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Sentinel Investments and Citizens Advisers Reach Acquisition Agreement
Vermont firm adds Socially Responsible mutual funds to product line
(November 13, 2007) Montpelier, VT and Portsmouth, NH - Sentinel
Investments, the investment management arm of Vermont-based National Life Group, and Citizens Advisers,
Inc., ("Citizens") the investment adviser to Citizens Funds, today announced that they have reached an
agreement for Sentinel to acquire substantially all of Citizens' socially responsible mutual fund
advisory business, subject to the approval of Citizens Funds' shareholders.
The transaction proposes each of Citzens' eight funds-with more than $800
million in assets under management-be reorganized into new or existing Sentinel funds. In
connection with the proposed reorganizations, Sentinel Investments will launch two new SRI
funds-Sentinel Responsible Investing (SRI) Core Opportunities Fund, a large-cap offering,
and Sentinel Responsible Investing (SRI) Emerging Companies Fund, which will focus on mid-cap
growth stocks. The new funds will adopt Citizens' social screening process and proxy voting
guidelines.
"We are very pleased that Citizens selected Sentinel Investments," said
Christian Thwaites, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sentinel Asset Management, Inc.
"Citizens is known for its leadership in and commitment to socially responsible investing and
we see this acquisition as a good fit and a natural extension of our corporate growth strategy."
Thwaites added, "We look forward to the opportunity to provide Citizens Funds shareholders with
Sentinel's investment management expertise and to offering Sentinel shareholders access to new
fund offerings focused on sustainable investing."
"My partners and I chose Sentinel because we believe it is a highly
ethical firm with a disciplined investment process, a strong management team and a keen
interest in serving the investment needs of socially responsible investors," said Sophia
Collier, President and CEO of Citizens Advisers, Inc. and portfolio manager. "We are confident
Sentinel Investments is the right organization to carry on our work in socially responsible
investing," added Collier.
The transaction between Sentinel and Citizens seeks to provide investors
with improved economies of scale and enhanced service capabilities. It is scheduled to occur
in the first quarter of 2008, pending Citizens Funds shareholder approval.
About Sentinel Investments
Sentinel Investments is a member of National Life Group and manages approximately $18 billion
in mutual funds and institutional accounts. Sentinel Funds has a history that dates back nearly
75 years when its flagship fund-Sentinel Common Stock Fund-was launched. Sentinel Investments
offers the Sentinel family of mutual funds, as well as retirement plan solutions and institutional
investment management. The company is headquartered in Montpelier, VT, with offices in New York,
Philadelphia and San Francisco. Sentinel Investments is the unifying brand name for Sentinel Asset
Management, Inc., Sentinel Financial Services Company and Sentinel Administrative Services, Inc.
About Citizens Advisers, Inc.
Citizens Advisers, Inc., located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is the investment adviser to Citizens
Funds and owner of mutual fund distribution company Citizens Securities, Inc. Citizens Funds has been
a leader in serving the socially responsible needs of retail investors and institutional clients
since 1982. For more than two decades, Citizens has focused on investing in companies that are
fundamentally strong and socially responsible to meet the financial goals of our shareholders.
For more complete information about Citizens Funds, please call 1.800.223.7010.
For more complete information about Sentinel Funds, please call 1.800.282.FUND or visit us online
at www.sentinelinvestments.com.
For Sentinel:
Bruce Hoffmann 802.229.3910
bhoffmann@sentinelinvestments.com
For Citizens:
Joanne Dowdell 603.436.1513 ext. 3659
jdowdell@citizensfunds.com
Consider a fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully
before you invest. Information about these and other important subjects is in the funds' prospectuses,
which you should read carefully before investing.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Mutual funds are subject to
risks and fluctuate in value. Citizens Securities, Inc. is the distributor of Citizens Funds. Sentinel
Financial Services Company is the distributor of Sentinel Funds.
This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements include, among others, statements regarding Sentinel's expectation that the transaction
will take place in the first quarter of 2008. Any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees
of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially
from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. We believe these forward-looking
statements are reasonable; however, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking
statements, which are based on current expectations. We do not assume any obligation to update
any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Please note that this is not intended to be a solicitation for proxy. The
Sentinel Funds will file a related Proxy Statement/Prospectus with the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC"). All shareholders are advised to read the Proxy Statement/Prospectus in its
entirety when it becomes available, because it will contain important information regarding the
proposed reorganizations and related matters, the person soliciting proxies in connection with the
proposals and the interests of these persons in the proposals. The Proxy Statement/Prospectus will
be mailed to record date shareholders after it is effective. Shareholders may obtain a free copy of
the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC at the SEC's website at
www.sec.gov. In addition to the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, the Citizens Funds and Sentinel
Funds file annual, quarterly and special reports and other information with the SEC. You may
read and copy such filings at the SEC's Public Reference Rooms at 100 F. Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549 and at the SEC's regional offices in New York at 233 Broadway, New York,
New York 10279 and in Chicago at 175 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 900, Chicago, Illinois 60604.
These SEC filings are also available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
The Citizens Funds' Trustees are expected to solicit proxies from the Citizens Funds shareholders in
favor of the proposals. Any direct or indirect interest of the participants in the solicitation will
be described in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
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