SPOKANE, Wash., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Sterling Savings Bank today announced that Heidi Stanley has been named the 14th most powerful woman in banking by US Banker magazine. Ms. Stanley's US Banker ranking puts her as the highest-ranked woman in the Pacific Northwest.
Ms. Stanley has played a vital role at Sterling and is a leading figure in banking in the Pacific Northwest. Bill Zuppe, chairman and chief executive officer of Sterling Savings Bank, stated that, "Heidi has been a central figure in our strategic planning and has been instrumental in meeting our goal of growth in earnings. She leads the Sterling team with great confidence and quality of leadership. She will be an inspirational leader as we continue to position Sterling to becoming the leading regional community bank in the West by all measures."
Ms. Stanley, who has been with Sterling Savings Bank since 1985, has served as director, vice chair and chief operating officer of Sterling Savings Bank since October 2003 and was recently appointed president and chief executive officer of Sterling Savings Bank effective Jan. 1, 2008, following Mr. Zuppe's retirement as chief executive officer. In addition to serving as a director of Sterling Savings Bank, she also currently serves as a director of Sterling Savings' subsidiaries INTERVEST, Action Mortgage and Harbor Financial. Prior to joining Sterling, Ms. Stanley was employed by IBM in San Francisco, California and Tucson, Arizona.
Active in civic and professional organizations, Ms. Stanley serves on the Board of Governors of the Washington State University Foundation and the Eastern Washington Advisory Board of the Washington Policy Center. She is Vice-Chair of America's Community Bankers (ACB) Membership Committee and a member of the ACB's Governmental Affairs Committee. Ms. Stanley also serves on the board of directors of Avista Corporation, a public company headquartered in Spokane. She is immediate past chair of Greater Spokane Incorporated, past chair of the Association of Washington Business, past chair of the Spokane Area YMCA and past vice chair of Washington Public Affairs Network. Ms. Stanley graduated from Washington State University with a bachelor's degree in business administration.
For a full list of US Banker nominations please visit: http://www.americanbanker.com/usb_article.html?id=200709275WX7ZYV1
ABOUT STERLING
Sterling Financial Corporation of Spokane, Washington is a bank holding company, of which the principal operating subsidiaries are Sterling Savings Bank and Golf Savings Bank. Sterling Savings Bank is a Washington State-chartered, federally insured commercial bank, which opened in April 1983 as a stock savings and loan association. Sterling Savings Bank, based in Spokane, Washington, has financial service centers throughout Washington, California, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Through Sterling Savings Bank's wholly owned subsidiaries, Action Mortgage Company and INTERVEST-Mortgage Investment Company, it operates loan production offices in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona and California. Sterling Savings Bank's subsidiary Harbor Financial Services provides non-bank investments, including mutual funds, variable annuities and tax-deferred annuities and other investment products through regional representatives throughout Sterling Savings Bank's branch network.
Golf Savings Bank is a Washington State-chartered and FDIC insured savings bank. Golf Savings Bank's primary focus is the origination of single-family residential mortgage loans.
STERLING SAVINGS BANK FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains forward-looking statements, which are not historical facts and pertain to Sterling Savings Bank's future operating results. These forward-looking statements are within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about Sterling Savings Bank's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this report that are not historical facts. When used in this report, the words "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond Sterling Savings Bank's control. In addition, these forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions with respect to future business strategies and decisions that are subject to change. Actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in these forward-looking statements because of numerous possible risks and uncertainties. These include but are not limited to: the possibility of adverse economic developments that may, among other things, increase default and delinquency risks in Sterling Savings Bank's loan portfolios; shifts in interest rates that may result in lower interest rate margins; shifts in the demand for Sterling Savings Bank's loan and other products; changes in accounting policies; changes in the monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government; and changes in laws, regulations and the competitive environment.
For further information, contact
Jennifer Lutz at 509.368.2032
Sterling Savings Bank
