First Mercantile Receives Independent Third-Party Certification

Certificate of Due Diligence issued by Mesirow Financial

MEMPHIS, Tenn.June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Upon completing a rigorous evaluation of
its investment manager selection process employed on the sub-advisory and
retail platforms, First Mercantile has received a Certificate of Due Diligence
from Mesirow Financial, Chicago, IL.

The formal certification reads, in part, "Mesirow Financial Investment
Strategies Group ('Mesirow Financial'), a division of Mesirow Financial
Investment Management, Inc., has performed thorough due diligence on the
screening and monitoring processes used by First Mercantile." With respect to
the Preferred Trust, and subject to certain disclaimers, Mesirow Financial
certifies the following:

-- The processes and procedures adopted by First Mercantile in screening
and monitoring the investment options available under its Preferred
Trust product are disciplined and consistent with investment industry
standards.
-- The investment screening and monitoring methodology and criteria used
by
First Mercantile in screening and monitoring the investment options
included in its Preferred Trust product are diligent and consistent
with
investment industry standards.
-- The processes and procedures established, and the methodology and
criteria used, by First Mercantile in screening the investment options
included in its Preferred Trust product are consistent with the
fiduciary standard of prudence set forth in Section 404(a)(1)(B) of
ERISA.
-- The investment strategies represented by the investment options in the
Preferred Trust product provide a suitable basis for constructing well
diversified portfolios for retirement.
-- For any plan with participant-directed investments that have elected
to
comply with Section 404(c) of ERISA, the investment options included
in
the Program offer a "broad range of investment alternatives."
-- For any plan with participant-directed investments that adopts the
plan's default investment option, a designated balanced fund or
target retirement date fund, the default investment option meets the
requirement of a "qualified default investment alternative" or
"QDIA" as defined in the Department of Labor's final QDIA
regulations.

The Investment Strategies Group at Mesirow Financial performed an evaluation
to certify that First Mercantile's investment identification, screening and
monitoring processes are consistent with ERISA standards of fiduciary
prudence, and that the investments on First Mercantile's platform are suitable
for individuals investing for retirement. Mesirow Financial's evaluation
focused on First Mercantile's process, which uses quantitative and qualitative
factors including investment performance, style consistency, manager tenure,
investment philosophy, and expenses.

According to Ian Sheridan, President of First Mercantile, "We are already
seeing strong interest in First Mercantile among retirement plan investment
professionals and plan sponsors. Plan sponsors recognize that there's no
substitute for the expertise a retirement plan investment professional
delivers on their behalf. However, the knowledge that this level of due
diligence has been applied to First Mercantile's investment lineup is very
reassuring."

ERISA requires that fiduciaries, whether they are plan sponsors or advisors,
engage in a prudent process to develop a lineup of investments and related
services that is appropriate to their retirement plan participants. "Our
independent evaluation of First Mercantile's investment selection process
offers advisors, plan sponsors and plan participants added assurance that
First Mercantile's investment selection process is sound," says Mike Annin,
Managing Director, Mesirow Financial's Investment Strategies Group.

A copy of the certificate is available for publication. For more information
about First Mercantile, please call 800-753-3682 or visit www.firstmerc.com.

About First Mercantile
First Mercantile Trust (FMT), a collective investment trust (CIT)
recordkeeper, offers investment solutions for qualified retirement plans.
Employing a rigorous due diligence process, FMT searches the investment
universe to select non-proprietary investment options. CITs are sub-advised by
institutional money managers or invest in mutual funds or ETFs. Also included
on the investment platform are DFA Funds, Lifestyle and Target Date options.
The Advisor Review Committee of FMT oversees the entire due diligence process
which includes qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Investment products are distributed through solid relationships with quality
investment professionals and third party administrators. FMT offers full fee
disclosure and transparency with a flexible and competitive cost structure.
Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., FMT has a national network of seasoned,
knowledgeable professionals to provide superior client service, customer care
and support.

About Mesirow Financial
Mesirow Financial is a diversified financial services firm headquartered in
Chicago. Founded in 1937, it is an independent, employee-owned firm with
nearly $31.4 billion in assets under management and more than 1,100 employees
in locations across the country and in London. With expertise in Investment
Management, Investment Services, Insurance Services, Investment Banking,
Consulting and Real Estate, Mesirow Financial strives to meet the financial
needs of institutions, public sector entities, corporations and individuals.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, the firm posted $490 million in
revenue, with more than $246 million in capital. Other Mesirow Financial
affiliates may receive fees for selling or advising on the purchase or sale of
products mentioned herein. Additionally, Mesirow Financial affiliates may also
receive fees paid by manufacturers or distributors of said products in
connection to other professional services provided by the applicable Mesirow
Financial affiliate. The sale or advice provided is in no way related or
contingent upon the payment received for these other services. The Mesirow
Financial Investment Strategies Group is a division of Mesirow Financial
Investment Management Inc., an SEC registered Investment Advisor. For more
information about Mesirow Financial, visit its Web site at
www.mesirowfinancial.com. For more information, contact: Julie Liedtke,
Mesirow Financial, 312.595.7902.

Contact: Patrice Saddler
901-753-9080
psaddler@firstmerc.com

SOURCE First Mercantile Trust

Patrice Saddler of First Mercantile Trust, +1-901-753-9080,
psaddler@firstmerc.com