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First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company, Raleigh, North Carolina, Assumes All of the Deposits of United Western Bank, Denver, Colorado

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2011
Media Contact:
Greg Hernandez (202) 898-6984
Cell: (202) 340-4922
Email: ghernandez@fdic.gov

United Western Bank, Denver, Colorado, was closed today by the Office of Thrift Supervision, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company, Raleigh, North Carolina, to assume all of the deposits of United Western Bank.

The eight branches of United Western Bank will reopen on Monday as branches of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company. Depositors of United Western Bank will automatically become depositors of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Customers of United Western Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company that it has completed systems changes to allow other First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of United Western Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.

As of September 30, 2010, United Western Bank had approximately $2.05 billion in total assets and $1.65 billion in total deposits. First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company did not pay the FDIC a premium for the deposits of United Western Bank. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company agreed to purchase essentially all of the assets.

The FDIC and First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company entered into a loss-share transaction on $1.11 billion of United Western Bank's assets. First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The loss-share transaction is projected to maximize returns on the assets covered by keeping them in the private sector. The transaction also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers. For more information on loss share, please visit: http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/lossshare/index.html.

Customers who have questions about today's transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at 1-800-405-8028. The phone number will be operational this evening until 9:00 p.m., Mountain Standard Time (MST); on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., MST; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., MST; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., MST. Interested parties also can visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/unitedwestern.html.

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $312.8 million. Compared to other alternatives, First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company's acquisition was the least costly resolution for the FDIC's DIF. United Western Bank is the seventh FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the first in Colorado. The last FDIC-insured institution closed in the state was Southern Colorado National Bank, Pueblo, on October 2, 2009.