WTFC Wintrust Financial Corporation

Wintrust Financial Corporation ("Wintrust") (Nasdaq:WTFC) will present at the UBS Global Financial Services Conference to be held in New York on May 8, 2012 and May 9, 2012. Wintrust management will make a presentation that is scheduled to begin at approximately 9:20 AM, Eastern Time, on May 9, 2012. This event will be available via an audio only webcast and will be archived for 60 days after the conference.

Investors may access the webcast of the presentation at the Company's website at http://www.wintrust.com during the conference and for 60 days following the conference. The webcast may be accessed by clicking on the "Presentations" link located on the "Presentations and Conference Calls" page on the Company's website. Investors may also access the webcast of the presentation at http://cc.talkpoint.com/ubsx001/050812a_im/?entity=3_BKNXQQR.

Listeners should go to the either of the websites at least fifteen minutes before the presentation to download and install any necessary audio software.   Access to the webcast is free.

Wintrust is a financial holding company with assets of approximately $16 billion whose common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Wintrust operates fifteen community banks that provide a full complement of commercial and consumer loan and deposit products and services through approximately 100 banking facilities in the Chicago and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. Wintrust also provides brokerage, trust and investment services to customers primarily in the Midwest, as well as customers of the banks, and provides services in mortgage banking, insurance premium financing and several specialty-lending niches.

CONTACT: Edward J. Wehmer,
         President & Chief Executive Officer
         David A. Dykstra,
         Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
         (847) 615-4096
         Website address:  www.wintrust.com