Investing for Success Program to Be Held in Alexandria, VA
Workshop Offered to Area Residents as Part of National African-American Investor Education Partnership

Washington, DC April 5, 2004 - The National Urban League and the Investment Company Institute Education Foundation announced today that Alexandria, VA will be the site of the next Investing for Success workshop on Thursday, April 29, 2004.

The two-and-one-half hour program is aimed at informing middle-income African Americans about the benefits of long-term investing. Using a series of worksheets, participants learn to assess their risk tolerance and retirement needs and develop an action plan. They will also receive a series of investor awareness brochures, a DVD that includes interviews with investors and investment professionals, and information on additional resources.

Marc H. Morial, president of the National Urban League, said, "The Investing for Success program is designed to inspire African Americans to become more knowledgeable about investing for retirement and to take advantage of opportunities to accumulate wealth. This partnership is one of the first steps toward accomplishing the National Urban League's mission to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity, and power in the 21^st century. The National Urban League and ICIEF share an important goal of helping African Americans to become economically self-sufficient."

Registration is from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and the program is scheduled between 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. at the Lee Center located at 1108 Jefferson Street. Sponsors are the National Urban League, the Northern Virginia Urban League, the Investment Company Institute Education Foundation, and Profit Investment Management. Eugene A. Profit, President, CIO, and Portfolio Manager of Profit Investment Management, will present the workshop. To reserve a space at the free workshop, call 703/836-2858 before Wednesday, April 28.

The Alexandria workshop is the latest in a series of investor education workshops aimed at providing information to investors about building wealth while maintaining realistic expectations and encouraging long-term investment planning. Investing for Success workshops were developed in response to surveys that show that despite a significant increase in investor awareness among African Americans, the community directs a smaller portion of its income to long-term investments than other groups with similar incomes. Studies indicate the primary reason African Americans cite for not investing is lack of knowledge.

"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. "Program 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 Alexandria."

For those unable to attend a workshop, ICIEF offers an award-winning web course that integrates all the workshop materials in an interactive, multimedia format.

Investing for Success workshops have taken place in Philadelphia, PA; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX; Boston, MA; New York, NY; Seattle, WA; Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA; Columbia, SC; Miami, FL; Chattanooga, TN; Birmingham, AL; Phoenix, AZ; Milwaukee, WI; Fort Wayne, IN; Fort Lauderdale, FL; New Orleans, LA; Louisville, KY, Minneapolis, MN, and San Diego, CA. All have received high ratings from participants. Additional workshops are being planned.

The National Urban League is the nation's oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. 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. Profit Investment Management, headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, is a registered advisory firm with $245 million in assets under management.