HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AIG VALIC, a national leading provider of retirement plan services to for-profit and not-for-profit education, healthcare and government organizations, today announced that Laurel S. Cochennet has been named Vice President and Director of Consulting Relations. In this newly created position, Cochennet will manage AIG VALIC's relationships with senior retirement plan consultants and represent the company with client groups where consultants play a critical role. Cochennet will report to Jay Wilkinson, Executive Vice President - Group Management Division.

In commenting on this announcement, Bruce R. Abrams, President and CEO of AIG VALIC and the VALIC Retirement Services Company, said "Laurel's extensive industry knowledge, consulting expertise, and impressive record of success provide AIG VALIC with valuable insight regarding the needs of plan sponsors and the retirement consulting community. We look forward to her contributions in strengthening our strategic relationships, retaining and attracting large groups, and positioning AIG VALIC as the group retirement plan provider of choice - a company that has successfully transformed itself from an asset accumulator to a full service retirement solutions provider."

Cochennet has more than 27 years of experience in the defined contribution and defined benefit consulting business - all with Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Inc. Her responsibilities included direct client consulting, corporate management, business development, large-scale project coordination and client relationship management. Prior to joining AIG VALIC, Cochennet was a Principal and senior retirement consultant with Mercer Human Resource Consulting. In this capacity, she consulted with corporate, not-for-profit and governmental clients on retirement plan issues with a focus on defined contribution plan design and plan management activities.

Previously, she served as Director of Marketing, Mercer Administration Center, with responsibility for marketing Mercer's benefit administration and outsourcing services. Cochennet also served as Midwest Region Defined Contribution Practice Leader for William M. Mercer, Inc, as well as a Managing Principal for the Kansas City office. Cochennet began her career as an Actuarial Analyst and assumed additional responsibilities as Assistant Actuary, Consulting Actuary, and was appointed Principal before being named Mercer's Kansas City Defined Contribution Practice Leader.

Cochennet earned her B.S. in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Nebraska. She also holds a Fellowship in the Society of Actuaries (FSA) designation. She is a member of the Society of Actuaries, the American Academy of Actuaries, the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, and the Heart of America Employee Benefits Association.

AIG VALIC is one of the leading retirement plan services providers in the United States. For more than half a century, it has specialized in providing retirement programs and related investment, recordkeeping and administrative services to a variety of employer types, including for-profit and not-for-profit elementary and secondary education institutions, hospitals and healthcare organizations, higher education institutions and governmental entities. VALIC serves 25,000 client groups and two million participants. AIG VALIC is the marketing name for the group of companies comprising VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc.; VALIC Retirement Services Company; and The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC); each of which is a subsidiary of American International Group, Inc.

American International Group, Inc. (AIG), world leaders in insurance and financial services, is the leading international insurance organization with operations in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions. AIG companies serve commercial, institutional and individual customers through the most extensive worldwide property-casualty and life insurance networks of any insurer. In addition, AIG companies are leading providers of retirement services, financial services and asset management around the world. AIG's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, as well as the stock exchanges in London, Paris, Switzerland and Tokyo.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: AIG VALIC