Research has revealed that African Americans are more likely to hold the majority of their money in savings and checking accounts and that they tend to be more conservative investors and generally start investing in the stock market later in life. This is attributed primarily to the lack of adequate and relevant information flow within the African American community. There is, however, a growing interest and demand within this community for high-quality financial information. Salomon Smith Barney developed this initiative to provide greater access to sophisticated financial information to the African American audience.

"The African American community today is an empowered market. However, our own experience has shown many have hesitated to invest due to skepticism or a lack of familiarity with the array of investment alternatives available," explained Roslyn Dickerson, Managing Director, Global Diversity, Salomon Smith Barney. "The Salomon Smith Barney initiative focuses on bringing our breadth of financial information, insights and expertise directly into the African American community. Our goal is to assist individuals in making informed financial decisions both today and in their future."

Hosted by Mr. James Tighe, Executive Vice President and Regional Director, Salomon Smith Barney, the Washington, D.C. symposium included remarks and discussions by:

• Anthony A. Williams, Mayor, Washington, D.C.
• Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Ph.D., Editor, Encarta Africana Encyclopedia; Director, W.E.B. Du Bois Institute, Harvard University
• James Haddon, Senior Managing Director, Municipal Finance, Salomon Smith Barney
• Mitchell Held, Managing Director, U.S. Economic Research, Salomon Smith Barney
• Gordon Bell, Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Citigroup Asset Management

The symposium was designed to incorporate financial goals with life goals, focusing on understanding the economy, asset management and investment opportunities within the financial markets - all critical factors for building wealth. Five critical steps to successful financial planning, highlighted below, were featured in the symposium. These steps, restated in the Firm's brochure that profiles the challenges individuals face in search of financial empowerment and security, include:

• Setting Financial Goals that Support Life Goals
• Evaluating Your Net Worth
• Creating a Cash Reserve
• Investing for the Long Term
• Wealth Preservation

A highlight of the seminar was the presentation of a gift from Salomon Smith Barney and the Citigroup Foundation -- the purchase of the Encarta Africana Encyclopedia for all of the public middle and high schools of Washington, D.C. Encarta Africana Encyclopedia, the first encyclopedic production of its kind in the world, covers the African Diaspora and chronicles the history of African, African American and African Caribbean people.

Salomon Smith Barney is committed to helping individuals navigate the challenges they face on their journey to financial empowerment and security. Those interested in more information on how to better plan for a secure financial future may request a free copy of the brochure, The Journey to Financial Empowerment: Acquiring, Building & Preserving Wealth, by contacting a local Salomon Smith Barney branch office.

Salomon Smith Barney is a global, full-service investment banking and securities brokerage firm. The firm's 12,127 financial consultants are located in more than 500 offices across the United States, and they service over 7.1 million client accounts, representing more than $1 trillion in client assets. Salomon Smith Barney is a subsidiary of Citigroup.

Citigroup's Global Corporate and Investment Bank brings together Citibank, the world's most global corporate bank, and Salomon Smith Barney, a leading global investment bank and securities brokerage firm. Together they provide complete financial solutions to corporations, governments, institutions and individuals in 100 countries. Award-winning businesses include corporate and investment banking services, investment advice, financial planning and commercial insurance products. Salomon Smith Barney's top ranked equity research analysts track nearly all the S&P industry groups and hundreds of mid-and small-cap stocks globally.

Salomon Smith Barney is a subsidiary of Citigroup. Citigroup (NYSE: C), the preeminent global financial services company, provides some 120 million consumers, corporations, governments and institutions in more than 100 countries with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, insurance, securities brokerage and asset management. Other major brand names under Citigroup's trademark red umbrella are Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, and Travelers. Additional information may be found at: www.citigroup.com.

SalomonSmithBarney is a service mark of Salomon Smith Barney Inc. Member SIPC.