SPRINGFIELD, Mass., July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) announced today that Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Elaine A. Sarsynski has been named head of MassMutual International. The appointment is effective immediately.

Ms. Sarsynski will have overall management responsibility for MassMutual International, a group of MassMutual subsidiaries that offer life insurance, health and accident insurance, annuity and pension products and asset management products through a network of nearly 15,000 full- and part-time representatives in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Luxembourg and Chile. MassMutual International has nearly two million clients as of December 31, 2005.

Elroy Chan, who had been serving as head of MassMutual International, will continue in his role as managing director and CEO of MassMutual Asia Ltd. In addition, he will also serve as special advisor to MassMutual president and CEO Stuart H. Reese on a wide range of strategic business issues in Asia. "MassMutual's international presence has grown significantly in recent years, and Asia will continue to play a key role in our long-term strategy," Mr. Reese said.

Ms. Sarsynski will retain her responsibilities as chief administrative officer at MassMutual, a role in which she has oversight of several corporate functions, including Corporate Services, Corporate Human Resources, Corporate Communications and Community Relations. She is also responsible for MassMutual's Strategy Implementation Office, which oversees and facilitates the company's overall strategy.

"Elaine's long track record of success in the investment and finance arenas, as well as her expertise in effectively managing large, complex organizations, makes her the ideal person to ensure a more complete integration of these important businesses into the MassMutual family," commented Mr. Reese.

While Ms. Sarsynski will now be responsible for international insurance operations, MassMutual Chief Investment Officer Roger Crandall will continue to oversee MassMutual's investment subsidiaries abroad, including Baring Asset Management Limited and Babson Capital Europe Limited in London.

Ms. Sarsynski, 50, joined MassMutual in September 2005 as senior vice president and chief administrative officer. Prior to joining the company, she was managing director of Babson Capital Management LLC, a MassMutual subsidiary, serving as portfolio management group head.

Ms. Sarsynski has extensive experience effectively managing large organizations in both the corporate and municipal sectors, leading the Corporate Finance Department, Real Estate Investment and Mortgage Finance operations for Aetna Life and Casualty, and then serving as Chief Executive Officer for Suffield Township in Suffield, Conn. At Aetna Life and Casualty, where she worked from 1981 to 1998, Ms. Sarsynski was responsible for portfolio management, general corporate investments, real estate investments and corporate finance. As CEO of Suffield Township, she managed all aspects of a 14,000 resident community, including budget, staff, capital projects, and infrastructure maintenance and security.

MassMutual Financial Group is the fleet name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliates, with more than 13 million clients and over $395 billion in assets under management at year-end 2005.

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; MML Investors Services, Inc., MassMutual International, Inc. and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB. MassMutual is on the Internet at http://www.massmutual.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jim Lacey
413-744-2365

_______________________________________________________________

Source: MassMutual Financial Group

Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2006 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.