Umpqua Bank, a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ:UMPQ), has launched a new business banking division to focus on augmenting its lending to small and mid-sized companies throughout Umpqua's footprint. The division will have special teams in place in key metropolitan markets including Eugene and Portland, Ore., Seattle, Wash., the San Francisco Bay area and Sacramento, Calif.

To lead this new venture, Umpqua has promoted Tim Jones to executive vice president and commercial regional manager. Jones will oversee Umpqua's business lending activities, including the expansion of loan products and portfolios. He brings more than 25 years of banking experience with an emphasis on commercial banking.

?Small businesses are at the heart of our local communities, and are also an essential source of the innovation and creativity that is so critical to our national economy,? said Cort O'Haver, Umpqua Bank's executive vice president of commercial banking. ?As a community bank, Umpqua Bank recognizes the important role business plays in the communities we serve. This new division will provide companies throughout Umpqua's footprint with the expertise they need to grow and succeed.?

Through Umpqua's business banking division, business owners can apply for loans to be used for working capital, business expansion, leasehold improvements, equipment purchases, and other general business expenditures. For more information about the division or to find a nearby location, visit www.umpquabank.com.

About Umpqua Bank

Umpqua Bank, headquartered in Roseburg, Ore., is a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:UMPQ) and has 184 locations between San Francisco and Seattle, along the Oregon and Northern California Coast, and in Central Oregon and Northern Nevada. Umpqua Bank has been recognized for its innovative customer experience and banking strategy by national publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Fast Company and CNBC. The company has been recognized for the past five years in a row on FORTUNE magazine's list of the country's ?100 Best Companies To Work For.? Umpqua Holdings also owns a retail brokerage subsidiary, Umpqua Investments Inc., which offers services through Umpqua Bank stores and in dedicated offices throughout Oregon. Umpqua's Private Bank Division serves high net worth individuals and non-profits providing customized financial solutions and offerings. Umpqua Holdings Corporation is headquartered in Portland, Ore. For more information, visit http://www.umpquabank.com.

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