First Midwest Bank Expands Executive Management Group

First Midwest Bank ("First Midwest"), the wholly owned subsidiary of Itasca-based First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: FMBI), today announced that Victor P. Carapella was named Executive Vice President and Commercial Banking Group Manager of First Midwest Bank. Mr. Carapella has served as First Midwest's North Metro Area Sales Manager since 2001 after serving as Banking Center President of the Deerfield office since 1990. Mr. Carapella has over 25 years of commercial banking experience and has served in various management capacities with First Midwest Bank during his career with the Company. In this newly created position, Mr. Carapella will oversee First Midwest's Commercial Sales area managers and CREG manager. Mr. Carapella has served on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Lake County, the DuPage County Historical Society as well as served on the Board of Directors and as President for the Family Service of Lake County.

First Midwest Bank is the premier relationship-based banking franchise in the growing Chicagoland banking market. As one of the Chicago metropolitan area's largest independent banking companies, First Midwest provides the full range of both business and retail banking and trust and investment management services through some 100 offices located in 62 communities, primarily in metropolitan Chicago. First Midwest was recently recognized by the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workforce Flexibility in the greater Chicago Area.

CONTACT: Brian O'Meara EVP, Marketing Director (630) 875-7260 www.firstmidwest.com