SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- MassMutual Retirement Services Division has added two new consultants to support its increasing nonprofit business. Nonprofit activity has more than tripled in 2008 compared to last year.

Dan Darby joined MassMutual on December 1 as nonprofit market specialist for the Western region. He reports to M. Palmer Whitney, national managing director, nonprofit market, for MassMutual's Retirement Services Division, who will continue to cover the Eastern region and oversee the nonprofit segment. Mr. Darby has more than 13 years of experience in the retirement services business. He joins MassMutual from Morgan Stanley where he most recently served as a retirement plan consultant. He previously held institutional representative positions with Fidelity Investments and Principal Financial Group.

Aston Blake was appointed nonprofit sales consultant effective September 15. In this newly-created role, Mr. Blake supports MassMutual's sales representatives and their respective sales consultants in developing nonprofit market opportunities. Mr. Blake joined MassMutual in 2007 from CIGNA where he spent 13 years in the company's defined contribution and investment services areas. He also spent five years with Principal Financial Group. Mr. Blake brings a wealth of defined contribution and investment services experience to MassMutual's nonprofit support team.

"With new regulations placing even more oversight responsibility on 403(b) plan sponsors, we are building out our nonprofit support team to deliver even more responsive service to the advisors who serve the nonprofit market," says Hugh O'Toole, senior vice president and head of national sales and distribution for MassMutual's Retirement Services Division.

"MassMutual has invested significantly in the nonprofit market with a suite of new tools and resources including a guide to help advisors tap the deep resources and intellectual capital available here. The nonprofit market is a core focus for MassMutual and we look forward to helping advisors and TPAs maximize nonprofit opportunities," adds Whitney.

For more information about MassMutual's retirement services for the nonprofit market, please contact your retirement plan advisor or call MassMutual at (888) 626-4911.

About MassMutual

MassMutual's Retirement Services Division has been serving retirement plans for more than 60 years. It offers a full range of products and services for corporate, union, nonprofit and governmental employers' defined benefit, defined contribution and nonqualified deferred compensation plans. It serves approximately one million participants.

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual and its subsidiaries had more than $500 billion in assets under management at year-end 2007. Assets under management include assets and certain external investment funds managed by MassMutual's subsidiaries.

Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a mutually owned financial protection, accumulation and income management company headquartered in Springfield, Mass. MassMutual's major affiliates include: OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC (www.finra.org and www.sipc.org); MassMutual International LLC and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB. MassMutual is on the Internet at www.massmutual.com.

Securities offered through registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc., a MassMutual subsidiary. MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC (www.finra.org and www.sipc.org).

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

SOURCE MassMutual Retirement Services Division