2013/1/31 - First Trust Advisors L.P. Announces Portfolio Manager Update Call for First Trust Strategic High Income Fund II

-- Dial-in Number: (866) 865-6631; International (706) 679-1727; and Passcode # 86830723. Please call 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the teleconference.

-- Telephone Replay: (855) 859-2056; International (404) 537-3406; and Passcode # 86830723. The replay will be available after the call until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on Thursday, March 14, 2013.

FTA has served as the Fund’s investment advisor since the Fund’s inception. FTA, along with its affiliate First Trust Portfolios L.P., are privately-held companies which provide a variety of investment services, including asset management and financial advisory services, with collective assets under management or supervision of over $63 billion as of December 31, 2012, through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts.

Brookfield Investment Management Inc. (“Brookfield”) serves as the Fund’s Sub-Advisor. Brookfield is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management, a global alternative asset manager with over $168 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2012. Brookfield Asset Management has over a 100-year history of owning and operating assets with a focus on property, renewable power, infrastructure and private equity and also offers a range of public and private investment products and services. On behalf of its clients, Brookfield Asset Management is also an active investor in the public securities markets. The public market activities of Brookfield, an SEC-registered investment advisor, complement the firm’s core competencies as a direct investor. These activities encompass global listed real estate and infrastructure equities, corporate high-yield investments, opportunistic credit strategies and a dedicated insurance asset management division. Headquartered in New York, NY, Brookfield maintains offices and investment teams in Toronto, Chicago, Boston and London.

If you have questions about the Funds that you would like answered on the call, please email your questions to cefquestions@ftadvisors.com and refer to FHY by Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 6:00 P.M Eastern Time. The Fund’s daily closing price and net asset value per share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com or by calling (800) 988-5891.

First Trust Advisors L.P.
Jeff Margolin — (630) 915-6784