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Bank of the West Launches Choice ATM Checking Account

"Choice ATM Checking is an invitation for new customers to come to Bank of the West and experience our excellent service and relationship-banking approach, while enjoying convenient access to cash at any ATM," said Andy Harmening, senior executive vice president and head of the Regional Banking Group at Bank of the West, which was ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Retail Banks in the West Two Years in a Row" by J.D. Power and Associates in 2008 and 2009.

For new consumer checking customers who open a Choice ATM Checking account, Bank of the West will waive its standard fee for using another bank's ATM to withdraw cash and also refund surcharges assessed by other financial institutions for one full year. The product is currently available in California, Colorado, Nevada and Oregon and in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

"Bank of the West has always focused on superior service that responds to our customers' needs, so it is no coincidence that we are waiving ATM fees at a time when consumers are looking to reduce expenses," Harmening said. "We encourage consumers to visit a Bank of the West branch for details."

Customer-friendly policies and practices

The launch of Choice ATM Checking follows Bank of the West's announcement in early January that it would help customers reduce their banking expenses by eliminating overdraft fees when customers overdraw their accounts by $5 or less, and charging no more than four overdraft fees per day. These overdraft policy changes, which reflect Bank of the West's commitment to customer service, will take effect in the second quarter.

About Bank of the West: Based in San Francisco, $64 billion-asset Bank of the West (www.bankofthewest.com) offers a full range of business, corporate, personal, trust and international banking services. The Bank operates more than 700 branch locations and commercial banking offices in 19 Western and Midwestern states. In 2009, for the second consecutive year, Bank of the West was ranked the highest in customer satisfaction among retail banks in the West by J.D. Power and Associates. Bank of the West's holding company, BancWest Corporation, is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, among the six strongest banks in the world, according to Standard & Poor's.

Bank of the West received the highest numerical score among retail banks in the West (CA, OR, WA) region in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2008-2009 Retail Banking Satisfaction Studies^SM. 2009 Study based on a total of 28,570 responses measuring nine providers and measures opinions of consumers with their primary banking provider. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in January 2009. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

Bank of the West Corporate Communications
Jim Cole, 415-399-8268
Jim.cole@bankofthewest.com
or
Edelman PR
Pablo Rodriguez, 415-486-3267
Pablo.rodriguez@edelman.com