Hanmi Financial Corp. Names Randall G. Ewig as Chief Credit Officer

LOS ANGELES, May 30, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hanmi Financial Corporation (Nasdaq:HAFC) ("Hanmi"), the holding company for Hanmi Bank (the "Bank"), today announced that Randall G. Ewig has joined Hanmi and the Bank as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer ("CCO"). As the CCO, he will be responsible for the overall quality of the Bank's loan portfolio. All of the credit administrative departments, including loan operations, will report to Mr. Ewig.

"Randall has enjoyed a highly successful career in banking, which includes over 20 years of experience in various senior level credit administrative positions with major banks on the West Coast," said C. G. Kum, President and Chief Executive Officer. "As a veteran of some of the most prestigious banks, Randall has the skills to provide the leadership in credit administration to enable Hanmi to safely grow and to enter new markets."

Most recently, Mr. Ewig, as a Senior Vice President and Manager at HSBC Bank, was responsible for approval and asset quality of loans for HSBC Bank's western region and the state of Texas. Prior to HSBC Bank, he was a Senior Vice President and Credit Administrator at Sanwa Bank/Bank of the West where he was responsible for approving middle market business loans. He was also the Chief Credit Officer at Mercantile National Bank, a community bank that was based in Los Angeles, California.  Mr. Ewig earned his Masters of Business Administration in Finance and Bachelor of Arts in Economics degrees from the University of Southern California.

About Hanmi Financial Corporation

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Hanmi Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hanmi Financial Corporation, provides services to the multi-ethnic communities of California, with 27 full-service branch offices in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Diego counties, and loan production offices in Texas and Washington State. Hanmi Bank specializes in commercial, SBA and trade finance lending, and is a recognized community leader. Hanmi Bank's mission is to provide a full range of quality products and premier services to its customers and to maximize shareholder value. Additional information is available at www.hanmi.com.

CONTACT: Mark (Shick) Yoon
         EVP & Chief Financial Officer
         Direct Phone: 213-427-5636

Released May 30, 2014