The Mutual Fund Education Alliance has announced the winners of its 2007 STAR Awards for Excellence in Shareholder Communications. Top honors went to Old Mutual in the small companies category, Ariel Mutual Funds in the medium company category and John Hancock in the large company category.

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The Mutual Fund Education Alliance announced winners of the 2007 STAR Awards for Excellence in Shareholder Communications Wednesday evening at The Mid-America Club in Chicago atop the Aon Building. The STAR Awards are presented annually by the Mutual Fund Education Alliance (MFEA), a national fund industry trade association, and have become a prestigious recognition of companies in the fund industry who excel in print and online marketing, education and communications for shareholders, advisors and the investing public. Top awards for outstanding overall communications were presented, as well as awards for achievement in specific categories, based on a company's assets under management.

The top STAR Awards for Excellence in Overall Shareholder Communications, which evaluates a fund company's comprehensive efforts, were presented to the following:

SMALL COMPANIES
Up to $5 billion in assets
Old Mutual


MEDIUM COMPANIES
$5 - $25 billion in assets
Ariel Mutual Funds

LARGE COMPANIES
Over $25 billion in Assets
John Hancock Funds

A complete list of the STAR Awards winners in all categories is included below.

Now in its 11th year, the STAR Awards program continues to distinguish itself as the premier fund industry competition and is unique in that members of the MFEA serve as judges and evaluate the programs of their peers. That, according to MFEA Executive Committee Chairman Merrillyn Kosier, Executive Vice President and Director of Mutual Fund Marketing and Investor Services at Ariel Mutual Funds, is one of the most gratifying aspects of the awards program. "To be fairly evaluated by your colleagues, who are your competitors, provides a great sense of achievement," says Kosier.

Additional awards presented:

- The Excellence in Investor Education Award was presented to Lawrence Strauss of Barron's.(http://www.mfea.com/StarAwards/2007/PressReleases/2007/ReleaseStrauss.pdf) - The fifth annual Community Investment Award was presented to T. Rowe Price of Baltimore, for their "T. Rowe Price in the Community" program. (http://www.mfea.com/StarAwards/2007/PressReleases/2007/2007CommunityAwardTRowe.pdf)

THE RECIPIENTS OF THE 2007 STAR AWARDS:

Category - Community Investment Award
Large Company - T. Rowe Price

Category - Overall Communications Effort
STAR Award: Small Company - Old Mutual / Medium Company - Ariel Mutual Funds / Large Company - John Hancock Funds

Category - Investor Fulfillment/Prospectus Kit STAR Award:
Small Company - Old Mutual / Medium Company - Ariel Mutual Funds / Large Company - American Century Investments Honorable Mention: Large Company - John Hancock Funds

Category - Annual Report to Shareholders STAR Award:
Small Company - Parnassus Investments / Medium Company - Ariel Mutual Funds / Large Company - Putnam Investments Honorable Mention: Small Company - AARP Funds

Category - Printed Shareholder Newsletter STAR Award:
Small Company - Oak Associates Funds / Medium Company - TIAA-CREF Mutual Funds / Large Company - BlackRock Honorable Mention: Medium Company - Friess Associates

Category - Printed Advisor Newsletter STAR Award:
Large Company - TIE: Fidelity Investments and Principal Funds

Category - Printed Shareholder Magazine STAR Award:
Small Company - U.S. Global Investors / Medium Company - TIAA-CREF Mutual Funds / Large Company - T.Rowe Price Honorable Mention: Large Company - U.S. Trust

Category - Intermediary Introduction Kit STAR Award:
Small Company - Forward Funds / Medium Company - Calvert / Large Company - Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Honorable Mention: Small Company - Kelmoore Strategy Funds

Category - IRA Communications STAR Award:
Small Company - Old Mutual / Large Company - John Hancock Funds Honorable Mention: Large Company - DWS Scudder

Category - Special Retirement Communications STAR Award:
Large Company - John Hancock Funds Honorable Mention: Large Company - T.Rowe Price

Category - Plan Participant Retirement Brochure/Kit STAR Award:
Large Company - TIE: John Hancock Funds and Putnam Investments

Category - Educational Brochure STAR Award:
Small Company - Old Mutual / Medium Company - Calvert / Large Company - Franklin Templeton Honorable Mention: Small Company - US Global

Category - Special Communications STAR Award:
Small Company - AARP Funds / Medium Company - Matthews Asian Funds / Large Company - Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Honorable Mention: Small Company - Old Mutual Funds / Medium Company - RS Investments

Category - Plan Participant Communications STAR Award:
Large Company - Putnam Investments Honorable Mention: Large Company - DWS Scudder

Category - Plan Sponsor Communications STAR Award:
Large Company - Fidelity Investments

Category - Participant Program Campaign STAR Award:
Large Company - Putnam Investments Honorable Mention: Large Company - T.Rowe Price

Category - Printed Participant Newsletter STAR Award:
Large Company - The Vanguard Group

Category - Advisor Communications STAR Award:
Small Company - Old Mutual / Medium Company - William Blair Funds / Large Company - Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Honorable Mention: Small Company - Direxion Funds / Large Company - John Hancock Funds and The Vanguard Group

Category - Advisor Communication Campaign STAR Award:
Medium Company - Matthews Asian Funds / Large Company - Columbia Management Honorable Mention: Large Company - Principal Funds

Category - Electronic Shareholder Newsletter STAR Award:
Small Company - U.S. Global Investors / Medium Company - Matthews Asian Funds / Large Company - Wells Fargo Advantage Funds

Category - Electronic Advisor Newsletter STAR Award:
Small Company - U.S. Global Investors / Large Company - Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Honorable Mention: Large Company - Franklin Templeton

Category - Online Participation Program Communications STAR Award:
Large Company - The Vanguard Group

Category - Online Retirement Center STAR Award:
Large Company - TIE: Wells Fargo Advantage Funds and DWS Scudder

Category - Online Planning Center STAR Award:
Large Company - American Century Investments

Category - Online Shareholder Services STAR Award:
Medium Company - Ariel Mutual Funds / Large Company - Wells Fargo Advantage Funds

Category - Online Advisor Services STAR Award: Large Company - John Hancock Funds Honorable Mention:
Large Company - Janus

Category - Online Innovation STAR Award:
Medium Company - Calvert / Large Company - The Vanguard Group

Category - Online Marketing Campaign STAR Award:
Small Company - TIE: Old Mutual and Kelmoore Strategy Funds / Medium Company - Calvert / Large Company - Fidelity Investments

Category - Retail Home Page STAR Award:
Small Company - Old Mutual / Medium Company - Ariel Mutual Funds / Large Company - Wells Fargo Advantage Funds

Category - Advisor Home Page STAR Award:
Medium Company - Ariel Mutual Funds / Large Company - Wells Fargo Advantage Funds Honorable Mention: Large Company - Janus

Category - Retail Website STAR Award:
Small Company - Parnassus Investments / Medium Company - Ariel Mutual Funds / Large Company - Wells Fargo Advantage Funds

Category - Advisor Website STAR Award:
Small Company - U.S. Global Investors / Large Company - John Hancock Funds Honorable Mention: Large Company - Principal Funds

Category - Wildcard STAR Award:
Small Company - U.S. Global Investors / Medium Company - Ariel Mutual Funds / Large Company - The Vanguard Group

Editor's Note: For more complete information, including the title and/or name of a winning entry as well as judges' comments, please contact the Alliance at 816-454/9422, ext. 110.

The Mutual Fund Education Alliance is the national trade association of mutual fund marketers and distributors. Since 1971, the MFEA has been dedicated to informing and educating the investing public about how to achieve important lifetime goals using mutual funds. The members of the Alliance represent over $6 trillion in mutual fund assets. 

Edited by: Erin Kello


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