OCEAN BANK PARTICIPATES IN GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY
OF THE NEW COLLEGE OF
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

MIAMI, Fla. –(December 8, 2005) – Joyce J. Elam, Executive Dean of Florida International University’s College of Business Administration (CBA) and Jose de la Torre, Dean of the CBA’s Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. Graduate School of Business, philanthropist Kirk Landon and Ocean Bank President and Chief Executive Officer, José A. Concepción, recently participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the new College of Business Administration at Florida International University.

Ocean Bank was recognized during the ceremony for the Bank’s $1 million contribution, which will be used to build the auditorium in the CBA’s new building complex. This is the largest single donation to date made by Ocean Bank and reinforces its commitment to supporting education within the local community. In recognition of this gift, the auditorium will be named in honor of Ocean Bank.

“We are delighted to be here today at this groundbreaking ceremony and are eager to see the new building completed. Ocean Bank is a true hometown bank and FIU serves our hometown in so many important ways,” said Concepción. “For more than 22 years, Ocean Bank has embraced education as one of the most important causes in this community and we are delighted to forge this public-private partnership that will make an impact on the education of generations to come.”

According to Elam, as a result of dwindling public funding and the ever-growing population it serves, the CBA relies increasingly on corporate gifts to make further expansion and development possible.

“This generous gift from Ocean Bank is significant in many ways,” de la Torre said. “It is the largest corporate donation the CBA has received for its graduate school. The support of businesses and organizations in the local community we serve is invaluable.”

In addition to this $1 million gift, Ocean Bank has long been a valuable benefactor of FIU as the bank is a sponsor of the university’s Football Founders program and has been a member of the University’s Council of 100 since 1995.

“We’re ecstatic that our relationship with Ocean Bank continues to grow,” said Maidique. “This partnership has contributed to the overall success of the University, and we’re so pleased with what this latest show of support will mean for the College of Business Administration.”

Chartered in 1982, Ocean Bank operates a network of 21 branches throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties. It is recognized as a leader in fueling South Florida’s economic growth by providing its customers with quality financial products like commercial real estate lending, corporate lending and small business lending all of which have attributed to growth and new employment opportunities in our community. With more than $5 billion in assets and $4.6 billion in deposits, Ocean Bank is a true local bank that reinvests 100 percent of local and foreign deposits in South Florida. It has received numerous recognitions for its support of local charitable organizations and for its commitment to helping those who are most in need.

Florida International University’s College of Business Administration, South Florida’s business education leader with unique expertise in international business, entrepreneurship, and information technology (IT), is the largest of FIU’s professional schools. Annually, it enrolls approximately 3,400 students in its undergraduate business programs and more than 1,100 graduate students in its Chapman Graduate School of Business. It also is South Florida’s top-rated business research school and one of only 452 business schools in the world accredited by the AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The College ranks in the top 10 among these schools in the number of students it graduates each year, and the College’s Chapman School offers the 6th- largest part-time MBA program among them. U.S. News & World Report (2004) ranked the College’s undergraduate international business program 14th in the nation. Business Week (October 21, 2002) ranked it among the best in the U.S., placing it in the group with American, Fordham, George Washington, South Carolina, Syracuse, Rutgers, Tulane, and others. The August 15, 2003 issue of America Economia, a premier pan-regional business journal, rated it among the top 50 international MBA schools for Latin American students. Hispanic Business (March 2002) ranked the CBA among the top five business schools for Hispanics. The College also is one of only 30 business schools to have received a Department of Education grant to establish and support an international business center. Hispanic Trends (Summer 2003) ranked the College in its list of the Top 25 MBA programs for Hispanics. The CBA, which was featured among other leading MBA programs, was the only school in Florida to be included in the publication’s ranking.