Sterling Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: STSA) is now operating all California locations as Argent Bank. Previously, Sterling Financial Corporation's California banking locations operated in the greater Los Angeles area as Commerce National Bank - which Sterling Financial Corporation acquired in October 2013 - and in Northern California and other parts of Southern California as Argent Bank. Today signifies the completion of the Commerce National Bank conversion process, unifying all California banking operations under the Argent Bank name.

"We are pleased to now have a single name to unite all of our California banking operations," said David DePillo, vice chairman of Sterling Financial. "A consistent, cohesive identity is valuable to help our teams deliver financial solutions to California customers."

For more information, please visit the BankWithArgent.com website, Argent Bank on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/ArgentBank or follow Argent Bank on Twitter @BankWithArgent.

About Argent Bank

Argent Bank is the California dba of Sterling Savings Bank, the principal operating subsidiary of Sterling Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:STSA) of Spokane, Washington. Sterling Savings Bank is a Washington state chartered and federally insured commercial bank that also does business as Sterling Bank in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Argent Bank offers banking products and services, mortgage lending, and trust and investment products to individuals, small businesses, corporations and other commercial organizations. As of June 30, 2013, Sterling Financial Corporation had assets of $9.98 billion and operated depository branches in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California. Visit Argent Bank's website at www.bankwithargent.com.

Argent Bank
Cara L. Coon, 509-626-5348
cara.coon@bankwithargent.com