I'm proud and honored to announce the next generation of American Express Financial Advisors. It's more than a change. It's an evolution. On August 1, 2005, American Express Financial Corporation became Ameriprise Financial, Inc.It's the most exciting venture I've ever been part of, partly because everything our clients have depended on for over a century is intact and growing. From the first day of our independence in late September, Ameriprise Financial will be an independent, publicly traded company, and expects to be a Fortune 500 firm when ranked next year. We will continue to have over 12,000 financial advisors and registered representatives in communities around the country. We'll also continue to own, manage and administer billions of dollars in assets—more than $415 billion as of June 30, 2005.Ameriprise Financial is a natural progression for us and a leap forward for our clients. It's the ideal opportunity to expand our leadership position with a new independent spirit and over 100 years of experience. Our primary goal is to be the most sought-after financial planning and services firm. And the best way to achieve that goal is by helping our clients achieve theirs.