IFC Irwin Financial Corp

New Mexico Location is Bank's Fourth New Market in 2006 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Irwin Union Bank, F.S.B. announces the expansion of its operations with the opening of a new location in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. With the expansion, Irwin Union Bank now serves clients in ten Midwestern and Western states. The office in Albuquerque is the fourth new market location opened by the Bank in 2006 -- building upon the company's recent expansion efforts in Mesa and Glendale, Arizona and Reno, Nevada. The full-service Irwin Union Bank office, led by veteran banker Chesley "Chez" Steel, is located at 6565 Americas Parkway, Suite 200 in Albuquerque and recently opened its doors to clients. The location will serve as a temporary base of operations until construction on the Bank's permanent office is completed late in the first quarter of 2007. "We are very excited to serve the banking needs of this rapidly growing southwestern community. And to lead the Bank's business development efforts in Albuquerque, we are pleased to welcome Chez Steel, Market President, to the Irwin Union team," said Brad Kime, President of Irwin Union Bank. Kime continues, "Chez's strong background in business development, experience in commercial banking and deep understanding of the Albuquerque market are a tremendous asset as we look to grow our operations in central New Mexico." Steel has more than twenty years of banking experience and has served clients throughout the western United States. Most recently, Steel served as a Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking with Bank of the West in Albuquerque and has also held several leadership positions in commercial banking with US Bank in Utah and Idaho. Steel is assembling a team of well-established Albuquerque bankers. A few of the familiar faces on the Albuquerque Irwin Union Bank team include Elizabeth Allbright and Mary Wiederholt, Senior Commercial Lenders. Allbright and Wiederholt each possess more than twenty years of banking industry experience with specialized expertise in commercial lending. In addition, Linda Lyle has joined the staff as a Senior Deposit Relationship Manager. Lyle also has served in the banking industry for more than twenty years and has a wealth of experience in offering cash management services to her clients. As an alternative to traditional banking, clients of Irwin Union Bank can expect local decision making and highly personalized service from experienced professionals with intimate knowledge of the Albuquerque community. As Steel explains, "We intend to make it easy for our business owners, professional clients and consumers to bank with us by providing exceptional client service and convenient products like remote deposit capture that will save our customers time and money." By opening a new office, Irwin Union Bank, a financial institution with roots tracing back 135 years, is making a significant investment in the Albuquerque community. "We believe our strategy of delivering highly personalized financial services to consumers, business owners and professionals will pave the way for the Bank's growth in the area," explains Steel. About Irwin Union Bank Irwin Union Bank and Trust Company and Irwin Union Bank, F.S.B. (http://www.irwinunion.com/ ) are wholly owned subsidiaries of Irwin Financial Corporation (NYSE:IFC) which is headquartered in Columbus, Indiana. Irwin Union Bank and Trust Company was founded in 1871, and today operates locally- managed banks in Indiana, Michigan, Utah, and Nevada. Irwin Union Bank, F.S.B. operates locally-managed banks in Arizona, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and California. Both companies specialize in providing a broad array of personalized financial services for the owner-operated business, entrepreneurial and professional markets. About Irwin Financial Irwin(R) Financial Corporation (http://www.irwinfinancial.com/ ) is a bank holding company with a history tracing to 1871. The Corporation, through its principal lines of business, provides a broad range of financial services to consumers and small businesses in selected markets in the United States and Canada. DATASOURCE: Irwin Union Bank, F.S.B. CONTACT: Chez Steel, Market President, Albuquerque, +1-505-563-5994, or Patrick Dolan, Communications, +1-317-237-1596, both of Irwin Union Bank Web site: http://www.irwinfinancial.com/ http://www.irwinunion.com/

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