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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sterling Financial

Spokane-based Sterling Savings Bank and holding company Sterling Financial Corp. were founded in 1983 by William Zuppe and Harold Gilkey.

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Sterling is fighting for principal – and principle

A U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge will journey to Spokane in June to preside over a trial pitting Sterling Financial Corp. against the United States of America. By the time Judge Thomas Wheeler enters the courtroom, the case will be more than 16 years old. He will be the fourth Court of Claims judge to preside over the matter. He may not be the last.
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It’s a bullish time for banks

Area bankers say their businesses performed even better than they'd expected last year and are optimistic 2007 will turn into another good year. "I'm still very bullish on the economies in which we operate," said Curt Hecker, chief operating officer of Sandpoint-based Intermountain Community Bancorp. During his 11 years at the helm, Intermountain has grown from two branches to 19, with total assets of $882 million, he said. The bank-holding company operates under the Panhandle State Bank, Intermountain Community Bank and Magic Valley Banks banners. Each branch is designed to reflect the atmosphere of the small community in which it's based.
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Sterling sues ex-CEO of FirstBank NW

Sterling Financial Corp. is suing the former CEO of a bank it acquired last spring, accusing the man of securities fraud and violating a non-competitive agreement. Spokane-based Sterling claims that Clyde Conklin, the former president, chief executive and director of FirstBank NW Corp., violated a non-compete clause with FirstBank when he took a job at the Bank of Whitman and enticed employees and $4 million in commercial accounts away from the newly merged bank.

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Bert Caldwell: CEO Jones reflects on a Banner year

D. Michael Jones has seen Spokane and Spokane banking coming and going. Coming when he returned to Spokane 33 years ago to join Washington Bancshares Inc., the forerunner of Old National Bancorporation. He eventually became president of Old National, which was acquired by U.S. Bancorp in 1987.
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Community assets

Two decades ago a group of professionals hired to open the first Sterling Savings Bank, then called Sterling Savings Association, posed a tough question to their new boss, Chairman Harold Gilkey. What were his goals for total assets?
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Acquisition boosts Sterling Financial

SEATTLE — With its planned acquisition of Golf Savings Bank in Lynnwood, Spokane's Sterling Financial could vie to become the second-largest financial institution based in Washington. The combined company would have $8 billion in assets and 180 branches and loan offices spread across seven Western states.
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Banking on a good year

Buoyed by a banner 2005, several Inland Northwest banking executives say they're feeling almost as upbeat about business in 2006 — provided the Fed finally settles down. "If (interest) rates continue to increase, the economy will slow down some. But my sense is that the Fed is getting close to ending the rate increases," said Peter Stanton, third-generation chairman and president of Spokane-based Washington Trust Bank, with branches in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Utah.

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