BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The following
eight John Hancock Closed-End Funds announced the results of their
annual shareholder meetings: John Hancock
Bank and Thrift Opportunity Fund (NYSE: BTO), John Hancock
Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ), John Hancock Preferred
Income Fund (NYSE: HPI), John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II
(NYSE: HPF), John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE: HPS),
John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT), John Hancock
Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) and John Hancock
Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund (NYSE: HTY)
(collectively, the "Funds").
At their annual meetings held today, shareholders of the Funds
elected thirteen Trustees as members of the Board of Trustees of
the Funds. Craig Bromley,
Deborah C. Jackson, James M. Oates and Steven R. Pruchansky were elected as Trustees
for a term to expire in 2016; Charles L.
Bardelis, Peter S. Burgess,
Theron S. Hoffman and Warren A. Thomson were elected as Trustees for a
term to expire in 2015; and James R.
Boyle, William H. Cunningham,
Grace K. Fey, Hassell H. McClellan and Gregory A. Russo were elected as Trustees for a
term to expire in 2014.
The newly elected Trustees, Ms. Fey and Messrs. Bardelis, Boyle,
Bromley, Burgess, Hoffman, McClellan, Oates, and Thomson, are
expected to join the Board of the Funds on or about December 1, 2012.
Statements in this press release that are not historical
facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should
exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking
statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other
factors which are, in some cases, beyond a Fund's control and could
cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in
the forward-looking statements.
About John Hancock Funds
The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John
Hancock Financial, John Hancock Funds, manages more than
$77.9 billion in open-end funds,
closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related
party assets for individual and institutional investors at
September 30, 2012.
About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial
Corporation
John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife
Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services
group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories
worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in
the United States, Manulife
Financial Corporation offers clients a diverse range of financial
protection products and wealth management services through its
extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners.
Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries
were Cdn$515 billion (US$523 billion) at September 30, 2012.
Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE
and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be
found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.
The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies,
comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad
range of financial products and services, including life insurance,
annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term
care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business
insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found
at www.johnhancock.com.
SOURCE John Hancock Funds