HOUSTON, TX, September 1, 2010 — Hand Benefits & Trust Company (HB&T) has selected Blue Prairie Group LLC (BPG) and Target-Date Solutions (TDS) as managers of the SMART Fund target-date collective investment trusts.

David Hand, CEO of HB&T, comments, While the SMART Funds have been around for more than 10 years, using BPG and TDS as co-managers is part of our larger effort to position the funds for continued growth and to improve upon our strong historical investment track record. We’re confident that we will be able to do so with TDS, which is well known for their work using a financially engineered glide path and Blue Prairie Group, an investment consulting firm recognized for its independent and disciplined approach to manager search and selection.

The SMART Funds are designed to end at the target-date (e.g. 2020, 2030, 2040, etc.) in entirely safe asset classes, which differentiates them from most other target-date funds. The emphasis is placed on risk control by changing the allocation at retirement to over 90% in TIPS and Treasuries. The collective investment trust (CIT) structure and low cost underlying investments result in overall operating expenses that are dramatically lower than most other target-date strategies on the market.

Gary Silverman, Blue Prairie Group’s Chief Investment Officer commented, We are delighted to be working with the SMART Funds because of their commitment to a secure glide path, outstanding long-term investment track record and the low cost structure of the collective trust index funds.

The SMART Funds are specifically designed to land safely at the target-date because (1) Most participants withdraw account balances at retirement and (2) Longevity risk can be more effectively managed with well designed de-accumulation products like annuities and/or managed payout funds that are designed precisely for this purpose, Ron Surz, the founder and CEO of TDS added, We are proud of the success the SMART Funds have achieved in terms of absolute and risk-adjusted performance and I am excited about the depth of resources going forward. The recent congressional hearings on target-date funds underscore the concerns of plan sponsors and participants about the design of many target-date funds and provide an implicit endorsement of the SMART Funds’ investment strategy of diversification, a risk-controlled glide path and low cost structure.

The three firms will be hosting a Webinar on October 27 that discusses fiduciary responsibilities and decision making in selecting and monitoring target-date funds. Discussion topics will include SEC and DOL requirements, to versus through glide paths, open versus closed architecture, mutual fund versus collective trust, longevity risk, fees, and more.

About Hand Benefits and Trust

HB&T is an institutional trust company with a unique set of skills. Among these is providing daily valuation accounting and unitization for Collective Investment Trusts (CITs). These portfolios may be for large, trustee-directed plans seeking daily valuation, or for financial intermediaries who wish to offer daily valued collective funds in the retirement marketplace. We also place these portfolios on the NSCC, where they can be traded by virtually any daily valuation recordkeeper. HB&T believes in a culture of fiduciary responsibility, which is indispensable to the long-term success of our clients. For more information, please go to www.bpas.com.

About Blue Prairie Group

BPG is an independent, fee-based retirement and investment consulting firm based in Chicago, IL. The firm is registered with the SEC under section 203 of the Investment Advisors Act of 1940 and is one of the fastest-growing investment consulting firms in the country. BPG passionately advocates low cost investments, full fee transparency, and offers a broad, team-based service model for both institutions and individuals. For more information, please go to www.blueprairiegroup.com.

About Target-Date Solutions

TDS develops and licenses high-quality Safe Landing Glide Paths� that end at the target-date, using a precision engineered asset allocation design. TDS is a wholly owned subsidiary of PPCA Inc, San Clemente CA, which is registered with the SEC under section 203 of the Investment Advisors Act of 1940. For further information, please go to www.targetdatesolutions.com.

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