Nationwide Mutual Funds and Aberdeen Funds complete reorganization of 26 funds

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 1, 2008

Nationwide Contact:
Erica Lewis
614-249-0184
lewise6@nationwide.com

Jeff Botti
614-249-6339
bottij@nationwide.com

Columbus, Ohio – Nationwide today announced the completion of the reorganization of 26 Nationwide Funds into Aberdeen Funds.

Nationwide had announced last Sept. 18 that it had reached an agreement with Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. to purchase Nationwide’s active U.S. equity management business in an effort to transition to a sub-advised mutual fund platform. The transaction closed on Oct. 1, 2007.

As part of transaction, the Board of Trustees of Nationwide Mutual Funds and Aberdeen Funds approved a reorganization plan on behalf of the 26 mutual funds listed below, subject to shareholder approval. Under the reorganization plan, each of the Nationwide Funds would be reorganized into a newly created series of Aberdeen Funds with similar investment objectives, policies and portfolio managers.

Recently, shareholders approved the reorganization plan at the Special Meetings of Shareholders held on May 5 and June 6. The reorganization completed at the end of business on Friday, June 20. As of the opening of business on Monday, June 23, each Nationwide Fund became an Aberdeen Fund, rather than a Nationwide Fund.

Shareholders may contact the following numbers for more information:

Nationwide Funds’ Shareholder Services 800-848-0920.
Aberdeen Funds’ Shareholder Services 866-667-9231

The funds that are affected by the reorganization are listed below showing their Nationwide Funds name and their new corresponding Aberdeen Funds name.

Nationwide Mutual Funds Nationwide China Opportunities Fund Nationwide Emerging Markets Fund Nationwide Global Financial Services Fund Nationwide Global Utilities Fund Nationwide Health Sciences Fund Nationwide Hedged Core Equity Fund Nationwide International Growth Fund Nationwide Leaders Fund Nationwide Market Neutral Fund Nationwide Mid Cap Growth Leaders Fund Nationwide Natural Resources Fund Nationwide Optimal Allocations Fund: Defensive Nationwide Optimal Allocations Fund: Growth Nationwide Optimal Allocations Fund: Moderate Nationwide Optimal Allocations Fund: Moderate Growth Nationwide Optimal Allocations Fund: Specialty Nationwide Small Cap Fund Nationwide Small Cap Core Fund Nationwide Small Cap Growth Opportunities Fund Nationwide Small Cap Leaders Fund Nationwide Small Cap Value Fund Nationwide Tax-Free Income Fund Nationwide Technology and Communications Fund Nationwide U.S. Growth Leaders Fund Nationwide U.S. Growth Leaders Long-Short Fund Nationwide Worldwide Leaders Fund

Aberdeen Funds Aberdeen China Opportunities Fund Aberdeen Developing Markets Fund Aberdeen Global Financial Services Fund Aberdeen Global Utilities Fund Aberdeen Health Sciences Fund Aberdeen Hedged Core Equity Fund Aberdeen International Equity Fund Aberdeen Select Equity Fund Aberdeen Market Neutral Fund Aberdeen Select Mid Cap Growth Fund Aberdeen Natural Resources Fund Aberdeen Optimal Allocations Fund: Defensive Aberdeen Optimal Allocations Fund: Growth Aberdeen Optimal Allocations Fund: Moderate Aberdeen Optimal Allocations Fund: Moderate Growth Aberdeen Optimal Allocations Fund: Specialty Aberdeen Small Cap Fund Aberdeen Small Cap Opportunities Fund Aberdeen Small Cap Growth Fund Aberdeen Select Small Cap Fund Aberdeen Small Cap Value Fund Aberdeen Tax-Free Income Fund Aberdeen Technology and Communications Fund Aberdeen Select Growth Fund Aberdeen Equity Long-Short Fund Aberdeen Select Worldwide Fund

About Nationwide Funds Group
Nationwide Funds Group (NFG) is the mutual fund arm of Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE: NFS). Based in Conshohocken, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia, NFG comprises Nationwide Fund Advisors, Nationwide Fund Distributors LLC and Nationwide Fund Management LLC. Together they provide advisory, distribution and administration services, respectively, to the Nationwide Funds. As of March 31, 2008, NFG managed approximately $41.7 billion in assets. For more information about Nationwide Funds, please visit nationwidefunds.com.

Nationwide Fund Advisors, Nationwide Fund Distributors LLC and Nationwide Fund Management LLC are wholly owned subsidiaries of NFS.

Nationwide Funds distributed by Nationwide Fund Distributors LLC, Member FINRA. 1200 River Road, Suite 1000, Conshohocken, Pa. 19428. Nationwide Fund Distributors LLC is not an affiliate of Aberdeen Asset Management Inc.

Investors should carefully consider a fund’s (and each of its underlying funds’) investment objectives, risks, fees, charges and expenses before investing any money. To obtain this and other Nationwide fund information, please call 800-848-0920 to request a Nationwide fund prospectus, or download a Nationwide fund prospectus at nationwidefunds.com. Please read it carefully before investing any money. To obtain this and other Aberdeen fund information, please call 866-667-9231, to request and Aberdeen fund prospectus, or download an Aberdeen fund prospectus at aberdeeninvestments.com.

Investing in mutual funds involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

There is no assurance that the investment objective of any fund will be achieved.

^{Nationwide, Nationwide Financial, Nationwide Funds, the Nationwide Framemark and On Your Side are federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Nationwide Funds Group is a service mark of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.}