News Releases

Emilia DiMenco Named the Financial Services Champion of the Year by the Small Business Administration

CHICAGO, July 9, 2007 – Harris is pleased to announce that Emilia DiMenco, executive vice president of Business Banking, has been named the Financial Services Champion of the Year by the Small Business Administration, recognizing her leadership in Harris’ growth initiatives and market develop ment for women, minority and small business owners. DiMenco was presented this honor at the 44 th Annual Illinois Small Business Week Awards held Wednesday, June 27, in Chicago.

In her role, DiMenco leads a team of business banking professionals at Harris who specialize in working to provide access to capital for minority, women-owned and other small businesses. She also has direct responsibility for the oversight and growth of alternative capital sources and government programs. Her driving principal is to address the needs and provide financial services and new initiatives to the business community to help ensure that small businesses have the financial help they need to be successful.

“I am truly honored to be recognized and accept this award on behalf of all my Harris colleagues,” said DiMenco. “This award means so much because we are being recognized for doing the right thing, working hand-in-hand with the SBA to support the creation and growth of small business – the very engine of our economy.”

DiMenco joined Harris in 1980 and has held relationship management and leadership positions in Corporate Banking, Capital Markets, Corporate Cash Mangement, Business Banking and Marketing. DiMenco actively contributes to the community through various boards. She is a Board member of the Women’s Business Development Center and chaired its 2006 20 th Anniversary Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference; Board Member and a Co-Chair of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago and its 2006 and 2007 Leader Luncheon. She is a member of the Chicago Finance Exchange, an organization of top female financial leaders in Chicago; the Union League Club Admissions Committee; the Business Advisory Council for the College of Business Administration at University of Illinois at Chicago; Consumer Bankers Association Small Business Committee; Board Member of the Harris Bank Foundation; Regional Lifetime Friend of the Boardroom Bound Organization; School Distr ict 181 Foundation and the Sister to Sister Foundation’s Community Council.

She earned both her bachelor’s of Finance and master’s of Finance at DePaul University and studied International Finance at Loyola University’s Rome Center.

In the past year, Harris provided millions of dollars and thousands of hours of support to more than 1,700 organizations, groups and causes and supports many small business advocacy groups and organizations such as:

• University of Chicago Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship
• Women’s Business Development Center
• DePaul University Coleman Entrepreneurship Center
• Chicago City Treasurer’s Business Plan Competition
• Crain’s Chicago Business Small Business forum and Entrepreneur’s Luncheon
• ACCION Chicago
• SCORE
• The Entrepreneur’s Source
• Entrepreneurship at College of DuPage
• Chicago Business Opportunity Fair

Harris is a preferred SBA lender and is committed to small business development programs and organizations throughout the bank’s footprint in Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.

About Harris
Harris is an integrated financial service organization providing more than 1 million personal, business and corporate clients with banking, lending, investing and wealth management solutions. The organization is a member of the BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), which also provides corporate and investment banking services in the U.S. under the BMO Capital Markets name.

Harris^® is a trade name used by various financial service subsidiaries of Harris Financial Corp. Banking products and services are provided by Harris N.A., The Harris Bank, N.A. and their bank affiliates. Members FDIC.

Brokerage products are offered through Harris Investor Services, Inc. (HIS), a registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, and SEC registered investment adviser. Insurance and annuities are offered through Harris Bancorp Insurance Services, Inc. (HBIS). Securities are provided by BMO Capital Markets Corp. (BMOCM), a registered broker dealer and member NYSE, FINRA and SIPC. HIS, HBIS and BMOCM are affiliated companies and are wholly owned subsidiaries of Harris Financial Corp. Products offered by HIS, HBIS and BMOCM are Not Insured by the FDIC or any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit of or Guaranteed by Any Bank or Bank Affiliate, May Lose Value. The purchase of insurance or an annuity is not a condition to any bank loan or service. Financial planning and investment advisory services are provided by Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc., an SEC registered investment adviser. Family Office Services are provided by Harris myCFO, Inc. Investment advisory services are offered by Harris myCFO Investment Advisory Services LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Harris myCFO, Inc. Not all products and services are offered in every state and/or location.