WCBO West Coast Bancorp (MM)

Former Washington Mutual Commercial Bankers Join a Growing West Coast Bank Team in Key Portland/Vancouver and Salem Markets Commercial and Agricultural Banking Professionals Strengthen Company's Commercial Lending Presence LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- West Coast Bank (NASDAQ:WCBO) is welcoming several commercial and agricultural banking relationship managers to their greater Portland/Vancouver and Salem teams. These professionals join the company from Washington Mutual, who recently announced closure of their commercial banking operations. Executive Vice President of Commercial Banking Xandra McKeown said, "We are very pleased to have the opportunity to expand our presence and expertise in these key markets and market segments. The decision by Washington Mutual to exit the commercial lending arena comes at a time when we had a high degree of interest in expanding our commercial banking presence." President and CEO Robert D. Sznewajs said, "Strengthening our commercial banking teams with seasoned bankers who know the market well serves our strategic plan to grow our business." Joining the Portland metro commercial banking team with more than twenty years of banking experience is Team Leader and Vice President Michael McKay, who most recently managed Washington Mutual's commercial banking center in Beaverton. He graduated from Southern Oregon State College with a bachelor of science in business administration and from Pacific Coast Banking School. McKay joins his former colleagues John Doty, Jeff Auld and Teresa Carpenter, who joined the company in August. Joining the Agricultural Banking Team are Steve Justus, serving clients in the metro tri-county and Willamette Valley markets, and Garey Fritz, serving clients in the Willamette Valley from Salem. Steve Justus received his Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University. He began his 27-year agribusiness career with the Federal Land Bank and Farm Credit Services, and most recently served as commercial loan officer - vice president with Washington Mutual Ag team in Salem. Steve is involved with the Oregon Nurseryman Association, the Agricultural Co-Op Council of Oregon and the Oregon Seed Trade Association. Garey Fritz received his Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees in agricultural education from Montana State University. His professional agricultural experience dates to 1977 with the Federal Land Bank and most recently with Washington Mutual NW Ag team in Salem. Fritz is involved with the Agribusiness Council of Oregon, Ag Co-op of Oregon, Oregon Association of Nurseries and Oregon Seed Trade Association. He retired from the US Army Reserve in 1998 as Lieutenant Colonel. Justus and Fritz join former Washington Mutual colleagues Bob Zell, Mary Hood, Deke Tietze and Mike Collier in the West Coast Bank agricultural banking team. 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 51 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/. DATASOURCE: West Coast Bancorp CONTACT: Robert D. Sznewajs, President & CEO, +1-503-598-3243, or Xandra McKeown, Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking, +1-503-598-3251, both of West Coast Bancorp Web site: http://www.wcb.com/

Copyright