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To: jjs_ynot who wrote (4765)	4/20/1999 7:05:00 AM
From: AugustWest	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 20297

what's the cost of geographical loyality? InterWest Online Opens for Business OAK HARBOR, Wash., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- InterWest Bank, a $2 billion banking subsidiary of InterWest Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: IWBK - news) headquartered in Oak Harbor, Washington, is proud to introduce its ''no walls'' bank -- InterWest Online. ''Our 'internet bank' will bring InterWest's commitment to hometown banking with Northwest Style to markets literally all over the world,'' said Clark Donnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. ''Our customers now have access to the same outstanding line of products and services whether they live in Oak Harbor or are in the armed services stationed throughout the world,'' he added. The introduction of InterWest Online, now open at www.interwestbank.com, continues the company's tradition of pioneering new products in the financial industry. InterWest was the first in the country to offer adjustable rate mortgages and the first thrift to offer the Visa(TM) Gold credit card. InterWest partnered with Internet banking leader First Data Direct Banking for development of its transactional web site. Through the services of InterWest Online, customers can have unlimited balance and account activity inquiries, transfers between accounts, on-line bill paying, secure e-mail services between customers and our customer service department, the ability to download data to spreadsheets, and a unique stop payment feature. In addition, InterWest will be one of only several banks nationwide that will pilot the TransPoint Internet bill delivery and payment system later this year. With TransPoint, the Bank will enable its customers to receive and pay bills electronically. InterWest designed its web site with the Internet customer of today in mind, incorporating access to the information links they need for their every day lives, above and beyond just their financial data. Visitors have the ability to create their own individualized ''Personal Bank'' web page which allows them to access stock information, news, calculators, and links to personal interest web-sites that are important in their lives, as well as choosing the background and color scheme for ''their'' bank. ''InterWest Online was designed to provide our customers with 24-hour account access. InterWest Online serves our existing markets, and also supports our expansion throughout the Northwest. We have a goal of enrolling at least 10% of our checking customer base for online banking within the first year. With the advance of the Internet and proliferation of home PC's we could well be seeing 30% of our customers doing business online within just a couple of years,'' said Sue Riney, Product and Service Delivery Manager. ''We also anticipated the apprehension that some customers may have regarding the security of conducting business on the Internet. As a result, we've incorporated the highest level of security available on the web,'' she added. InterWest Online's customer information is protected at three levels. The First Data Direct Banking Data Center, where information is housed, is tornado proof, earthquake proof and even has its own backup power and water supplies. The data center is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week and Internet security is protected by ICSA, Inc. First Data Direct Banking was the first provider of Internet financial services to obtain independent certification of its web hosting capabilities. A unique method of assigning ''nicknames'' to the consumer's account minimizes the number of times actual account numbers are transmitted over the Internet Navigation through InterWest Online is easy, and it is also modeled after our 41 Hometown offices -- it is friendly AND FUN. It also projects InterWest's truly Northwest feel. The site is designed to capture the essence and good-times of the Northwest, so that our local customers feel ''at home'' and those in other parts of the world can see why we are called Washington's Hometown Bank. InterWest Bancorp conducts its financial service business through its banking subsidiaries: InterWest Bank, Pacific Northwest Bank and Kittitas Valley Bank, N.A. Pioneer National Bank was merged into Pacific Northwest Bank on January 22, 1999 and continues to operate under the Pioneer Bank name. The banking subsidiaries of InterWest Bancorp operate 55 branch offices in 16 counties throughout western and central Washington. A full range of non-traditional financial products are available through InterWest Financial Services Inc. and insurance products are provided through InterWest Insurance Agency, Inc., which are subsidiaries of InterWest Bank. SOURCE: InterWest Bancorp, Inc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More Quotes and News: Interwest Savings Bank (Nasdaq:IWBK - news) Related News Categories: banking, internet