Center Financial (NASDAQ:CLFCE)
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From Jul 2019 to Jul 2024
Center Financial Corporation (Nasdaq:CLFCE), the holding
company of Center Bank, today announced the opening of its newest
full-service branch office in Irvine, Calif. The company named Clara
H. Choe as manager of the Irvine Branch, Center Bank's 17th
full-service office, located at 14429 Culver Drive, Irvine, California
92604, telephone number 949-777-3777.
"We are excited to strengthen our network in the important
Southern California area as a premier provider of financial services
to the Korean-American and other ethnic business communities," said
(Paul) Seon-Hong Kim, president and chief executive officer of Center
Financial. "Our new branch in Irvine will serve a large and growing
marketplace small and mid-sized business owners, and we feel the
prospects for our newest full-service branch are strong.
"Managing our Irvine Branch is Clara H. Choe, who brings nearly
two decades of commercial banking experience in the U.S. and Korea to
Center Bank," Kim added. "Clara's experience in relationship
management banking encompasses a wide range of expertise, including
business development, credit risk analysis, branch administration,
loan production and cash management. We believe she will be a great
asset to our organization."
Clara Choe most recently served as a relationship manager, vice
president, at Mizuho Corporate Bank of California where she acquired
and developed loans and deposits of U.S. subsidiaries of large Korean
companies. Prior, Choe held various positions at Citigroup in Seoul,
Korea, ultimately becoming a relationship manager for corporate
banking and vice president. In Korea, Choe also worked at AT&T
Communications as director of sales and operations. Prior to her time
at AT&T, Choe was a supervisor of the consumer credit unit at
Citibank, also in Seoul. In the United States, Choe has worked in a
variety of capacities for both Chase Manhattan Bank and Wells Fargo
Bank.
Choe received her master of business administration from the
University of Southern California and her bachelor of arts in
economics from the University of California, Berkeley.
About Center Financial Corporation
Center Financial Corporation is the holding company of Center
Bank, a community bank offering a full range of financial services for
diverse ethnic and small business customers. Founded in 1986 and
specializing in commercial and SBA loans and trade finance products,
Center Bank has grown to be one of the nation's largest financial
institutions focusing on the Korean-American community, with total
assets of $1.6 billion at September 30, 2005. Headquartered in Los
Angeles, Center Bank operates 25 branch and loan production offices
across the nation. Of the company's 16 full-service branches, 14 are
located throughout Southern California, along with one branch each in
Chicago and Seattle. Center Bank's nine loan production offices are
strategically located in Phoenix, Seattle, Denver, Washington D.C.,
Las Vegas, Atlanta, Honolulu, Houston and Dallas. Center Bank is a
California state-chartered institution and member of the FDIC. For
additional information on Center Bank, visit the company's Web site at
www.centerbank.com.
This release may contain forward-looking statements, which are
included in accordance with the "safe harbor" provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and accordingly, the
cautionary statements contained in Center Financial Corp's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2004. (See
Business, and Management's Discussion and Analysis), and other filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by
reference. These factors include, but are not limited to: the
company's successful operation of the newly established Irvine Office;
the effect of interest rate and currency exchange fluctuations;
competition in the financial services market for both deposits and
loans; Center Financial's ability to efficiently incorporate
acquisitions into its operations; the ability of Center Financial and
its subsidiaries to increase its customer base; and regional and
general economic conditions. Actual results and performance in future
periods may be materially different from any future results or
performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this
release. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of
this release. Center Financial expressly disclaims any obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements found herein to
reflect any changes in the Company's expectations of results or any
change in events.