Seventh and Largest U.S. ING DIRECT Cafe to Open in Hawai'i

2008-11-10 08:43:00 -

- ING DIRECT Cathy MacFarlane, 302-255-3577 cmacfarlane@ingdirect.com ING DIRECT, the nation's largest direct bank, announced today the weekend opening of its seventh ING DIRECT Cafe in Honolulu, Hawai'i. The ING DIRECT Cafe will officially open its doors to Island residents on Sunday, November 9 at 4:00 p.m.

Located at 1958 Kalakaua Avenue, the ING DIRECT Cafe will offer the community a gathering place to speak with a associates knowledgeable about ING DIRECT's financial products, surf the Internet, electronically open an ING DIRECT high-interest checking or savings account, as well as enjoy local pastries and Lion's coffee.

The new Honolulu ING DIRECT Cafe will also serve as Oahu's newest meeting place for nonprofits and local groups to convene and host events. The ING DIRECT Cafe features more than 9,500 sq. ft. of space with a conference room, broadcast studio, and terminals for Internet access. Additionally, the Cafe will provide free financial seminars to the public on topics ranging from raising financially fit children to neighborhood economic summits.

"We're all facing tough economic times, but being responsible about saving and spending are key to each person's economic well being," said ING DIRECT's CEO and Founder, Arkadi Kuhlmann. "At ING DIRECT, we reward customers for adopting prudent financial habits through high-interest savings and checking accounts, as well as suitable and affordable mortgages. We are delighted to be here in the Islands sharing our vision of helping Americans save their money through our simplified financial products."

Hawai'i residents are invited to attend the grand opening on November 9, which will host events and seminars throughout the day including a meet and greet with CEO Arkadi Kuhlmann.

ING DIRECT has been operating globally since 1996, spreading their message about the importance of saving. The bank has over 20 million customers worldwide, 25,000 of them are in Hawai'i.

ING DIRECT Cafes are also located in New York, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL; Philadelphia, PA; St. Cloud, MN; and Wilmington, DE.

About ING DIRECT

ING DIRECT, the nation's largest direct bank and now the largest thrift, is dedicated to inspiring Americans to become a nation of savers. Since its inception in 2000, more than 7.3 million Americans have entrusted their savings with ING DIRECT, building the bank to $78 billion in assets. For more information on ING DIRECT, or to learn more about the bank's high-value products, including the Orange Savings Account and the Orange Mortgage, visit www.ingdirect.com or call 1-800-ING DIRECT.

Style note to Editors: ING DIRECT is always capitalized and never referred to as ING.

Cafe to Serve as Gathering Place for Nonprofits and Local Groups
and Offer Local Fare, Free Internet Service and Simple Financial
Products to Public