Evergreen Investments has tapped former Putnam Investments executive Howard Present to oversee its product development and strategy. He takes the title of senior vice president and director of Product Management and reports to Doug Munn, chief operating officer.

Present will be responsible for overseeing product management, product development and strategy for all Evergreen Retail, Institutional, Wealth and Alternative products, along with the firm's mergers and acquisitions practice. Evergreen claims some $215 billion in assets under management.

"Our commitment to offer clients a robust and competitive line-up of investment solutions is enhanced by the expertise of our product team," said Bill Ennis, president and chief executive officer for Evergreen Investments. "Howard's appointment complements and strengthens this commitment and will help our firm continue to provide innovative investment products that help our clients achieve long-term investment goals."

Putnam was managing director of Corporate Product Management and Development at Putnam Investments. His duties at the Boston-based fund firm included the chairmanship of its Product Development Group and Liquidity Monitoring Team.

Putnam official were not available for comment on whether Present's position has been filled in time for this edition.



Separately, Evergreen announced today that it has launched its 529 college savings plan for the state of New Mexico. News of the program was first reported here in March.

The Arrive Education Savings Plan is administered by State Street's Schoolhouse Capital unit. Prudential Financial and AIG SunAmerica Mutual Funds are distributing the plan along with Evergreen.

Investors in the plan can choose from fourteen mutual funds, age-based portfolios or their own custom mix of eight investment portfolios.

The plan Web site is at www.arrive529.com  

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