Centrue Financial Hires Regional President for Kankakee KANKAKEE, Ill., Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Centrue Financial Corporation announced today that Michael A. O'Gorman has joined Centrue Bank as Regional President for its Kankakee market. On January 14, 2004, Mr. O'Gorman will succeed Carol Hoekstra, who will focus her efforts on Centrue's retail products and services. Mr. O'Gorman was most recently employed as the Community Bank President for National City Bank in Kankakee, Illinois. He has several years of commercial banking experience, including 11 years with Bank One. Mr. O'Gorman and his family live in the Kankakee area, where he is active within the community. "We are pleased to have Michael, a leader in the Kankakee community, joining the Centrue team," said Thomas A. Daiber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrue. "Mike's leadership will help us continue to expand our commercial banking business in the Kankakee region." Carol Hoekstra will assume the duties of Senior Vice President and focus her efforts on human resources, mortgage and consumer loan products, trust and brokerage services. "Centrue Bank has a long tradition of excellent customer service and superior retail products. It is in large part due to Carol and her team that Centrue Bank possesses these strengths," said Daiber. "I have enjoyed my experience as President of Centrue's Kankakee region," said Carol Hoekstra. "At the same time, I am excited by the prospect of taking on the role of further strengthening the bank's retail products and services. Michael has an excellent reputation in the local business community and I am pleased that he is joining Centrue." Centrue Financial Corporation and Centrue Bank are headquartered in Kankakee, Illinois, which is 60 miles south of downtown Chicago. The Bank operates eighteen branches in eight counties. Centrue Financial was formed through the merger of Kankakee Bancorp, Inc. and Aviston Financial Corporation on October 9, 2003. Centrue Bank has total assets of more than $600 million and over 190 employees. SPECIAL NOTE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This document (including information incorporated by reference) contains, and future oral and written statements of the Company and its management may contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of the company. Forward-looking statements, which may be based upon belies, expectations and assumptions of the Company's management and on information currently available to management, are generally identifiable by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should" or other similar expressions. Additionally, all statements in this document, including forward-looking statements, speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any statement in light of new information or future events. A number of factors, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in its forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, the following: (I) the strength of the local and national economy; (ii) the economic impact of September 11th; (iii) changes in state and federal laws, regulations and governmental policies concerning the Company's general business; (iv) changes in interest rates and prepayment rates of the Company's assets: (v) increased competition in the financial services sector and the inability to attract new customers; (vi) changes in technology and the ability to develop and maintain secure and reliable electronic systems; (vii) the loss of key executives or employees; (viii) changes in consumer spending; (ix) unexpected results of acquisitions; (x) unexpected outcomes of existing or new litigation involving the Company; and (xi) changes in accounting policies and practices. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Additional information concerning the Company and its business, including additional factors that could materially affect the Company's financial results, is included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. DATASOURCE: Centrue Financial Corporation CONTACT: Thomas A. Daiber, Chief Executive Officer, or James M. Lindstrom, Chief Financial Officer, both of Centrue Financial Corporation, +1-815-937-4440 Web site: http://www.kfs-bank.com/

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