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SPOKANE, Wash.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--[ Sterling Financial Corporation ] (NASDAQ:STSA), (aSterlinga), announced today that President and Chief Executive Officer Greg Seibly and Chief Financial Officer Pat Rusnak will present at the D.A. Davidson & Co. Financial Services Conference in Seattle, Wash. on Wednesday, May 9, 2012.

Sterling is scheduled to present at 1:05 p.m. PDT. A link to the audio webcast and Sterlingas presentation will be available at [ www.sterlingfinancialcorporation-spokane.com ].

About Sterling Financial Corporation

[ Sterling Financial Corporation ] of Spokane, Wash., is the bank holding company for [ Sterling Savings Bank ], a Washington state chartered and federally insured commercial bank that operates under the following registered trade names: [ Sterling Bank ], First Independent Bank and [ Sonoma Bank ]. Sterling Savings Bank operates as Sonoma Bank only in the State of California. Sterling offers banking products and services, mortgage lending, and investment products to individuals, small businesses, commercial organizations and corporations. As of March 31, 2012, Sterling Financial Corporation had assets of $9.50 billion and operated 189 depository branches throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and California. Visit Sterlingas website at [ www.sterlingfinancialcorporation-spokane.com ].