METLIFE GOES TO THE BANK

MetLife subsidiary Metropolitan Life Insurance Company has taken the first step toward offering banking services to customers by establishing a new unit within the company. Judy Weiss, an executive vice president, has been appointed to head the unit. She will report directly to Robert H. Benmosche, MetLife’s chairman and chief executive officer. The unit’s main responsibility initially will be to identify the best strategy to proceed in offering such products and services as savings and checking accounts, individual retirement accounts and online bill payment. The goal is to make these banking features available by early 2001.