Sterling National Bank Expands New York Metro Market With 11 New Banking Professionals

MONTEBELLO, NY--(Marketwired - Mar 25, 2014) - Sterling National Bank, the principal subsidiary of Sterling Bancorp (NYSE: STL), announced 11 new additions to the New York Metro Market team as part of the bank's ongoing efforts to invest in high-growth areas and expand its ability to deliver a broad range of products and services to its clients. The new hires will be divided among Sterling's locations throughout New York City, Westchester County, Long Island and New Jersey.

"We are strategically focused on expanding our company through the hiring of high quality professionals," said Jack L. Kopnisky, President and CEO of Sterling National Bank. "This group of experienced banking professionals will expand our delivery of high-value, client-focused solutions to a broader client base. We are excited to have them on board."

Sterling now has 21 relationship teams serving the greater New York metropolitan area, including 75 managing directors, each of whom acts as a relationship manager, the single point of contact for clients. The relationship manager is key to Sterling's team-based approach by developing customized solutions that meet each client's unique needs and coordinating various disciplines to streamline the banking process.

"We think these new hires reflect our collaborative, team-based approach and they will help us continue to deliver the high level of personalized service that our clients have come to expect from us," said David Bagatelle, President of NY Metro Markets. "Each of these professionals has the experience to add value to our growing team and our clients."

The new hires are listed below by region:

• New York City
  • Wallace Lynch - Managing Director. Wallace was previously a Vice President and Relationship Manager at TriState Capital Bank, where he worked closely with family offices, wealth advisors, broker/dealers and high net worth individuals.
  • Thomas Mulhall - Managing Director. Thomas was previously a Vice President and Team Leader at Metropolitan National Bank, where he originated and closed more than 500 loans.
  • Ovie Idise - Associate Managing Director. Ovie was previously a Vice President and Senior Manager at Capital One Bank, where he was responsible for evaluating credit risk and underwriting commercial and consumer loan requests.
  • Harry Prassakos - Market Credit Director. Harry was previously a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Sun National Bank, where he structured, analyzed and underwrote the bank's largest middle market commercial credit transactions.
• Westchester
  • Zac Collins - Managing Director. Zac was formerly a Vice President and Partner at Valens Capital where he transacted over $200 million of senior secured debt facilities. Prior to Valens Capital, he managed Mellon Bank's $550 million middle market leveraged loan portfolio and a $63 million portfolio of investments in private equity sponsor funds.
• Long Island
  • Peter Raymond - Senior Managing Director. Peter was previously a Commercial/Professional Banking Director at The Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh, where he helped maximize revenues, oversaw banking transactions and managed banking relationships with high net worth individuals on Long Island and in Manhattan.
  • Fred Forgione - Senior Managing Director. Fred was previously a Senior Vice President of Private Banking at Capital One Bank, where he developed a large portfolio in deposits and in loans, lines and mortgages.
  • Pin Lee - Senior Client Associate. Pin was previously a Client Sales and Service Officer at Bank of America Private Wealth Management, where she assisted the top Private Client Advisor and Trust Officer with managing high net worth client relationships and handled all aspects of the loan origination and renewal process.
• New Jersey
  • Daniel Conway - Senior Managing Director. Daniel was previously a Vice President and Team Leader at Fulton Bank, where he managed a team of four commercial lenders.
  • Ted Christian - Associate Managing Director. Ted was previously a Vice President and Business Development Officer at Lakeland Bank, where he was responsible for the introduction of new lending, deposit and wealth management relationships to the bank.
  • Conor Graynor - Associate Managing Director. Conor was previously a Vice President of the Commercial Banking Group at Fulton Bank, where he assisted lenders in negotiating and structuring complex finance lending relationships.

About Sterling National Bank
Sterling National Bank, the principal subsidiary of Sterling Bancorp, specializes in the delivery of service and solutions to business owners, their families, and consumers in communities within the greater New York City area through teams of dedicated and experienced relationship managers. Sterling National Bank offers a complete line of commercial, business, and consumer banking products and services. For more information, visit www.snb.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may concern Sterling's current expectations about its future results, plans, operations and prospects and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including inflation; the effects of, and changes in, trade; changes in asset quality and credit risk; introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives; capital management activities; customer disintermediation; and the success of Sterling at managing these risks. Other factors that could cause Sterling's actual results to differ from those indicated in forward-looking statements are included in the "Risk Factors" section of Sterling's securities filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included herein are only made as of the date hereof, and Sterling specifically disclaims any obligation to update these statements in the future.