2,500 Global Institutional Investors Rate "Best of the Best"

TORONTO - Worldwide intelligence-based advisory firm Brendan Wood International (BWI) today announced its list of five Canadian "TopGun" CFOs. Globally, only 51 CFOs were selected from 750 international companies by BWI's Worldwide Panel of shareholders and TopGun analysts.

Recipients of the prestigious award reflect BWI's year-round discussions with investors defining their shareholder confidence criteria and identifying corporations that best meet investors' stringent criteria.

The TopGun designation is awarded by the BWI Worldwide Panel of Shareholders, consisting of 2,500 professional asset managers. Continuous investigative debriefings with investors throughout the world are performed on an ongoing basis. The results are based upon the votes of investors over the most recent 12 months.

Through the Brendan Wood Shareholder Confidence Index, the firm monitors the confidence level of investors and their advisors in CFOs of the world's largest and most transactionally active companies. Below is the list of Canadian TopGun CFOs:

Company CFO

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Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. (AME) David Garofalo

Canadian National Railway Company (CNR) Claude Mongeau

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNQ) Douglas A. Proll

Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC) Peter H. Rubenovitch

RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust (REI.UN) Raghunath Davloor

The Index ranks CFOs based on the quality of management, including the CFO's financial strategy; the CFO's execution capability; as well as their accountability and clear communication with investors regarding the strategy and business development focus. The quality of the Board of Directors reflects on the CFO, CEO and vice versa, especially when the board is an active driver of the business success of the corporation.

BWI's Chairman Brendan Wood described the recipients as "the best of the best." He commented, "In a time when a lack of transparency has caused a host of economic problems, these CFOs stand out as having been elected by shareholders for outstanding professionalism and integrity."