2008 Lipper Fund Awards Recognize Nine Investment Strategies Represented in MassMutual's Smart Architecture(SM) Investment Program

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The Retirement Services Division of MassMutual Financial Group announced today that nine mutual funds whose investment strategies are represented in the company's Smart Architecture(SM) investment program received recognition from Lipper for delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to peers. Lipper, a Reuters company, is a global leader in supplying mutual fund information, analytical tools, and commentary.

The Lipper Fund Awards 2008 is part of a global program of events, held in 21 countries in Asia, Europe and the United States. The winners are selected using the Lipper Leader rating for consistent return for funds with at least 36 months of performance history as of the end of the evaluation year. The award-winning funds are chosen from over 98,000 funds and 177,000 share classes. Awards are presented for the highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return within each eligible classification over 3, 5 or 10 years.

Following are the 2008 Lipper Leaders by classification whose underlying investment strategy is represented in MassMutual's Smart Architecture Investment Program.

          Lipper Classification                Fund Name (Share Class)

    Intermediate Investment Grade Debt   PIMCO Total Return (Institutional)
    Global Multi-Cap Value               Mutual Discovery (Z share)
    Mid-Cap Value                        Columbia Mid Cap Value (Z share)
    Corporate Debt A Rated               Calvert Social Investment Bond
                                          (I share)
    Mixed-Asset Target 2020              T. Rowe Price Retirement 2020
    Small-Cap Value                      Allianz NFJ Small-Cap Value
                                          (Institutional)
    Mixed-Asset Target 2030              T. Rowe Price Retirement 2030
    Mixed-Asset Target 2010              T. Rowe Price Retirement 2010
    International Income                 Oppenheimer International Bond
                                          (Y share)

"Recognition by the Lipper Fund Awards is a testament to the underlying investment strategies of these funds, and to the investment selection, screening and monitoring process here at MassMutual," states Elaine Sarsynski, executive vice president of MassMutual's Retirement Services Division and chairman, president and CEO of MassMutual International LLC.

For more information regarding MassMutual's Smart Architecture investment program, please contact your MassMutual Retirement Services representative or call (877) 474-5496.

    Contact: Lisa Reilly
    413-744-0589
    lreilly@massmutual.com