Regions Financial Corporation : Regions Financial Expands Specialized Industries Division

• Robert Daniel named group head and managing director of the Restaurant Banking group;
• Greg Jones named managing director of the Technology & Defense Banking group;
• Chris Rogers named managing director of the Healthcare Banking group;
• Specialized industries underwriting team expanded to support growth

Regions Financial (NYSE:RF) today announced it has hired three specialty bankers to join its Restaurant, Healthcare, and Technology & Defense Banking groups.

Robert Daniel has been named group head and managing director of the Restaurant Banking group in Atlanta, Ga. reporting to John Barton, specialized industries executive for Regions Bank. Daniel has more than 18 years of experience in restaurant banking, most recently with GE Capital Finance, where he served as senior vice president for sponsor coverage and sales manager for chain coverage; and Bank of America, where his positions included managing director of the restaurant finance group. Daniel is a graduate of Belmont University and holds his Certified Financial Planner designation.

Greg Jones has been named managing director of the Technology & Defense Banking group in Charlotte, N.C., reporting to David Sozio, group head and managing director. Jones will cover both the technology services and the defense/government services industry sectors. He brings 20 years of experience to Regions, previously holding leadership positions at Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo and Fennebresque & Company, where he most recently was head of the private capital advisory practice. Jones is a graduate of Davidson College and received an MBA from Dartmouth College.

Chris Rogers has been named managing director of the Healthcare Banking group in Nashville, Tenn., reporting to Brooks Hubbard, group head and managing director. Rogers brings experience from healthcare investment banking positions with Morgan Keegan, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Merrill Lynch and Cowen & Company. He is a graduate of Connecticut College with an MBA from Vanderbilt University.

"These industries are important growth engines for the U.S. economy, and companies in these sectors require financial products, services and expertise tailored to their specific needs in order to be successful," said John Barton, specialized industries executive at Regions Bank. "Robert, Greg and Chris bring a wealth of market knowledge and expertise that will benefit our clients and allow Regions to support more growing companies in the communities we serve."

During the first quarter of 2012, Regions also hired three new senior credit underwriters in the bank's Specialized Industries Credit group to provide market-specific credit and underwriting expertise to companies in specialized industries.

Todd Rousseau joined Regions in Atlanta, Ga. to support the Transportation Banking group. Rousseau has experience at SunTrust Bank where he served as a middle market associate banker, a corporate and investment banking underwriter and a commercial relationship manager.

Leo Bashinsky joined Regions in Birmingham, Ala. to support the Healthcare Banking group. Bashinsky has more than 20 years of banking experience, with more than 12 of those years in healthcare underwriting at several organizations including SouthTrust Bank and Medical Properties Trust.

Aliya Willis joined Regions in Atlanta, Ga. to support the Restaurant Banking group. Willis has more than eight years of experience at Bank of America where she served in several capacities, including more than five years as a credit products underwriter in the bank's restaurant group.

Since 2008 Regions has significantly expand its banking services for specialized industries, including Transportation, Restaurant, Technology & Defense, Healthcare, Energy and Transportation, with a focus on providing capital and advisory services to middle market companies in growing industry segments within the U.S. During the first quarter of 2012, Regions' total commercial and industrial loan commitments grew $872 million, or 3 percent linked quarter driven primarily by broad based geographic growth and continued momentum in specialized industries.

About Regions Financial Corporation

Regions Financial Corporation, with $128 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, mortgage, and insurance products and services. Regions serves customers in 16 states across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,700 banking offices and 2,100 ATMs. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

Regions Financial Corporation
Evelyn Mitchell, 205-264-4551

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