Press Releases  |  Events

DST Vision™ Adds Four Management Companies

New additions join the ranks of 260+ management companies available on Vision^®

March 9, 2004

KANSAS CITY, Mo. March 9, 2004 – DST Vision ä , the leading account management Web site for financial intermediaries, has expanded its content with the addition of two mutual fund families and two variable annuity companies.

Customer account information for Security Funds and Mercantile Dow Jones Funds are now available to independent advisors and broker/dealers through Vision ® (www.dstvision.com). Variable annuity companies Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC) and Security Benefit also were recently added to Vision.

By participating in Vision, these companies reduce demands on their own customer service resources while providing comprehensive and consolidated information to financial intermediaries. With customer account information from more than 260 mutual fund and variable annuity companies, Vision is the most complete online resource of its kind available for independent advisors and broker/dealers to manage their business.

With Vision, advisors can view aggregate book-of-business assets; group individual accounts into customized client portfolios and households; and check prices, breakpoint schedules, transaction histories and all account details. Accessing shareholder statements and executing a variety of transactions such as purchases, redemptions and exchanges also are available through Vision.

“As Vision's content has become more extensive, it has become clear to us that Vision is the account management tool of choice for financial intermediaries,” said Bruce Long, president of GIAC. “It was a logical decision to make our account information available through DST Vision.”

“Vision provides advisors and broker/dealers the information they need to meet their clients' demands,” said Kyle Mallot, DST client services officer in charge of Vision. “With the addition of each new management company, Vision becomes a more valuable resource for the financial advisor community.”

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 access to electronic statements. A majority of third-party-distributed mutual funds, representing more than 93 million accounts , and over half of the leading variable annuity providers participate in Vision â , including industry giants AllianceBernstein, A I M 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.

* * * *

The information and comments above may include forward-looking statements respecting DST and its businesses. Such information and comments are based on DST's views as of today, and actual results could differ. There could be a number of factors affecting future results, including those set forth in Form 8-K/A dated March 17, 2003 filed by DST with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such factors should be considered in evaluating any forward-looking comment. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements in this press release to reflect future events.