WTFC Wintrust Financial Corporation

The Illinois Housing Development Authority ("IHDA") presented Wintrust Mortgage with an award as the #1 IHDA Lender in Illinois for 2012. During the past year, Wintrust Mortgage funded 400 IHDA loans ($32.5mm), which were originated by 61 different Loan Officers. Additionally, Jason Accola (NMLS #755894) of Wintrust Mortgage was the #1 IHDA Loan Officer in Illinois for 2012 by funding 119 IHDA units. Jason played a huge role in Wintrust Mortgage winning the prestigious award.

Many of these loans were originated through the IHDA Building Blocks Program which is one of many valuable options Wintrust Mortgage is well developed in originating, processing, underwriting, and closing IHDA loans.

Program Requirements/Highlights:

• $10,000 cash assistance to cover down payment and closing costs
• Can use government and conventional loan options
• First Time and non first time home buyers eligible!
• Buyers must contribute one percent or $1,000 of the purchase price, whichever is greater
• Can be used to purchase a one- or two- unit property within the eligible communities
• Buyer must live in property as primary residence

Eligible Communities:

· Belleville	· Cicero	· Maywood
· Berwyn	· Crest Hill	· Melrose Park
· Blue Island	· Joliet	· Park Forest
· Champaign	· Lockport	· Peoria
· Chicago Heights	· Lynwood	· South Holland

About Wintrust Mortgage

Wintrust Mortgage is a part of Wintrust Financial Corporation, a financial holding company with assets of approximately $17 billion whose common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (Nasdaq:WTFC). Built on the "HAVE IT ALL" model, Wintrust offers sophisticated technology and resources of a large bank while focusing on providing service-based community banking to each and every customer. Wintrust operates fifteen community bank subsidiaries, with more than 100 banking offices located in the greater Chicago and Milwaukee market areas. Wintrust also provides wealth management services, commercial insurance premium financing, mortgage origination, short-term accounts receivable financing, and certain administrative services, such as data processing of payrolls, and billing and treasury management services to its customers. Wintrust Mortgage is a division of Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A., a Wintrust Community Bank (NMLS #449042), Member FDIC, and an Equal Housing Lender. Visit our website at www.wintrustmortgage.com and "Like" us on Facebook www.facebook.com/wintrustmortgage.

CONTACT: David Hrobon
         President & CEO
         Wintrust Mortgage
         847.939.9360
         dhrobon@wintrustmortgage.com