Press Releases

Looks Forward to Serving Benchmark Bank's Local Retail and Business Customers

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mitchell Feiger, president and CEO of MB Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBFI) announced that MBFI's subsidiary, Chicago-based MB Financial Bank, N.A., acquired certain deposits and loans of Aurora-based Benchmark Bank at the close of business today in a transaction facilitated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

"We understand that these are concerning times for bank customers and we are pleased to work with the FDIC to provide a safe and secure banking home for Benchmark Bank customers," says Feiger. "MB looks forward to serving the banking needs of Benchmark Bank's local retail and business customers. Customers can be assured that their deposits are safe and remain readily available to them," says Feiger. "MB has been providing banking services for nearly 100 years and has a healthy balance sheet and a strong capital and liquidity position."

Benchmark locations will reopen on Saturday, December 5, 2009 and operate as branches of MB Financial Bank. Customers should continue to bank as usual.

Based on financial data as of September 30, 2009, MB has assumed approximately $179 million of Benchmark Bank deposits, approximately $4 million of brokered deposits were not assumed. No deposit premium was paid on the assumed deposits. Assets were purchased at a discount of approximately $34.2 million and are subject to a loss-sharing agreement with the FDIC, whereby MB Financial Bank will share in losses on approximately $137 million of the assets acquired.

Customers who have questions about today's transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at 1.800.356.1848. The phone number will be operational this evening until 9 p.m., CT; on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., CT; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., CT; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., CT. Interested parties can also visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/benchmark-il.html.

MB Financial, Inc. will host a conference call at 9:00 a.m. CT on December 7, 2009. The number to call in the United States is 1.866.362.4829 (Passcode: 37048869). If this time is inconvenient, a digital recording will be available two hours after the conference from December 7, 2009 at noon to December 14, 2009 by dialing into 1.888.286.8010 in the United States (Passcode: 86114869) This call is being webcast and can be accessed via the company's web site at www.mbfinancial.com under Investor Relations.

MB Financial Bank is a locally-operated financial institution that has been delivering competitive personalized service for nearly 100 years to businesses and individuals who live and work in the Chicago metropolitan area. MB Financial Bank has more than $10 billion in assets and over 80 locations. Information about MB Financial can be found at www.mbfinancial.com.

Safe Harbor Statement: Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. By their nature, such statements are subject to numerous factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, as discussed in MB Financial Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Source: MB Financial, Inc.

NEW YORK, Dec. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Colorado State University's Board of Governors voted unanimously today to ban all firearms - concealed or not - on its campuses at Ft Collins and Pueblo. Colorado State was the only college in the state to allow concealed weapons on campus until today's landmark decision.

Andy Pelosi, the Director of the Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus said: "We applaud the decision by Colorado State University to ban firearms on campus. Today's decision puts Colorado State in line with other colleges in Colorado and nearly every major college nationwide.

"College campuses are among the safest environments for students - much safer than the communities that surround them. This is due in no small part to the fact that nearly all colleges and universities have adopted policies that severely restrict or prohibit firearms. We want to keep it that way."

Said John Johnson, outreach coordinator for the Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, "It takes courage to stand up to the gun lobby. But Americans support courage."

The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, is urging colleges and universities across the country to band together to oppose the gun lobby's agenda to push guns onto college campuses. Since the Campaign was launched just one year ago, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and more than 90 colleges and universities in 24 states have signed onto a resolution opposing legislation that would take away an educational institution's right to prohibit or adopt policies to regulate possession of firearms on campus.

View list at http://tinyurl.com/List-Guns-Off-Campus

The Colorado State decision comes at a time when America's colleges and universities are under attack from the gun lobby. Utah is the only state that prohibits its public colleges and universities from banning guns on campuses. Over the last two years, guns on campus bills similar to the Utah law have been introduced in at least 18 states.

SOURCE Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus

RIDGEWOOD, N.Y., Dec. 4, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- El rio me lo dijo, me lo dijo el rio is a collection of poems, fruits of exposure with nature, people, places and things. Some of them relate to experiences lived as a child growing up in the sixties in Puerto Rico. The Rio Grande de Loiza and its many messages to author Hilda Medina are still fresh in her mind. Others relate to the urban and different life of New York City, the people of this wonderful city, the changing weather from winter to spring to summer and finally to exotic autumn, and the admiration of the great people whom she owes so much.

Some pieces tell a story, others tell a joke, and many are deep and philosophical. These poems could be read aloud to children, but are not exclusive to them. Older children may be able to read, comprehend, and analyze some of the pieces that could lead to a dialogue about events, moments, and things that are part of everyday lives. This dialogue may be extended to parents and other adults as well.

The purpose of this collection is to stimulate children's imagination and to view poetry as a means to reach a level of sophistication. Using their senses to describe what they see, feel, smell and touch, to display their feelings and imagination, and to read, analyze and decide that they can put those feelings in writing, this allows them to establish an interior dialogue that brings their sensitivity to surface. El rio me lo dijo, me lo dijo el rio promotes this dialogue to gradually evolve and emerge from the bottom of the reader's heart.

This book will be featured in the California Library Association at San Diego, CA, on November 12, 2010. For more information on this book, log on to www.Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Hilda E. Medina was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Growing up on a farm exposed her to firsthand experiences of what it means to live in a simple rural life. Seeing neighbors helping and collaborating with each other during hard moments of their lives were some of the best lessons learned by Hilda, her siblings, and her cousins in El Barrio Carraizo. Visiting, bathing, and fishing in the Rio Grande de Loiza River was both exciting and challenging. The river had a voice, and witnessed a variety of circumstances that made the simplistic rural life exotic and unique. At the age of nineteen, she became an elementary school teacher in El Barrio Carraizo. She taught and at the same time learned a great deal by being part of those humble but exciting surroundings. Students seemed joyful when learning how to read and write, and poetry was always present in the daily lessons. A few years later, she completed a Masters in Education and worked as a school principal in Rio Piedras for several years. This urban setting, although interesting, had another set of needs. The role of teaching and learning continued to be challenging but inspirational. Schoolteachers knew that children needed to be engaged through poetry and other art strategies in order to motivate them to learn. Those were wonderful educators, committed to the mission of teaching and who went that extra mile to make a difference in children's lives. Upon coming to New York City, along with her two adorable children, their lives turned around meaningfully. So many wonderful people had inspired her and they are reflected in her poetry. After an early retirement, she has compiled some of her poems, and has dedicated it to those who still believe in the power of poetry. The voice of the river still reverberates in the heads of some: El rio me lo dijo, me lo dijo el rio, meaning "Let's find its voice inside us!"

      El rio me lo dijo, me lo dijo el rio * by Hilda E. Medina
                  Publication Date: October 28, 2009
         Trade Paperback; $15.99; 84 pages; 978-1-4415-8589-9
         Trade Hardback; $24.99; 84 pages; 978-1-4415-8590-5

Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7479. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7876.

CONTACT:  Xlibris
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CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ventas, Inc. (NYSE: VTR) ("Ventas" or the "Company") said today that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.5125 per share, payable in cash on December 30, 2009 to stockholders of record on December 16, 2009. The dividend is the fourth quarterly installment of the Company's $2.05 per share 2009 annual dividend.

This fourth quarterly installment of the Company's 2009 annual dividend will be included in stockholders' 2009 taxable income for income tax purposes.

Ventas, Inc., an S&P 500 company, is a leading healthcare real estate investment trust. Its diverse portfolio of properties located in 43 states and two Canadian provinces includes seniors housing communities, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, medical office buildings and other properties. More information about Ventas can be found on its website at www.ventasreit.com.

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding the Company's or its tenants', operators', managers' or borrowers' expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, funds from operations, dividends and dividend plans, financing plans, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, capital expenditures, competitive positions, acquisitions, investment opportunities, merger integration, growth opportunities, dispositions, expected lease income, continued qualification as a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), plans and objectives of management for future operations and statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will" and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and security holders must recognize that actual results may differ from the Company's expectations. The Company does not undertake a duty to update such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made.

The Company's actual future results and trends may differ materially depending on a variety of factors discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These factors include without limitation: (a) the ability and willingness of the Company's operators, tenants, borrowers, managers and other third parties to meet and/or perform their obligations under their respective contractual arrangements with the Company, including, in some cases, their obligations to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company from and against various claims, litigation and liabilities; (b) the ability of the Company's operators, tenants, borrowers and managers to maintain the financial strength and liquidity necessary to satisfy their respective obligations and liabilities to third parties, including without limitation obligations under their existing credit facilities and other indebtedness; (c) the Company's success in implementing its business strategy and the Company's ability to identify, underwrite, finance, consummate and integrate diversifying acquisitions or investments, including those in different asset types and outside the United States; (d) the nature and extent of future competition; (e) the extent of future or pending healthcare reform and regulation, including cost containment measures and changes in reimbursement policies, procedures and rates; (f) increases in the Company's cost of borrowing as a result of changes in interest rates and other factors; (g) the ability of the Company's operators and managers, as applicable, to deliver high quality services, to attract and retain qualified personnel and to attract residents and patients; (h) the results of litigation affecting the Company; (i) changes in general economic conditions and/or economic conditions in the markets in which the Company may, from time to time, compete, and the effect of those changes on the Company's revenues and its ability to access the capital markets or other sources of funds; (j) the Company's ability to pay down, refinance, restructure and/or extend its indebtedness as it becomes due; (k) the Company's ability and willingness to maintain its qualification as a REIT due to economic, market, legal, tax or other considerations; (l) final determination of the Company's taxable net income for the year ending December 31, 2009; (m) the ability and willingness of the Company's tenants to renew their leases with the Company upon expiration of the leases and the Company's ability to reposition its properties on the same or better terms in the event such leases expire and are not renewed by the Company's tenants or in the event the Company exercises its right to replace an existing tenant upon default; (n) risks associated with the Company's senior living operating portfolio, such as factors causing volatility in the Company's operating income and earnings generated by its properties, including without limitation national and regional economic conditions, costs of materials, energy, labor and services, employee benefit costs, insurance costs and professional and general liability claims, and the timely delivery of accurate property-level financial results for those properties; (o) the movement of U.S. and Canadian exchange rates; (p) year-over-year changes in the Consumer Price Index and the effect of those changes on the rent escalators, including the rent escalator for Master Lease 2 with Kindred, and the Company's earnings; (q) the Company's ability and the ability of its operators, tenants, borrowers and managers to obtain and maintain adequate liability and other insurance from reputable and financially stable providers; (r) the impact of increased operating costs and uninsured professional liability claims on the liquidity, financial condition and results of operations of the Company's operators, tenants, borrowers and managers, and the ability of the Company's operators, tenants, borrowers and managers to accurately estimate the magnitude of those claims; (s) the ability and willingness of the lenders under the Company's unsecured revolving credit facilities to fund, in whole or in part, borrowing requests made by the Company from time to time; (t) the impact of market or issuer events on the liquidity or value of the Company's investments in marketable securities; and (u) the impact of any financial, accounting, legal or regulatory issues that may affect the Company's major tenants, operators or managers. Many of these factors are beyond the control of the Company and its management.

    Source: Ventas, Inc.

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cinemark Holdings, Inc. ("Cinemark") (NYSE: CNK) today announced the pricing of the previously announced public offering of 2,325,545 shares of its common stock by certain affiliates of Quadrangle Capital Partners at a price to the public of $12.85 per share. The offering is expected to settle and close on December 9, 2009, subject to customary closing conditions. After the completion of this offering, the affiliates of Quadrangle Capital Partners will no longer hold any shares of Cinemark's common stock. Cinemark will not receive any proceeds from this sale of its common stock.

Barclays Capital Inc. is the sole underwriter of the offering. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus, copies of which may be obtained from: Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge, Integrated Distribution Services, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717; Barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com (phone: 888-603-5847). A copy of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus may also be obtained at no charge at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website, at www.sec.gov.

The shelf registration statement relating to the foregoing has previously been filed with, and declared effective by, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the shares of Cinemark's common stock or any other securities, nor will there be any sale of the shares of Cinemark's common stock or any other securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Additional Information for Investors

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The "forward-looking statements" include our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about our business and our industry. They include statements relating to future revenues, expenses and profitability, the future development and expected growth of our business, projected capital expenditures, attendance at movies generally or in any of the markets in which we operate, the number or diversity of popular movies released and our ability to successfully license and exhibit popular films, national and international growth in our industry, competition from other exhibitors and alternative forms of entertainment and determinations in lawsuits in which we are defendants. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "should," "could," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "expects," "future" and "intends" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. In evaluating forward-looking statements, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section or other sections in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 13, 2009 and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements and risk factors. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect our view only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation, other than as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Cinemark Holdings, Inc.

Headquartered in Plano, TX, Cinemark is the second largest motion picture exhibitor in the world in terms of both attendance and the number of screens in operation. As of September 30, 2009, Cinemark operates 426 theatres and 4,908 screens in 39 states in the United States and one Canadian province and internationally in 13 countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala. For more information go to www.cinemark.com.

    Source: Cinemark Holdings, Inc.