BBVA Wealth Solutions Launches New Investment Solution

HOUSTON, Dec. 13, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA Wealth Solutions, Inc., an SEC registered investment advisor affiliate of BBVA Compass, recently announced the launch of its SmartPath Diversified Portfolios, an investment solution which allows assets to be actively managed by the company on a single integrated platform. The six SmartPath Diversified Portfolios utilize an actively managed selection of mutual and exchange-traded funds to provide diversification of client assets across a mix of global equity, fixed income, commodities and other markets. Each Portfolio is designed to pursue investment objectives and to seek risk levels suited to the goals and tolerances of the clients.

"The SmartPath Diversified Portfolios are purposefully built from asset classes that exhibit offsetting behavior," said Bill Helms, senior executive vice president and head of Wealth Management at BBVA Compass. "By making this part of our investment process, we seek to greatly limit portfolio fluctuation and augment long-term return potential."

Each of the six SmartPath Diversified Portfolios is intentionally diversified across a variety of factors so that clients may pursue a wide range of investment opportunities. With models ranging from conservative to aggressive growth, each portfolio is groomed to be appropriate for individual investment objectives.

"Through the implementation of our Personal Investment Profile, we are able to identify each individual investor's tolerance for risk, liquidity needs and time of investment, which helps us create the best possible scenario for a positive experience for each investor," said John Sawyer, executive vice president and chief investment officer of Wealth Management at BBVA Compass and CEO of BBVA Wealth Solutions. "In addition, because our strategy is based on diversification through asset allocation, we are confident that our four step institutional model, which includes monitoring the volatility parameters of each portfolio, will assist BBVA Wealth Solutions in establishing and maintaining a positive risk-return relationship for each customer seeking to expand their investment options."

To learn more about the BBVA Wealth Solutions SmartPath Portfolio Models or BBVA Compass' additional proprietary investment offerings, customers may stop by a local branch, call 1-800-COMPASS or visit www.bbvawealthsolutions.com.

ABOUT BBVA COMPASS

BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates more than 717 branches including 382 in Texas, 92 in Alabama, 65 in California, 77 in Arizona, 45 in Florida, 36 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass is the 15th largest U.S. commercial bank based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Texas (4th), Alabama (3rd) and Arizona (5th). For the second consecutive year, BBVA Compass was named as a "Lender of the Year" by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Additional information concerning BBVA Compass can be found on our website www.bbvacompass.com.

BBVA Compass is a subsidiary of Compass Bancshares, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) (MAD: BBVA). BBVA is a financial services group with approximately $760 billion in total assets, 48 million clients, 7,400 branches and approximately 105,000 employees in more than 30 countries. BBVA ranks among the top 20 largest financial institutions in the world based on market capitalization and 21st in Global Finance magazine's list of the "World's 50 Safest Banks" for 2010. BBVA provides its customers around the world with a full range of financial services, including commercial and wholesale banking, retail banking services, consumer loans, mortgages, credit cards, securities brokerage, wealth management, pension plan management and insurance. The BBVA Group maintains a leadership position in Spain, Mexico, Latin America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States as well as operations in China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. More information about the BBVA Group can be found at www.bbva.com.