Wells Fargo Commercial Banking Increases Focus on Illinois, Names Lisa Johnson Regional Head

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To satisfy the financial needs of more commercial customers in Illinois, Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) said today it has named Lisa N. Johnson as regional head for Commercial Banking in Illinois and southeast Wisconsin. She is based in Chicago and reports to Richard J. Kerbis, head of Commercial Banking’s Midwest Division.

“Continuing to expand these markets in particular is a big focus for Commercial Banking’s national strategy.”

Johnson, who led Wells Fargo Business Credit’s Central Region, will be responsible for building Wells Fargo Commercial Banking’s presence throughout Illinois and southeast Wisconsin while providing customers with the company’s full range of financial services. Wells Fargo employs 3,400 team members in Illinois and 1,400 in Southeast Wisconsin.

“Illinois and southeast Wisconsin are terrific markets for Wells Fargo because of the significant number of owner-operated middle-market customers,” said Kerbis, who leads a network of 18 Commercial Banking offices in nine Midwest states. “Continuing to expand these markets in particular is a big focus for Commercial Banking’s national strategy.”

Johnson began her 26-year commercial banking career with United Bank of Denver (now Wells Fargo) and moved into the asset-based lending group in 1990. After serving as a principal with UniRock Management Corp., a Denver-based investment banking firm, she rejoined Wells Fargo in 1998 as business development officer. She was named to head Wells Fargo Business Credit’s Strategic Resource Group in 2000. She was promoted to manager of Business Credit’s Central Region in 2007.

A resident of Oak Park, Ill., Johnson graduated cum laude from Baylor University with a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics. She is involved in many local organizations and served as president of the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association.

Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $1.2 trillion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through more than 10,000 stores and 12,000 ATMs and the internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo Commercial Banking has 95 offices in 41 states.

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