Amegy Bank of Texas Again Recognized for 10 Years of Earnings Growth; Achieves Distinction for Fourth Year in a Row.

HOUSTON -- Amegy Bancorporation, Inc., parent of Amegy Bank N.A. (NASDAQ:ABNK), has been named to the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. Honor Roll for the fourth consecutive year for achieving 10 years of growth in earnings per share.

"This achievement results from the dedication and commitment of our more than 2,100 employees," said Paul B. Murphy, Jr., CEO of Amegy Bank of Texas. "We are honored to be recognized among the nation's best performing banks for the fourth consecutive year."

The KBW Honor Roll acknowledges financial institutions that have continually reported increases in earnings per share regardless of the banking environment in the last decade. Thirty-seven companies in the United States posted a record that enabled them to be included on the Honor Roll. Amegy Bank of Texas had a median annual growth rate in earnings per share of 19.5 percent, compared to the Honor Roll average performance of 14 percent. From 1999 through 2004, Amegy Bank of Texas' stock price increased 19 percent. Amegy Bank of Texas was first named to the KBW Honor Roll in March 2002.

"The KBW Honor Roll highlights the industry leaders in terms of earnings consistency and growth in earning per share," noted Thomas B. Michaud, KBW Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer. "Over time, KBW's research has shown that KBW Honor Roll member stocks have typically outperformed the broad-based bank stock peer group."

Amegy Bancorporation Inc., the parent company of Amegy Bank N.A., is the largest independent bank holding company headquartered in Houston, Texas. The Company focuses on commercial lending, treasury management and investment services for businesses, private financial management and trust services for families and individuals, and retail and mortgage banking services. The Company, with $7.56 billion in assets, has more than 75 full-service branches located throughout the Houston and Dallas metropolitan areas.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain of the matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements for the purposes of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as such may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Southwest Bancorporation of Texas, Inc. (the "Company") to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The words "expect," "anticipated," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "estimate," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The Company's actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation (a) the effects of future economic conditions on the Company and its customers; (b) the costs and effects of litigation and of unexpected or adverse outcomes in such litigation; (c) governmental monetary and fiscal policies, as well as legislative and regulatory changes; (d) the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies, as well as the Financial Accounting Standards Board and other accounting standard setters; (e) the risks of changes in interest rates on the level and composition of deposits, loan demand, and the values of loan collateral, securities and interest rate protection agreements, as well as interest rate risks; (f) the effects of competition from other commercial banks, thrifts, mortgage banking firms, consumer finance companies, credit unions, securities brokerage firms, insurance companies, money market and other mutual funds and other financial institutions operating in the Company's market area and elsewhere, including institutions operating locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, together with such competitors offering banking products and services by mail, telephone, computer and the internet; (g) technological changes; (h) acquisition and integration of acquired businesses; (i) the failure of assumptions underlying the establishment of reserves for loan loses and estimations of values of collateral in various financial assets and liabilities; (j) acts of war or terrorism. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.