Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett Inc.

Mr. Martin provides the Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett equity research team with fundamental research on community banks and thrifts. He joined Howe Barnes in April 1998 from ABN AMRO where he was an associate analyst. In addition to his associations with Howe Barnes and ABN AMRO, Mr. Martin has prior professional experience with Everen Securities. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Finance from DePaul University, a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from DePaul University and is a CFA charter holder. Mr. Martin is a member of the CFA Institute and the Investment Analysts Society of Chicago.

Mr. Werner joined Howe Barnes in February 2003 as an analyst responsible for covering Midwest and Southeast banks and thrifts. Prior to joining Howe Barnes, Mr. Werner was an analyst at Tucker Anthony, Incorporated from 1997 to 2002, where he covered Midwest thrifts and specialized in mutual-to-stock thrift conversions. Prior to joining Tucker Anthony, he was an associate in the financial institutions group at Rodman and Renshaw, Inc. Mr. Werner earned the CFA designation in 1998 and is a member of the CFA Institute and the Investment Analyst Society of Chicago. Mr. Werner received a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Notre Dame.

Mr. Schramm has extensive experience in bank mergers and acquisitions, mutual-to-stock conversion appraisals, fixed income asset-backed financing, and business plans. His previous experience includes co-founding the Financial Institutions Group at Triangle Capital Partners, serving as Managing Director for the Trident Securities division of McDonald Investments where he was involved in numerous bank mergers and acquisitions, and consulting for Arthur Anderson & Co. where he worked with companies in the financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, distribution and utilities industries. Mr. Schramm received his Bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and an M.B.A. from Duke University. Mr. Schramm is an Accredited Senior Appraiser certified in business valuation by the American Society of Appraisers.

Thomas J. Maier is Chief Financial Officer at New Century Bank, a Chicago-based, full-service commercial bank. In this role, Maier oversees all of New Century Bank's financial management functions, including financial reporting, capital management and treasury operations. With more 32 years of accounting and capital markets experience, Maier most recently served as President of Elder Essex Capital, a Winnetka, Ill.-based investment banking firm. In this role, he was involved in 22 public and private equity transactions for banks and other financial companies raising $1.2 billion of common and preferred equity, 11 trust preferred securities transactions totaling $200 million and eight merger advisory assignments with an aggregate value of $300 million. Prior to Elder Essex, Maier was Managing Director of Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett, a Chicago-based brokerage firm. Maier has also held senior executive positions with Chicago-based corporations Everen Securities, The Chicago Corporation, First Colonial Bankshares and W.N. Lane Interfinancial. Maier, 59, earned his bachelor of arts in international politics from Princeton University and his master's degree in accounting from New York University Stern School of Business. He also is a graduate of the bank executive management program at Columbia University. Maier lives in Winnetka, Ill.