NEW YORK, July 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Extending its leadership position in road racing and expanding its running sponsorship portfolio, ING announced today a multi-year sponsorship agreement with the Denver Marathon, the largest marathon in the state of Colorado, to be held Oct. 14, 2007.
Since 2003, when ING became the title sponsor of the ING New York City Marathon, the financial services leader has developed strategic partnerships with several elite long-distance running events in the United States including the ING Miami Marathon, ING Georgia Marathon and ING Bay to Breakers in San Francisco.
"As a leading financial service company ING sees the parallels between distance running and financial planning. It's about starting small, setting goals and staying committed for the long run," said Toby Hoden, chief marketing officer, ING US Financial Services. "We will take that same approach in Denver, which is not only one of the fittest cities in the nation and home to an elite marathon that we hope to enhance and grow, but it is an important employment market for ING."
To support its sponsorship, ING will launch a partnership with a Denver- based youth organization and establish its national ING Run for Something Better program in the Mile High city. The ING Run for Something Better program, which advocates a healthy, active lifestyle in the fight against childhood obesity, has successfully engaged thousands of children, parents and teachers in New York, Miami, Atlanta and San Francisco.
Denver residents can participate in the Run for Something Better campaign by donating $10 or more to the ING Run for Something Better charitable fund at http://www.denvermarathon.com/ or http://www.ingrunforsomethingbetter.com/. Each contributor will receive a special pair of orange shoelaces symbolizing their commitment to supporting youth running programs in Colorado. All proceeds will directly benefit youth running and school-based fitness education programs for children within the state of Colorado.
ING's partnership with the Denver Marathon also includes serving as the official sponsor of the ING Marathon Relay, a "race within the race" which features four-person relay teams competing in one of four divisions - men, women, mixed and corporate.
"As we strategically focus on sustainable growth for the Denver Marathon year after year and demonstrate our commitment to providing Denver and its running community with a lasting event we welcome the tremendous value, sponsorship experience and dedication to corporate social responsibility that ING brings to our event and the city," said Anton Villatoro, Executive Director of the Denver Marathon.
Press inquiries: ING US Financial Services
Dana E. Ripley, 770.980.4865 or 404.788.9624 (cell) or dana.ripley@us.ing.com
ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to more than 60 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of over 120,000 people, ING comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand.
In the U.S., the ING family of companies offer a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients which include life insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, direct banking, institutional investment management, annuities, employee benefits, financial planning, and reinsurance. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves over 14 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit www.ing.com
About Denver Marathon(TM)
The largest Marathon in the state of Colorado, the Denver Marathon is the premier distance running event in the Mile High City. Owned and operated by Run Denver, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Experience Sports, LLC, the Denver Marathon brings an unmatched urban running experience to the Colorado community. For more information or to register for the marathon, half- marathon, four-person ING Marathon Relay or the McDonald's Mile Kids Race, please visit www.denvermarathon.com.
ING U.S. Financial Services
CONTACT: Dana E. Ripley of ING US Financial Services, +1-770-980-4865,
cell, +1-404-788-9624, dana.ripley@us.ing.com
Web site: http://www.ing.com/us
http://www.denvermarathon.com/r/>http://www.ingrunforsomethingbetter.com/
