Western Sierra Bancorp Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

CAMERON PARK, Calif., March 21  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Western Sierra Bancorp (NASDAQ:WSBA) today announced that its board of directors has authorized a quarterly cash dividend of $0.12 per common share.  The dividend is payable on April 14, 2006 to shareholders of record as of March 31, 2006.

On February 7, 2007, Western Sierra entered into a definitive agreement with Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:UMPQ) pursuant to which Western Sierra and its bank subsidiaries will merge with Umpqua and Umpqua Bank. Under the terms of the agreement, Western Sierra Bancorp is permitted to pay cash dividends in the same per share amount and with the same record and payable dates as Umpqua.

Umpqua has also declared a quarterly cash divided of $0.12 per common share payable on April 14, 2006 to shareholders of record as of March 31, 2006.

The merger with Umpqua is subject to receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals, the transaction is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2006.

Western Sierra Bancorp is comprised of Western Sierra National Bank, Lake Community Bank, Central California Bank and Auburn Community Bank.  The Company operates thirty-two branches and four loan production facilities in the counties of El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Lake, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Calaveras, Amador, Contra Costa, Tuolumne and Butte. 

DATASOURCE: Western Sierra Bancorp



CONTACT:  Anthony J. Gould of Western Sierra Bancorp, [phone]



Web site:  http://www.westernsierrabancorp.com/ 

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