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ING And New York Road Runners Announce
A New Beginning: The ING New York City Marathon
NEW YORK, June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ING and New York Road Runners
today announced the first-ever title sponsorship of the world's most
celebrated road race, the New York City Marathon, which will now be known
as the ING New York City Marathon.
Shaun Mathews, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for
ING's US Financial Services, and Allan Steinfeld, president and CEO of New
York Road Runners, made the announcement about the multiyear agreement at
the ING New York City Marathon lottery ceremony at Rockefeller Center.
A key cornerstone of the ING sponsorship is the "ING Run for Something
Better" program. ING, over the course of three years, plans to contribute
more than $1 million to the program, including significant contributions to
advance running and fitness programs locally and internationally.
This year, the program will feature four elite international female
athletes running not only to win the race but also to raise money for
pre-selected programs in their hometowns and New York City. ING, with New
York Road Runners, will donate funds on the athletes' behalf to the
community projects or facilities.
"ING is thrilled to embark on this new relationship with the New York City
Marathon," said Mathews. "In collaboration with New York Road Runners, we
plan to bring fresh ideas to the race, enhance the experience for the
runners and spectators, and also to make a difference in the New York
community."
The New York City Marathon annually attracts more than 30,000 participants,
more than two million spectators, and a global television audience of more
than 250 million viewers. The 34th running is on Sunday, November 2, 2003.
"We are very excited that New York Road Runners and ING have entered into
this unprecedented agreement," said Steinfeld. "ING shares our commitment
to excellence, the community, and the sport of running."
The ING Run for Something Better program was created to support New York
Road Runners' core mission - to promote health and fitness in the local and
international running communities. In addition, the program is a reflection
of ING's desire to support and enhance the sport of running in a manner
that makes a difference to all constituencies.
New York Road Runners has a history of global leadership in health and
fitness, producing more than 100 events annually, along with classes,
clinics, and educational communication materials for runners. In turn, ING
has a history of global leadership in bringing fresh ideas and a passion
for giving to communities around the world.
About New York Road Runners
Founded in 1958 with a membership of 47, New York Road Runners (NYRR) is
one of the world's foremost running organizations. NYRR is a not-for-profit
organization dedicated to promoting the sport of running and walking for
health, recreation, and competition, and provides full professional
services related to all aspects of racing, including course certification,
computer scoring, and event promotion. The organization has a full-time
staff of more than 60 employees, supplemented by a network of thousands of
volunteers, serving more than 39,000 members from every U.S. state and more
than 100 countries.
About ING
ING Groep N.V. (NYSE:ING) is one of the largest financial services
companies in the world -- and is a leading provider in global and U.S.
markets. In the U.S., ING's operations include a variety of businesses
offering a comprehensive array of products and services to retail and
institutional clients -- including retirement programs; annuities; life
insurance; employee benefits; mutual funds; financial planning;
reinsurance; investment management and direct banking across the country.
ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves over 14 million
customers across the nation. All of ING's business operations in the U.S.
are part of the parent company, ING Groep N.V., which offers banking,
insurance and asset management to over 50 million private, corporate and
institutional clients through operations in 65 countries. (www.ING.com)
Source: ING Groep N.V.
Web site: http://www.ing.com
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