Supplement dated May 1, 2010 to the Statement of Additional Information, dated May 1, 2010 for Tri-Continental Corporation (the Corporation) On May 1, 2010, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (Ameriprise Financial), the parent company of RiverSource Investments, LLC, the Corporation's investment manager, announced the closing of its acquisition of the long-term asset management business of Columbia Management Group, LLC and certain of its affiliated companies from Bank of America (the Columbia Transaction). In connection with the Columbia Transaction, effective May 1, 2010, the Corporation's investment manager and transfer agent will change their names to reflect the new, combined business: NEW COMPANY NAME FORMER NAME/SERVICE PROVIDER SERVICES --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- ------------------------------ Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC RiverSource Investments, LLC Investment Management Services Columbia Management Investment Services Corp. RiverSource Service Corporation Transfer Agent Services The chart entitled "Board Member Affiliated with RiverSource Investments," is revised as follows: BOARD MEMBER AFFILIATED WITH COLUMBIA MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT ADVISERS, LLC* POSITION WITH CORPORATION AND PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION NAME, ADDRESS, AGE LENGTH OF TIME SERVED DURING LAST FIVE YEARS OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS -------------------------- --------------------- ----------------------------- ------------------- --------------------- William F. Truscott Board member and Chairman of the Board, RiverSource, None 53600 Ameriprise Financial Vice President since Columbia Management Seligman and Center 11/7/08 Investment Advisers, LLC Threadneedle funds Minneapolis, MN 55474 (formerly RiverSource Age 49 Investments, LLC) since May 2010 (previously President, Chairman of the Board and Chief Investment Officer, 2001-April 2010); Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Asset Management & President, Annuities, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since May 2010 (previously President - U.S. Asset Management and Chief Investment Officer, 2005-April 2010 and Senior Vice President - Chief Investment Officer, 2001-2005); Director, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ameriprise Certificate Company since 2006; Director, Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (formerly RiverSource Fund Distributors, Inc.) since May 2010 (previously Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, 2008-April 2010; Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, RiverSource Distributors, Inc. since 2006; former Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director, Zurich Scudder Investments * Interested person by reason of being an officer, director, security holder and/or employee of Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC and Ameriprise Financial. The chart entitled "Fund Officers," is revised as follows: FUND OFFICERS POSITION WITH CORPORATION AND LENGTH OF NAME, ADDRESS, AGE TIME SERVED* PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION DURING LAST FIVE YEARS -------------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- J. Kevin Connaughton President since 5/1/10 Senior Vice President and General Manager - Mutual Fund One Financial Center Products, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC since Boston, MA 02111 May 2010; Managing Director of Columbia Management Advisors, Age 46 LLC, December 2004 - April 2010; Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Columbia Funds, June 2008 - January 2009; Treasurer, Columbia Funds, October 2003 - May 2008; Treasurer, the Liberty Funds, Stein Roe Funds and Liberty All-Star Funds, December 2000 - December 2006; Senior Vice President -- Columbia Management Advisors, LLC, April 2003 - December 2004; President, Columbia Funds, Liberty Funds and Stein Roe Funds, February 2004 - October 2004 Amy K. Johnson Vice President since Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Columbia 172 Ameriprise Financial Center 11/7/08 Management Investment Advisers, LLC (formerly RiverSource Minneapolis, MN 55474 Investments, LLC) since May 2010 (previously Chief Age 44 Administrative Officer, 2009 - April 2010 and Vice President - Asset Management and Trust Company Services, 2006-2009 and Vice President - Operations and Compliance, 2004-2006); Director of Product Development - Mutual Funds, Ameriprise Financial, Inc., 2001-2004 Jeffrey P. Fox Treasurer since 6/11/09 Vice President, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 105 Ameriprise Financial Center (formerly RiverSource Investments, LLC) since May 2010; Chief Minneapolis, MN 55474 Financial Officer, Columbia Management Investment Age 54 Distributors, Inc. (formerly RiverSource Fund Distributors, Inc.) since 2008; Vice President - Investment Accounting, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since 2002; Chief Financial Officer, RiverSource Distributors, Inc. since 2006 Scott R. Plummer Vice President, General Chief Legal Officer and Assistant Secretary, Columbia 5228 Ameriprise Financial Center Counsel and Secretary Management Investment Advisers, LLC (formerly RiverSource Minneapolis, MN 55474 since 11/7/08 Investments, LLC) since June 2005; Vice President and Lead Age 50 Chief Counsel - Asset Management, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since May 2010 (previously Vice President and Chief Counsel - Asset Management, 2005-April 2010 and Vice President - Asset Management Compliance, 2004-2005); Vice President, Chief Counsel and Assistant Secretary, Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (formerly RiverSource Fund Distributors, Inc.) since 2008; Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Ameriprise Certificate Company since 2005; Chief Counsel, RiverSource Distributors, Inc. since 2006; Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, USBancorp Asset Management, 2002-2004 Mike Jones Vice President since Director and President, Columbia Management Investment 100 Federal Street 5/1/10 Advisers, LLC since May 2010; President and Director, Boston, MN 02110 Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. since May Age 51 2010; Manager, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Columbia Management Advisors, LLC, 2007 - April 2010; Chief Executive Officer, President and Director, Columbia Management Distributors, Inc., 2006 - April 2010; former Co-President and Senior Managing Director, Robeco Investment Management FUND OFFICERS POSITION WITH CORPORATION AND LENGTH OF NAME, ADDRESS, AGE TIME SERVED* PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION DURING LAST FIVE YEARS -------------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- Colin Moore Vice President since Director and Chief Investment Officer, Columbia Management One Financial Center 5/1/10 Investment Advisers, LLC since May 2010; Manager, Managing Boston, MA 02111 Director and Chief Investment Officer, Columbia Management Age 52 Advisors, LLC, 2007- April 2010; Head of Equities, Columbia Management Advisors, LLC, 2002-Sept. 2007 Linda Wondrack Chief Compliance Officer Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Columbia One Financial Center since 5/1/10 Management Investment Advisers, LLC since May 2010; Director Boston, MA 02111 (Columbia Management Group, LLC and Investment Product Group Age 46 Compliance), Bank of America, June 2005 - April 2010; Director of Corporate Compliance and Conflicts Officer, MFS Investment Management (investment management), August 2004 - May 2005 Neysa M. Alecu Money Laundering Vice President - Compliance, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since 2934 Ameriprise Financial Center Prevention Officer and 2008; Anti-Money Laundering Officer and Identity Theft Minneapolis, MN 55474 Identity Theft Prevention Prevention Officer, Columbia Management Investment Age 46 Officer since 11/7/08 Distributors, Inc. (formerly RiverSource Fund Distributors, Inc.) since 2008; Anti-Money Laundering Officer, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since 2005; Compliance Director, Ameriprise Financial, Inc., 2004-2008 * All officers are elected annually by the Board of Directors and serve until their successors are elected and qualify or their earlier resignation.