Peter Welch Joins Sterling National Bank's Long Island Team

MONTEBELLO, N.Y., July 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sterling National Bank STL today announced that Peter Welch has joined the bank as Senior Managing Director and Senior Vice President in its Long Island office in Melville, New York. Welch will be reporting directly to Ed Blaskey, Executive Vice President and Long Island President at Sterling.

Peter Welch, as Senior Managing Director and Senior Vice President, Sterling National Bank

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e922d21-2f18-4eff-9e77-904c037c9011

Welch will focus on growing Sterling's commercial lending activities on Long Island by establishing new client relationships and expanding existing business. Sterling will continue to deepen its reach in the region by leveraging the team's deep expertise to deliver quality services to middle market commercial clients in various industry sectors.

Welch was most recently Senior Vice President at Capital One Bank, where he managed commercial real estate client relationships. Prior to Capital One, Welch served as Assistant Vice President at North Fork Bank, where he focused on providing financing solutions and deposit services to middle market clients in several industries. He also has held various positions at other financial institutions on Long Island throughout his career.

"We are thrilled to welcome Peter to our growing team," said Blaskey. "He brings over two decades of experience in meeting the financing needs of middle market clients across multiple industries, and has deep Long Island roots. I look forward to working closely with Peter to expand and grow our business in the area."

Welch received his Masters of Business Administration from Hofstra University, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from State University of New York at Buffalo.

About Sterling National Bank
Sterling Bancorp, of which the principal subsidiary is Sterling National Bank, specializes in the delivery of financial services and solutions for small to mid-size businesses and consumers within the communities we serve through a distinctive team-based delivery approach utilizing highly experienced, fully dedicated relationship managers. Sterling National Bank offers a complete line of commercial, business, and consumer banking products and services.  For more information, visit www.snb.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may concern Sterling's current expectations about its future results, plans, operations and prospects and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including inflation; the effects of, and changes in, trade; changes in asset quality and credit risk; introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives; capital management activities; customer disintermediation; and the success of Sterling at managing these risks. Other factors that could cause Sterling's actual results to differ from those indicated in forward-looking statements are included in the "Risk Factors" section of Sterling's securities filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included herein are only made as of the date hereof, and Sterling specifically disclaims any obligation to update these statements in the future.

STERLING NATIONAL BANK:

Linda Dunbar
First VP, Director of Corporate Communications 
845.369.8085