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PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 18, 2008

POHLAD FAMILY INCREASES INVESTMENT IN VALLEY, ADDS CAPITAL TO MERIDIAN BANK

PHOENIX - (July 18, 2008) - The Carl R. Pohlad family, owners of Meridian Bank, N.A. has added significant capital and taken other measures to strengthen and position Meridian Bank for additional, future growth. The investment reinforces Meridian's commitment to the Valley and positions the bank and its depositors for solid results and opportunities moving forward.

The Pohlad family of Minneapolis, Minn., which traces its roots in banking back to the 1940s, is one of the nation's preeminent banking families. Pohlad family holdings today include companies in the banking and financial services, business services, real estate investment banking, beverage, retail and entertainment industries, as well as ownership of the Major League Baseball Minnesota Twins.

The family's ownership provides distinct advantages to Meridian Bank, including direct access to capital and the backing of considerable resources. The actions taken by the Pohlad family include additional investments in Meridian and its parent company, Marquette Financial Companies (MFC) in the form of equity investments, loans and the purchase of real estate assets. Measures also include the transfer of underperforming assets to MFC and real estate investments to a family-owned company, which have reduced problem assets of Meridian Bank by 72% in the second quarter.

"These investments reflect the family's commitment to Meridian Bank and its operating subsidiaries, and confidence in management's ability to work through this difficult market," said Doug Hile, Meridian Bank Chairman and CEO. "Despite a difficult environment, Meridian Bank remains a well-capitalized bank with strong capital ratios, a solid balance sheet and manageable levels of non-performing assets. We are well-positioned to not only weather this industry-wide downturn but to emerge stronger and as resourceful as ever," Hile said. The recent infusion of capital will allow the bank to achieve better operational and financial results while allowing it to strategically position for new opportunities, he noted.

Founded in 1978, Meridian Bank marks its 30th anniversary this year. Through its strategic growth plan, the bank made a variety of acquisitions and investments, growing from $150 million in 2002 to $2.1 billion in 2008, with operating subsidiaries in Phoenix, Minneapolis, and other locations across the U.S.

Meridian Bank has a number of subsidiaries in the residential real estate construction and commercial finance industries that have been negatively impacted by the downturn in the economy and housing markets across the country. Meridian Bank has increased the reserves for loan losses and written down investments in construction real estate companies, resulting in a reported loss of ($42.8) million for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, compared to a loss of ($14.1) million in the first quarter of 2008. The write-downs of the investments in the construction lending businesses are non-cash charges that do not impact tangible capital levels.

With $2.1 billion in assets, Meridian Bank continues to be well capitalized by all industry definitions with $290 million of capital, even after the losses reported today. Parent company MFC is a $3 billion financial services company with $400 million of capital and a diversified portfolio of real estate investment banking, commercial finance and commercial banking businesses.

As a privately held entity, Meridian Bank does not typically release earnings and performance information. "Given the difficult market conditions facing the banking and financial services industries, we want to proactively communicate so that our customers and key constituents have the most accurate, timely information available," noted Hile.

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 17, 2008

NEWS: Meridian Bank Announces $115,000 2008 Giving Program for Local Charities; Applications Now Being Accepted

VALLEY BANK CONTINUES COMMUNITY GIVING DESPITE ECONOMY

Meridian Bank Now Accepting Applications For Up To $115,000 in Charitable Contribution; Deadline August 15

PHOENIX, AZ - JULY 17, 2008 - Despite nationwide economic concerns, at least one local bank is still giving back to the Valley in a big way.

Meridian Bank, which has had a Valley presence for some 30 years, is poised to donate more than $115,000 in grant money this year alone. The money will be earmarked for local charities. Last year, a sampling of the recipients included the City of Avondale, Gilbert Elementary School, the West Valley Fine Arts Council, Safe Haven, Inc. and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix. Grants ranged in size from $500-$10,000.

"We are thrilled to be able to give back to the people and the communities in which we do business," said Meridian Bank Chairman and CEO Doug Hile. "We recognize that, in a time where so many are experiencing financial strain, these funds are needed more than ever."

Meridian has been making charitable donations in the community since its founding but developed a formal grant application process three years ago.

Meridian Bank, a $2.1 billion diversified financial services organization, is part of Marquette Financial Companies (MFC). Both are owned by the Pohlad family, one of the country's most respected and deeply-rooted banking families. The Pohlads also own the Minnesota Twins major-league baseball team, among numerous other enterprises.

Combined, MFC and Meridian Bank give 5% of their pre-tax profits. Recipients of local grant contributions are determined by a local giving committee comprised solely by Phoenix-area Meridian employees. The grant program is just one of many ways the two organizations give back to the Phoenix community.

Meridian Bank has nine offices in and around the Phoenix area. They include Central Phoenix, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Southwest Valley, Glendale, Kierland, McDowell Mountain, Peoria and Wickenburg. To request an application for Meridian's 2008 charitable program giving please contact Aimee Martin at aimee.martin@meridianbank.com.

June 24, 2008
Arizona Republic
Russ Wiles

Dear Mr. Wiles,

I am quite troubled that you chose to write and publish an alarming story in your business section on June 20, 2008 regarding potential bank failures. I am further troubled by your decision to prominently list the bank that I manage to support your story. We are unaware of any attempt by you or any of your staff to contact us for any information.

Through our lending activities, Meridian Bank has been a stable and reliable source of funding for the construction industry across the United States for many years. We are proud of our service to the economic vitality of our communities through our support of this essential industry. Arizona is clearly a state where the support of financial service firms for real estate activities has been and will continue to be critical to the overall health of our regional economy.

The current challenges that the real estate sector faces are well documented. Banks link our that have participated in the lending to support development activities now must manage through this severe downturn and many will experience delinquencies and in some cases, losses. In normal times and in periods of expansion this type of lending is quite profitable and it is to be expected that a slower or contracting environment will put stress on a loan portfolio. Well-managed banks are aware of this and plan accordingly. The strength of the balance sheet, the management team, the capital resources and the commitment to the community are all important factors that banks evaluate every day, in all types of economic cycles to ensure that they can operate in a safe and sound fashion.

If you had talked with us, you would have learned about our extraordinary ownership support, our maintenance of capital well in excess of regulatory requirements, our history of exceptional financial performance and our unwavering commitment to this community. I have absolutely no concerns about the safety and soundness of our bank and I know of no other informed party that has any concerns about our safety and soundness. To the contrary, our customers, communities and employees count on us every day to be there, in good times and in challenging times. We will be there.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss this situation with you and provide full and detailed information so that you can report the full story to your public.

Sincerely,
/ W. Douglas Hile /

W. Douglas Hile
Chairman & CEO

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