Lincoln National Corporation : Jan 4, 2012: Lincoln Financial Group Forms Research Team To Gain Deeper Insight Into Consumer Decision-Making

Lincoln Financial Group Forms Research Team To Gain Deeper Insight Into Consumer Decision-Making
Emily Pachuta leads newly created Consumer Insights group

Radnor, PA, January 4, 2011 - Lincoln Financial Group (NYSE:LNC) today announced the appointment of Emily Pachuta as Head of the Consumer Insights group within the Insurance Solutions/Retirement Solutions (IS/RS) division. Pachuta leads a newly created team of six professionals dedicated to building upon Lincoln's understanding of the end-consumer's decision-making process as it relates to their financial future. In this role, Pachuta reports directly to Kristen Phillips, Lincoln Financial's Head of IS/RS Marketing and Strategy.

The Consumer Insights team is charged with capturing quantitative and qualitative information about consumers that can better inform product design and distribution decisions across Lincoln's four core businesses of Annuities, Life Insurance, Group Protection, and Retirement Plan Services.

"Lincoln Financial recognizes the need and value of expanding our definition of the consumer to be more multi-dimensional - to include our end consumer," said Phillips. "Clearly understanding the behaviors and decisions of consumers will be valuable to our advisors and partners, as well as driving product positioning and innovation, which will help ensure Lincoln's solutions meet the emerging needs of current and future consumers."

"Industry studies and reports typically focus on why consumers don't adopt solutions," said Pachuta. "Lincoln takes a different approach, focusing on why people do adopt solutions. Basically, 90% of decision-making is irrational and subconscious, so a deeper understanding of decision-making drivers will help us, as well as financial advisors, better understand the actions that will improve one's financial life."

Pachuta joined Lincoln in September of 2007 where she has held several positions including Retirement Income Marketing Director and Vice President and Head of Strategic and Product Marketing. Prior to Lincoln, she was Director of Field Marketing at Merrill Lynch's Global Private Client Group. Pachuta received her B.A. from Yale University and earned an MFA from New York University.

Lincoln also announced today that Daniel P. Gangemi has joined the Consumer Insights team, reporting to Pachuta, as a Director focusing on the Retirement Plan Services business. Gangemi will work closely with the Lincoln Retirement Plan Services team to deepen Lincoln's understanding of retirement plan participants, plan sponsors, retirement-focused intermediaries, and the broad retirement plan marketplace. He will also have responsibility for generating insights on exploratory consumer segments, including Mass Market, Mass Affluent, and Gen X & Y.

Gangemi has a considerable background in both market research and the retirement plan market having held leadership positions at Prudential Investments, OppenheimerFunds, and AllianceBernstein. Gangemi has a B.A. and M.A. in English from the City University of New York.

About Lincoln Financial Group
Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC) and its affiliates. With headquarters in the Philadelphia region, the companies of Lincoln Financial Group had assets under management of $153 billion as of September 30, 2011. Through its affiliated companies, Lincoln Financial Group offers: annuities; life, group life, disability and dental insurance; 401(k) and 403(b) plans; savings plans; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services. For more information, including a copy of our most recent SEC reports containing our balance sheets, please visit www.LincolnFinancial.com.