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During the transition there will be a period of time (Blackout Period) when you will not be able to perform financial transactions, such as changing your investment options. The transition period is expected to begin on October 8, 2008, at 4 p.m. Central Time (ET) and end during the week of October 26, 2008. Watch your mail for important information regarding the transition; you will have  ample opportunity to change your investment selection(s) to best meet your individual objectives, prior to the Blackout Period.

Transitioning your account

As part of the transition, your balances will be automatically transferred to new investment options that are similar to your current investments. One significant change will be the transfer of all Core Blend Fund assets to the new default investment option, the Target Retirement Date Funds. You will be mapped to a Target Retirement Date Fund based on your date of birth and an assumed retirement at age 65. Because the Plan cannot tell which of you are in the Core Blend by choice as opposed to by default, all Core Blend assets will be transferred to the Target Retirement Date Funds. Each Target Retirement Date Fund consists of a strategic mix of stocks, bonds and cash designed to provide an appropriate risk and return profile based on your date of birth and an assumed retirement at age 65. These funds are different than the Core Blend option because they are designed to be more aggressive at younger ages and more conservative at older ages.

Those of you with many years to retirement may experience more market volatility than you are accustomed to with the Core Blend. If you are closer to age 65 (or are already age 65) you may find that the Target Retirement Date Fund is more conservative than the Core Blend. The new Target Retirement Date Funds are invested in a higher percentage of stocks at younger ages and a lower percentage as you get closer to age 65 and beyond. In addition, the mix between stocks and bonds will automatically become more conservative over time. The new Target Retirement Date Funds are convenient for people who prefer to not take an active role in managing their retirement savings, but they are different than the Core Blend Investment Option and should be reviewed to see if they are appropriate to meet your individual risk and return objectives.

If you decide that the Target Retirement Date Funds are not right for you, you have the option of selecting any of the other twenty-one funds that will be offered in the Plan. For example, if you are interested in a static balanced fund, more similar to the Core Blend, you may want to consider the Goldman Sachs Growth & Income Strategy Fund. Those of you who selected the Core Blend investment option rather than being placed in it by default may wish to consider the Goldman Sachs Growth & Income Strategy Fund as an alternative to the Target Retirement Date Funds.