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DST Vision Announces Powerful New Features

Asset Summary across all funds and variable annuities now available

KANSAS CITY, MO., MAY 14, 2003 – DST Vision™, the leading Web-based account management tool for financial intermediaries, announces the addition of several new features that are making a dramatic impact on financial advisors’ businesses. The new features, including a real-time asset summary, a recent transactions overview, and data export capabilities, are in direct response to advisor feedback. A dedicated development team collaborated with advisors, soliciting their comments regarding industry trends and their changing needs. This close interaction resulted in features that truly bring new power and efficiency to an advisor’s practice.

Among the most significant enhancements to the site is the addition of a real-time asset summary, available immediately upon signing in to Vision®. This time-saving feature provides a pie-chart representation of the advisor’s book-of-business totals across all mutual funds and variable annuities. A listing of mutual fund and annuity company asset totals is also presented, reflecting the percentage change in value from the previous business day. This information can easily be printed in an HTML or PDF report.

“To be able to see all my assets in one spot probably saves me an hour each day,” said James Larson of Northeast Securities, Minneapolis, MN. “Managing my clients has become a much simpler, faster process.”

A recent transactions overview enables advisors to quickly review a summary of all of their mutual fund transactions for the previous business day or for up to five business days. Numerous search and filter options allow for quick access to specific transaction information. Advisors can also see breaking business news and market information and access sales and product research tools. The new features are presented in a “dashboard” design, which displays dynamic, critical, consolidated information at a glance, giving advisors the resources they need instantly.

Launched in 1998, Vision is the pioneer in Web-based account management for financial intermediaries, and remains the market leader by consistently delivering vital functionality. DST Vision aggregates information from more than 70 percent of third-party-distributed mutual funds and over half of the leading variable annuity providers.

“DST Vision continues to set the pace for delivering tools and technologies to the advisor community,” said Tyler Derr, vice president of OppenheimerFunds, Inc. “The responsiveness of the Vision team to the needs and requests of advisors illustrates a commitment to its clients and solidifies its leadership position in the industry.”

“We took the suggestions and requests of the advisor community seriously, and addressed their needs through these major initiatives,” said Kyle Mallot, DST Client Services Officer responsible for the Vision Web site. “We consistently strive to deliver what intermediaries want. The development effort that has gone into these new features stands as a solid example of the commitment to supporting the advisor community by DST Vision and its more than 260 participating management companies.”

The launch of these new features follows on the heels of another significant enhancement. E-mail alerts provide advisors automated transaction confirmations of the previous day’s activity through a single, consolidated, daily e-mail message.

Introduced in 1998, DST Vision™ is designed to give independent advisors an easy-to-use, one-stop information source for customer positions held directly with fund families and variable annuity providers. With a single ID and password, advisors have access to account management tools including transaction processing capabilities, customizable client portfolios, and electronic statements. Vision® is an open platform providing access to more than 93 million accounts residing on multiple recordkeeping systems. Participating funds include industry giants AllianceBernstein, AIM Investments, American Funds, MFS Investment Management, Nationwide Financial, OppenheimerFunds, Inc., and Pacific Life. Vision is continually enhanced to simplify account management and serve the evolving needs of financial intermediaries. Visit Vision at www.dstvision.com.

DST Systems, Inc. provides sophisticated information processing and computer software services and products that help clients improve productivity, increase efficiencies, and provide higher levels of customer service. DST is organized domestically and internationally into three operating segments: Financial Services, Customer Management, and Output Solutions. DST operates one of the most advanced data centers in the world, which provides information-processing services to support the products within each operating segment. These products are further enhanced through the integration of DST’s advanced technology and e-commerce solutions.

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