FREMONT, California - November 14, 2005 - The Fremont Bank Board of Directors is proud to announce that Alan Hyman will succeed his father, Morris Hyman, as Chairman, effective immediately.

The Board of Directors is unanimous in its sentiment that it is a privilege to have elected Alan Hyman to the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Fremont Bank as well as Fremont Bancorporation.

"In accepting the Chairman's gavel, and on behalf of the Hyman family and the associates of Fremont Bank, we eagerly rededicate ourselves to the principles of independent community banking," said the new Chairman Alan Hyman. "The bank has a sophisticated set of systems, services and staff that make us a premier financial institution," he added.

Hyman, 57, earned his BA in Economics from Stanford University. He began his tenure at the bank in 1974 after being honorably discharged from the US Army where he served during the Vietnam era in the Adjutant General's Department as a First Lieutenant. Hyman has been recognized as a leader, not only in Fremont, but also in the banking industry. He began the Mortgage Servicing Department at Fremont Bank and was instrumental in the creation of the Bank's "No Closing Costs" program. He served as a director on the California Bankers' Association Board and in 1996 became President and CEO of the Bank, advancing to Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2000.

In addition to banking, Hyman is involved with the community the Bank serves. Among his civic activities, he currently is president of the Boy Scouts of America San Francisco Bay Area Council and has been on the Board of Directors of the Holy Names College in Oakland for three years.

President and CEO Brad Anderson, one of the many home-grown executives at Fremont Bank, is confident that under Hyman's guidance the Bank will continue into the future with the unprecedented success it's had during the last 40 years.

"I initially began working for Alan when I started at Fremont Bank 25 years ago," says Anderson. "He is like his father in that he is analytical. He will look at all the intricacy of an issue and completely understand it before making a decision. And, Alan has a great understanding of the mortgage business."

Under the leadership of Alan Hyman, the bank is moving into the future with the creation of a new mortgage software program to give customers what they want quicker and more efficiently.

"We understand that the key to our future is to continue to evolve. Our strategic plan and vision for the future anticipates these changes," Hyman said.

This new software is one of many examples of Fremont Bank being on the cutting edge of the home mortgage business and successfully competing with the larger banks without ever losing its philosophy of serving the community.

"The passing of my father, with whom I worked for the better part of three decades, is a great loss," Hyman said, "It is a tribute to his leadership that he made sure the company he left behind is financially healthy, staffed with experienced professionals, and fully equipped to prosper in the future. This is his legacy."

About Fremont Bank
Fremont Bank and its divisions are committed to providing its communities with high-quality, personalized banking services in convenient neighborhood locations. Fremont Bank has built a reputation as one of the most progressive community banks in California.

Fremont Bank was founded in 1964 on the cornerstone value that continues to fuel its success today: fast, friendly, honest service. Customers can still count on receiving this exceptional level of service - a rarity in today's marketplace. For more information, call (800) 743-INFO.

Press Contacts:
Laura Owen
Public Relations, Fremont Bank
Phone: (800) 743-INFO
Email: PublicRelations@fremontbank.com