press release1

For Immediate Release

Thursday, March 1, 2001

Contact: Donna Bernard
Vice President & Informational Services Officer
318-251-5813
1.800.375.4646
dbernard@trustcola.com

Ruston, LA — The Trust Company of Louisiana has a new name—Argent Financial Group, Inc.

The common French term for “money”, Argent creates a name that more accurately reflects the complete line of financial services offered by The Trust Company. Argent allows for broader geographic expansion while honoring The Trust Company’s Louisiana heritage. The change was announced from company headquarters in Ruston on Thursday, March 1, 2001.

“Our company has grown over the last ten years to provide a wide array of financial services,” said Kyle McDonald, President and CEO. “In addition to our core trust services, we also provide investment management, securities brokerage and financial planning. We have also expanded geographically. Our services are now offered by affiliates in Wisconsin, Texas, Arkansas, Oregon and Florida,” he added. “Argent Financial Group, Inc. reflects our full line of service while it eliminates geographical limitations.”

The Trust Company of Louisiana was formed from the Trust Department of Ruston State Bank in 1990. In 1991, a management-led group of employees and individual investors purchased The Trust Company. The majority of those initial stockholders are still employees of Argent Financial Group, Inc.

The process of adopting Argent as a new corporate name took several months to complete. In July 2000, Argent Financial Group, Inc. was formed as the new holding company for The Trust Company of Louisiana.

In November 2000, The Trust Company of Louisiana converted its Louisiana state bank charter for a limited national bank charter issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. This new charter is named “National Independent Trust Company.” The Trust Company of Louisiana will continue its trust business in Louisiana as Argent Trust Company of Louisiana, a division of National Independent Trust Company.

Each of The Trust Company subsidiaries have also been renamed:

TCL Securities, Inc. is now Argent Investment Services, Inc.

TCL Capital Management, Inc. is now Argent Capital Management, Inc.

TCL Advisors, Inc. is now Argent Advisors, Inc.

TCL Financial Services, Inc. is now Argent Insurance Services, Inc.

“This is an exciting time for our staff as we continue to reach new levels of service,” McDonald said. “We attribute our tremendous growth over the last ten years to the superb personal service offered by our staff. It is because of these outstanding staff members that these new avenues have opened.”

Argent Financial Group, Inc. consolidated revenue for 2000 was over $7,175,000. Trust assets now exceed $800,000,000.

Total employment began with a staff of fourteen and now exceeds eighty with an annual payroll of $5,000,000.

Argent Financial Group, Inc., headquartered in Ruston, serves as the holding company for Argent Investment Services, Inc., Argent Advisors, Inc.; Argent Capital Management, Inc., Argent Insurance Services and National Independent Trust Company.

National Independent Trust Company has operating divisions in five separate states: Argent Trust in Louisiana and Texas, Vigil Trust in Wisconsin, Balliet Trust in Florida, Community First Trust Company of Arkansas, and Allen Trust Company in Oregon.

Argent Financial Group, Inc. was formed in 1990 as The Trust Company of Louisiana. Argent Financial Group remains employee owned and operated and has no institutional stockholders. Management and ownership have remained virtually unchanged since 1991.