2009, as a condition of its government bailout during the financial crisis, ING Groep, the parent company of ING Direct Canada and USA, and the largest Dutch financial-services firm, agreed on a restructuring plan with the European Commission. The restructuring plan mandated that ING Groep sell its North American online banking operations, which included ING Direct USA and Canada. On June 17, 2011, ING Groep agreed to sell ING Direct USA, and its seven million customers, to Capital One Financial for $9.2B. The Federal Reserve approved the sale on February 14, 2012 and Capital One completed its acquisition of ING Direct USA on February 17, 2012. ING Direct Canada, founded by Kuhlmann in 1996, was purchased from ING Groep by Scotiabank for $3.13 billion in an acquisition announced on August 29, 2012. Following the ING Direct USA acquisition, Kuhlmann stepped down as chairman and CEO. Author Kuhlmann has authored two books on business. The first, The Orange Code: How ING Direct Succeeded by Being a Rebel With a Cause, he co-authored with long-time collaborator, Bruce Philp. The book was published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons. His second book, Rock Then Roll: The Secrets of Culture-Driven Leadership, was written as a solo effort. In an interview with Forbes, he stated it was a book for all his ING Direct associates, and a blueprint for how the "protest generation" should think about corporate culture. Deak & Company published Rock Then Roll in 2011. He has written several other books on finance, including Prime Cash: First Steps in Treasury Management, authored with F. John Mathis and James Mills, First Edition: April, 1983; and numerous university business cases. His thoughts on banking, leadership, and innovation have appeared in major newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. Volunteer Kuhlmann was honorary chair for the 2005 "More Than Houses Campaign" for Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County, Delaware. During his tenure as CEO of ING Direct, Kuhlmann formed the ING Direct Kids Foundation with a mandate to help children improve their financial literacy. Kuhlmann currently serves as a director at Christiana Care Health System, Inc., and on the board of directors of the Council for Economic Education. Personal In his personal time, Kuhlmann goes to his island in Georgian Bay, where he sails on a private boat. Kuhlmann is also known for his love of riding