GlobalBridge Inc. Working With Mercer Investment Consulting Inc. to Offer Proprietary New Program for Trust Banks

GlobalEdge Helps Trust Banks Gain a Competitive Edge in Attracting, Retaining Institutional Assets

MINNEAPOLIS, MN --GlobalBridge Inc., a leading nationwide provider of open architecture separately managed account services for trust banks, today announced that it had completed an agreement with Mercer Investment Consulting Inc., a major global provider of investment consulting services to fiduciaries of pension funds, foundations and endowments, for investment research and consulting. Under the terms of the agreement, Mercer IC will work with GlobalBridge to offer GlobalEdge, a new GlobalBridge program for trust banks that seek to effectively compete in the institutional market.

Kelly Coughlin, GlobalBridge chairman and chief executive officer, said, "During the past 10 years, banks' market share of financial assets has been cut in half, while brokers and other financial advisors have enjoyed a growing market share. This situation is due in large part to banks' sole reliance on only two of the four essential 'Ps' in the marketing arsenal -- 'Price' and 'Place.'" He continued, "With GlobalBridge's open architecture SMA, bank trust advisors get the 'Product' they need to compete. GlobalEdge, gives them the final 'P' -- enhanced 'Promotion' -- the most critical tool in successful competition. GlobalEdge is designed to help trust banks leverage their local community presence, wealth management expertise and pricing advantage to attract and win -- institutional clients."

Coughlin concluded, "In tandem with GlobalBridge's open architecture SMA program and Mercer IC's institutional consulting expertise, GlobalEdge will significantly enhance these banks' ability to effectively compete for major institutional relationships and emerge as winners."

Rich Nuzum, president of Mercer IC, said, "Mercer IC has substantial intellectual capital related to strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and other aspects of investment advice, including extensive research and forward-looking ratings on institutional investment products," he added. "By gaining access to this intellectual capital through our relationship with GlobalBridge, we believe that trust banks will be better equipped to add value for their clients and compete in the institutional playing field. We look forward to playing a major role in bringing this about." Nuzum concluded, "We believe GlobalBridge has created an excellent program and Mercer IC is excited to be a part of their team -- one we hope will give trust banks a 'global edge' over their competition."

GlobalEdge helps banks reverse institutional asset erosion and win business

GlobalEdge will interact directly with leading institutional managers, institutional consultants, and, most importantly, institutional clients -- to better understand their RFP criteria, including how trusted advisors and managers are reviewed and selected. Through the GlobalEdge program, GlobalBridge will play a pivotal role in helping bank advisors source and identify RFP opportunities, and along with Mercer IC, will educate them in the art of RFP response and presentation skills. Bank advisors will also gain product expertise on multi-manager investment and asset/liability solutions.

"From the bank's standpoint," Coughlin said, "The end result is a group of highly competent institutional advisors who have learned and put to use, best practices from buyers and sellers of services. Everyone involved wins -- especially institutional clients, who gain access to top quality advice and consulting from their local trust bank."

Mark Bucciere, senior vice president, Citizens Bank Wealth Management, based in Flint, Mich., said, "Since we've been working with GlobalBridge and utilizing its SMA program, we've increased our market share of high net worth and institutional business. We're anticipating even more success with the advent of GlobalEdge."

Alan Teraji, senior executive vice president, First American Bank based in Chicago area, said, "We are very comfortable competing for institutional assets on the product side because we have adopted an open-architecture platform with GlobalBridge. The institutional area is one where we would like to grow, and we are looking to GlobalEdge to help us get there by fully developing our promotion capabilities."

GlobalBridge plans to limit GlobalEdge participation to 85 banks that have adopted a wealth management consultative culture and that focus on the middle market institutional space. It currently works with 45 such banks throughout the United States and expects to add another 40 organizations in 2006 and 2007.

Mercer Investment Consulting is a leading global provider of investment consulting services, and offers customized guidance at every phase of the investment decision, risk management, and investment monitoring process. It has been dedicated to meeting the needs of clients for more than 30 years, and works with the fiduciaries of pension funds, foundations, endowments, and other investors in some 35 countries. For more information visit www.merceric.com.

GlobalBridge, based in Minneapolis, Minn., offers SMA programs to trust banks and advisors for individual and institutional investors nationwide. The GlobalBridge Open Custody SMA(SM) is the only program that offers complete open architecture in trust accounting systems, custodial relationships, investment vehicles, trading, and investment manager selection. For more information visit www.globalbridge.com.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.