MassMutual's San Francisco Bay Area Insurance Agency Earns Chairman's Trophy for Seventh Time Since 2002

WALNUT CREEK, CA--(Marketwire - March 16, 2010) - The MassMutual Financial Group has announced that the San Francisco Bay Area Insurance Agency (www.sfbaa.com), under the leadership of CEO Robert Fakhimi, has earned a seventh Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company's (MassMutual) National Chairman's Trophy. With this most recent trophy, Fakhimi's agency has received the prestigious award for performance in seven of the last eight years.

MassMutual has an extensive field force of more than 5041 agents in 84 national offices. The Chairman's Trophy reflects an individual agency's accomplishments in revenue growth, recruitment and productivity. Only general agents from nine agencies win the award annually.

"The team at our office is highly motivated and our clients always come first," Fakhimi said. "Our support services and I are dedicated to fully encouraging the career field agents to reach their full potential and work effectively with clients to help them achieve their financial goals."

The San Francisco Bay Area Insurance Agency has produced numerous outstanding career professionals since General Agent Robert Fakhimi joined as head of the office in April of 2001. Agents from San Francisco Bay Area Insurance Agency are top performers -- a first year agent just won the esteemed Freshman Five honor (the fifth winner in six years) and another agent is the Top Premium and Top Annuity Producer among all the MassMutual career agents nationally. Headquartered in Walnut Creek and with additional offices in San Francisco, Fremont, Stockton and Milpitas, the Agency now has 123 MassMutual career agents serving the Northern California community.

About the San Francisco Bay Area Insurance Agency LLC

Founded in 1891, San Francisco Bay Area Insurance Agency LLC is a significant contributor to the local economy, as shown by the following figures about the San Francisco Bay Area Insurance Agency (as of December 31, 2009):

--  More than 36,000 policyholders and clients
--  Managing over $896 Million in assets (including assets and certain
    external investment funds managed by MassMutual and its subsidiaries)
--  More than $4.3 billion in life insurance face amount in force
--  Will return more than $9.3 million in dividends to its participating
    policyholders in 2009

Robert Fakhimi is CEO and Managing Partner of the San Francisco Bay Area Insurance Agency LLC. Mr. Fakhimi can be reached at 888-803-3631, ext. 320 or by e-mailing him at rfakhimi@finsvcs.com. Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, member SIPC, Inc.

About MassMutual

Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyholders. The company has a long history of financial strength and strong performance, and although dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid dividends to eligible participating policyholders every year since the 1860s. With whole life insurance as its foundation, MassMutual provides products to help meet the financial needs of clients, such as life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, retirement/401(k) plan services, and annuities. In addition, the company's strong and growing network of financial professionals helps clients make good financial decisions for the long-term.

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual is headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts and its major affiliates include: Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MassMutual International LLC; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC; OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.

For more information, visit www.massmutual.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Erica Zeidenberg 925-631-0553