PLANADVISER, a leading retirement industry magazine for financial professionals, has recognized the Principal Financial Group® with a new "Adviser's Choice Award" for ranking number one in defined contribution plan sponsor support.

The award is given to the highest achievers in four distinct categories as chosen by financial professionals in the 2013 PLANADVISER Retirement Plan Adviser Survey. More than 600 financial professionals picked their preferred retirement plan partners and The Principal® earned the top rating for plan sponsor support.

"Financial professionals play a significant role in helping plan sponsors select and monitor service providers. The Principal is focused on providing the support they need to succeed," said Tim Minard, senior vice president of distribution at The Principal. "Retirement and including investment management are our core business with financial professionals at the heart of how we deliver our services. This strong vote of confidence is a great compliment and testament to our commitment to financial professionals and their clients."

The Principal has been in the retirement industry for nearly 75 years and provides services to more than 45,000 retirement plans of all sizes, covering nearly 4.6 million participants1 .

PLANADVISER presented the award March 11 at the annual PLANSPONSOR/PLANADVISER Awards for Excellence dinner. The prestigious event is held each year to celebrate accomplishments made in the retirement plan industry.

"The Advisers Choice Awards are a natural extension of our existing awards program. Advisers' opinions are a critical component of investment and plan provider service, and we want to make sure these opinions are heard," said Alison Cooke Mintzer, editor in chief of PLANSPONSOR and PLANADVISER.

This is the third year in a row that PLANSPONSOR/PLANADVISER presented top honors to The Principal.

  • In 2013, The Principal was named one of the top 20 institutional leaders of the past 20 years for its "dedication to ensuring that small retirement plans get large plan service."
  • In 2012, PLANSPONSOR presented the Lifetime Achievement Award toLarry Zimpleman, chairman, president and chief executive officer of The Principal for his extraordinary contributions to the retirement plan industry.

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About the Principal Financial Group

The Principal Financial Group® (The Principal®)2 is a global investment management leader offering retirement services, insurance solutions and asset management. The Principal offers businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement, asset management and insurance through its diverse family of financial services companies. Founded in 1879 and a member of the FORTUNE 500®, the Principal Financial Group has $483.2 billion in assets under management3 and serves some 19.4 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

1 45,081 plans with 4,559, 341 participants as of 12/31/13.

2 "The Principal Financial Group" and "The Principal" are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.

3 As of Dec. 31, 2013.

Principal Financial Group
Terri Hale, 515-283-8858
hale.terri@principal.com
Hillary Gebert, 515-246-4942
gebert.hillary@principal.com