2009 News Releases

“It’s About Time” program aims to help advisers and clients regain confidence in investing, and to help advisers become the “Adviser of Choice”

Boston – John Hancock Funds chose “It’s About Time” as the theme for its annual road show for financial advisers, underscoring the importance to advisers and their clients of regaining confidence in the equity markets and in investing. The month-long 24-city road show, which opens on Tuesday, September 29^th in Garden City, New York, features a luncheon presentation by a John Hancock Funds portfolio manager, and also highlights tools and materials available to advisers to help them build their businesses.

Making stops across the country, from Boston to Boca Raton and from San Diego to Seattle, the road show concludes in Denver, Colorado on October 28^th. Financial advisers who are registered on John Hancock Funds web site, www.jhfunds.com, should have already received invitations. Others interested in attending may register on the web site. John Hancock Funds anticipates that average attendance at each luncheon will be approximately 100 advisers.

“It is time for investors to regain confidence in their advisers and in the investing process, and overall to regain confidence in the equity and fixed income markets,” said Jeff Duckworth, Senior Vice President and Head of Sales. “It is also time for mutual fund companies to do what it takes to help advisers help investors get back on track toward achieving their financial goals.”

He added: “At John Hancock Funds we are offering the deepest product lineup in our history, many in the core categories investors need to build a strong portfolio, including 15 mutual funds rated four- or five- stars by Morningstar. We also have a breadth of interactive, value-added tools, seminars and resources to help advisers grow their businesses and become the ‘adviser of choice’ to their clients.”

Speakers at the road show are drawn from the array of institutional-tier investment management firms that sub-advise the John Hancock Funds. These include: Epoch Investment Partners, GMO, MFC Global Investment Management, Robeco Boston Partners, Sovereign Asset Management, Sustainable Growth Advisers, and Rainier Investment Management.

John Hancock Funds has a longstanding commitment to being a value-added partner who delivers timely, high quality programs and information that advisers may use to grow their businesses. Several John Hancock Funds programs have received industry awards and recognition, including the “Best Overall Communications” award from the Mutual Fund Education Alliance for the past three consecutive years. Initiatives launched this year include:

• This past June, John Hancock Funds launched a new, web-based tool called “Portfolio Insight” that allows financial advisers to create detailed analyses of client portfolios and to prepare high-quality, customized reports quickly and efficiently. The result is a comprehensive, transparent view of a client’s mutual fund holdings that can help build client confidence by advancing an understanding of their investments and asset allocation.
• John Hancock Funds also expanded the Commentary section of its web site, adding a new series of current market views and updates. Through the use of streaming video, financial advisers now may hear directly from John Hancock’s chief economist, chief equity and fixed income strategists, and featured portfolio managers of John Hancock mutual funds.
• A Beneficiary Campaign helps clients focus on this critical element of financial planning. As of the second quarter of 2009, all John Hancock Funds retirement account statements include beneficiary names, giving advisers and their clients the opportunity to review beneficiary designations and ensure that they are up to date.
• A “Job Changers” micro-site gives tips to advisers for guiding clients in career transition. It includes a resource center listing worksheets, sales tools, a client seminar, and brochures, all developed to help clients keep their financial plans on track amid job disruptions due to the recession.

About John Hancock Funds
The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial, John Hancock Funds manages more than $42.9 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors at June 30, 2009.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation
John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife Financial Corporation offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$421 billion (US$362 billion) at June 30, 2009.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at www.johnhancock.com.

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Contact:
Beth McGoldrick
(617) 663-4751
bmcgoldrick@jhancock.com