 - The National Urban League and the Investment Company Institute Education Foundation today announced that the third in a nationwide series of investor education workshops promoting greater understanding among middle-income African-Americans about the benefits of long-term investing will be held in Houston.

The "Investing for Success" workshop is scheduled on Thursday, November 2, 2000. Registration begins at 6 p.m. and the program is scheduled between 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. at the Houston Area Urban League, 1301 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas. The workshop is sponsored by the National Urban League, the Houston Area Urban League, and the Investment Company Institute Education Foundation. The workshop will be presented by Craig A. Smith, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager of AIM Capital Management, Inc.

The nationwide partnership is aimed at providing information to investors about building wealth while maintaining realistic expectations and encouraging long-term investment planning. Each participant at the program's personal finance workshops will go through a series of worksheets to help them assess their risk tolerance and retirement needs and develop an action plan. They will also receive a series of investor awareness brochures, a video discussing successful investing, and information on additional resources.

Hugh Price, President of the National Urban League, said "The program is designed to inspire African-Americans to become more knowledgeable about investing for retirement and take advantage of opportunities to accumulate wealth. The National Urban League and ICI share an important goal of helping African-Americans to become economically self-sufficient."

The national investor awareness initiative is a partnership between the National Urban League and the Investment Company Institute Education Foundation.

"The Investing for Success program brings important information about the benefits of long-term investing to the African-American community," said Institute Executive Vice President Julie Domenick. "Nearly all of the program's recent participants agree that the workshop is clearly presented, useful, and something they would recommend to others. Together with the National Urban League and its local affiliate, we look forward to bringing the program to Houston."

To reserve a space at the free "Investing for Success" workshop in Houston, call 1-877-358-5888 or 713-393-8700 by October 30. Additional "Investing for Success" workshops are currently scheduled in Los Angeles, New York, and Boston. Workshops also are being planned for additional cities. The first workshop was held in Philadelphia.

The National Urban League is the nation's premier civil rights and social services organization, with a long and successful history of service to the African-American community. The Investment Company Institute Education Foundation is an affiliate of the Investment Company Institute, the national association of American mutual funds, closed-end funds, and unit investment trusts.