BRIDGEVIEW BANK GROUP TO ACQUIRE MOKENA BANK
Acquisition of First East Side Savings Branch Enables Bridgeview to Extend Network to Southwest Chicago Suburbs

CHICAGO, April 2, 2003 – Bridgeview Bank Group and First East Side Savings Bank today announced they have signed a definitive agreement for Bridgeview to acquire the Mokena, Illinois branch of First East Side Savings Bank. Terms of the deal, which enables Bridgeview to extend its banking presence in the growing Southwest Chicago suburbs, have not been disclosed. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter.

First East Side was founded as a savings and loan association in 1920 in Chicago by William E. Raddatz, Sr. The bank is still family-owned and offers full-service personal and business banking services from locations in Chicago, Sunrise, Florida and Mokena. The Chicago and Sunrise locations will continue to operate independently as a part First East Side Savings Bank.

“We are thrilled to acquire First East Side’s Mokena branch and establish a Bridgeview presence in such a vibrant community as Mokena,” stated Peter J. Haleas, chairman of Bridgeview Bank Group. “This provides us a terrific opportunity to tap into one of the fastest growing areas in the Southwest suburbs, combining an expanding residential base with an economic climate ideally suited for developing new business. As a community bank ourselves, we look forward to building on the positive community banking infrastructure already established by First East Side, and in becoming active members of the Mokena and surrounding communities.”

“We are confident that both our Mokena customers and the community itself will be well served by Bridgeview Bank,” said Diane Raddatz, chairman and chief executive officer of First East Side Savings. “Bridgeview shares our commitment to community banking and the importance of establishing meaningful and long-term relationships with customers. For First East Side, this move enables us to concentrate on the development of our Sunrise location, which we opened in April 2000. We view this is a win-win-win situation, for First East Side, for our customers and for Mokena.”

First East Side is Bridgeview’s second acquisition in the past year, following the June 2003 acquisition of Uptown National Bank of Chicago. That acquisition enabled Bridgeview to expand its banking network with six new locations on the Near North Side of Chicago, and an additional two locations in the rapidly expanding metropolitan Phoenix market. According to Haleas, Bridgeview will continue to explore growth opportunities in key markets where the bank sees an opportunity to extend its entrepreneurial approach to community banking.

About Bridgeview Bank Group
Bridgeview Bank Group was founded in 1971 in Bridgeview, Illinois. Today, Bridgeview Bank operates more than 18 full-service banking and lending centers in Illinois and Arizona. The bank also operates Bridgeview Capital Solutions (www.bridgeviewcs.com), a nationwide rural business lending operation in Atlanta, Georgia; and AirBanker (www.airbanker.com) an aircraft financing, appraisal and consulting business in Sugar Grove, Illinois. To learn more about Bridgeview Bank Group, please visit www.bridgeviewbank.com. # # #