WCBO West Coast Bancorp (MM)

West Coast Bank Expands Agricultural Banking Team in the Willamette Valley and Portland Tri-County Markets Former Washington Mutual Agricultural Bankers Deke Tietze and Mike Collier Join West Coast Bank LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- West Coast Bank (NASDAQ:WCBO) has named Deke Tietze and Mike Collier Vice Presidents and Agricultural Banking Officers on the Agricultural Banking Team. The former Washington Mutual bankers join a growing agricultural banking presence and expertise in the Willamette Valley and the Portland tri-county markets. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010816/SFTH016ALOGO ) Tietze's agricultural experience dates to 1979. Most recently a Vice President for Washington Mutual, he has also worked in many sectors of the agribusiness industry, including Northwest Livestock Production Credit Association and consultative services to agribusinesses. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University and serves clients in the Willamette Valley, tri-county Portland and South Puget Sound markets. Collier received his Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University in 1976, after which time he was an agricultural teacher in Crane, Oregon. After spending many years with Farm Credit Services, he moved into the financial services industry. Most recently he was a Vice President with Washington Mutual's Agricultural Banking Team. Executive Vice President of Commercial Banking Xandra McKeown said, "West Coast Bank has had a long history and demonstrated expertise and commitment to the agricultural industry, a critical segment of the Oregon and Washington economies. We are excited to build on our presence in this industry. Deke and Mike bring a wealth of experience and talent to our organization and will strengthen our ability to serve agribusinesses within our market areas of Oregon and Washington." President and CEO Robert D. Sznewajs said, "As the largest community bank in the Salem and Portland-Vancouver regions, West Coast Bank is further strengthened by the addition of experienced bankers like Deke and Mike in our key market areas." West Coast Bancorp, one of Oregon Business Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For, is a Northwest bank holding company with $1.7 billion in assets, operating 48 offices in Oregon and Washington. The company combines the sophisticated products and expertise of larger banks with the local decision making, market knowledge and customer service of a community bank. For more information, visit the Company web site at http://www.wcb.com/. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010816/SFTH016ALOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: West Coast Bancorp CONTACT: Xandra McKeown, Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking, of West Coast Bancorp, +1-503-598-3251 Web site: http://www.wcb.com/

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