Colleen Mageau Primary3

Northwestern Expands Mortgage Lending Team

TRAVERSE CITY, MICH., May 26, 2009 - Northwestern Bank, the largest independent community bank in northern Michigan, has announced the hiring of Colleen Mageau as a mortgage loan officer at the bank's downtown Traverse City Mortgage Center.

Colleen has more than six years of mortgage lending experience in the Grand Traverse area. Her responsibilities will include new and refinanced home mortgages and construction loan origination. Northwestern Bank now employs more than 50 mortgage team members in 28 offices.

Northwestern Bank was chartered in 1955 and is now the largest independent community bank in northern Michigan. A growing financial institution with $840 million in assets, the bank is one of the leading mortgage, consumer, and commercial lenders in the region. Northwestern offers complete banking, investment and trust, and employee benefit services from 28 offices throughout northern Lower Michigan. Northwestern Bank is well-known for its "I can do that!" approach to service, which empowers its people to make decisions on the spot to meet customer needs and exceed their expectations.

For further information, call (231) 941-6126 or e-mail cmageau@nwbank.com.