CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - Nov 10, 2011) - First Midwest Bank today announced that John Littrell has joined the bank as Group Senior Vice President, Asset Based Lending. In this pivotal role, Littrell will be responsible for developing and managing the bank's newly formed Asset Based Lending Group. The group will focus on middle market companies and asset-based opportunities in the metropolitan Chicago area as well as other Midwest markets contiguous to Illinois.

"In addition to his wide-ranging financial experiences, John's background will also give us expanded capabilities to manage our Commercial Banking portfolio and continue our high level of service to our clients," stated Victor Carapella, Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking Group Manager. "We look forward to John's leadership role in helping us expand our client base and build our future as the premier middle market bank in the Chicago metropolitan area."

Prior to joining First Midwest Bank, Littrell was the head of the Asset Based Lending Group at First Chicago Bank and Trust, where he spent the last 3 years. Prior to First Chicago, he held a senior managerial position in asset based lending at LaSalle Bank. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois and brings over 25 years of experience and knowledge in this specialized segment of the banking industry to First Midwest.

John Littrell can be reached at (773) 714-6234, via email at [ john.littrell@firstmidwest.com ] or at the First Midwest office located at 8501 W. Higgins in Chicago.

About First Midwest

First Midwest Bank, the wholly owned subsidiary of Itasca-based First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: [ FMBI ]) is the premier relationship-based banking franchise in the Chicagoland banking market with approximately $8.4 billion in assets. As one of the Chicago metropolitan area's largest independent bank holding companies, First Midwest provides the full range of business, retail banking and trust and investment management services through some 100 offices located in communities in metropolitan Chicago, northwest Indiana, central and western Illinois and eastern Iowa. First Midwest was recently recognized as having the "Highest Customer Satisfaction with Retail Banking in the Midwest" according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study(SM). The Bank is also recognized by the Chicago Tribune as one of the top 20 best places to work in Chicago among large employers.