Far East National Bank Announces New Top Executives to Lead Its Retail Banking and Legal Departments; Kathleen Ross to Head Retail Division; Eileen Lyon Named General Counsel

Business Wire, May 2, 2005

LOS ANGELES -- Far East National Bank today announced that Kathleen Ross has been named Executive Vice President and head of the Retail Banking Group, and Eileen Lyon has been appointed Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Ms. Ross, who most recently served at Countrywide Bank, will oversee FENB's consumer lending and small business lending as well as branch banking. Ms. Lyon, recently of Hawthorne Savings, will lead the bank's legal unit. Both executives report to Robert Sweeney, President of FENB.

The two new FENB executive announcements are important additions to a series of recruitment wins and senior management upgrades at the bank. Earlier this year, Charles Ong joined FENB as Executive Vice President and Corporate Banking Group head after 16 years with Development Bank of Singapore. And last September, Mr. Sweeney was recruited as FENB's new President after leading G.E. Global Electronic Solutions in Asia/Japan.

"Kathy brings Far East National terrific talent and impressive experience in building retail and lending business," said Mr. Sweeney. "In today's competitive financial services sector, it's critical to secure a top executive such as Kathy, who sets the benchmark for engineering growth, obtaining results and implementing training programs."

At Countrywide Bank, as Executive Vice President of Retail and Commercial Banking, Ms. Ross drove retail deposits from $70 million to $2.75 billion in 22 months. As a result, regulators recognized Countrywide as the largest and fastest start-up bank on record. She brings FENB more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry, including tenures with premier institutions First Interstate Bank, Union Bank of California and Bank of America. Ms. Ross is an expert in key middle-market functions, including marketing, credit, operations and community strategic planning.

During her tenure at Hawthorne Savings, Ms. Lyon, who served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, chaired the ethics committee, developed and implemented legal and business strategies, and reorganized the bank's regulatory compliance accountability. She also brings 13 years as an attorney and partner in the business division of the law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, where she built extensive knowledge in corporate securities and financial institutions law.

"Eileen will be a key member of our executive team, ensuring that we maintain the highest-level legal and corporate standards as we meet our growth goals," noted Mr. Sweeney. "Her background as a partner in the corporate department of a leading law firm coupled with her specific experience in the banking industry will be invaluable."

Ms. Ross holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Cal State University, Long Beach, and received her M.B.A. from Pepperdine University. Ms. Lyon holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles, and received her law degree from the University of Southern California.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Far East National Bank has 15 offices throughout California, a strategic alliance with Shanghai-based First Sino Bank, a representative office in Beijing and a Vietnam branch. The bank's customers have access to a CrossPacific service network through its parent, SinoPac Holdings, a fully integrated financial institution with more than $19 billion in assets and 140 locations worldwide.