Hispanic Business Magazine Names Union Bank of California One of Best Companies for the Employment of Hispanics.

LOS ANGELES -- Union Bank of California, N.A. was ranked as the No. 4 employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Business magazine in its September second annual list of "Top 50 Companies for Hispanics 2006."

Union Bank of California has more than a third of its branches in communities where ethnic minorities are the majority. Union Bank supports multiple Hispanic chambers of commerce and Hispanic-focused charitable organizations, and spent more than $16 million with Hispanic-owned businesses last year. In addition, the bank's Local Hero of the Year Awards program -- designed to recognize the contributions of community leaders during Hispanic Heritage Month -- is in its eleventh year in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Fresno.

Fifty-six percent of minorities comprise the bank's workforce, with 21 percent Hispanic, 26 percent Asian and 8 percent African American. Additionally, minorities make up nearly 39 percent of the bank's officials and managers.

"Diversity is one of our core values, so it's very gratifying to continue getting national recognition for doing what we feel is our responsibility as a company," said Paul Fearer, executive vice president and director of human resources for Union Bank. "We can only be truly successful by ensuring that our employees, consultants and suppliers reflect the communities we serve. This commitment will continue to be evident in all of our practices."

To maintain employment levels, Union Bank has a corporate diversity council, comprised of senior managers from all of the bank's business units. Additionally, Union Bank established the diverse markets administration in 1997 to cultivate business and to assist in recruiting in the African-American, Asian and Hispanic communities throughout California. The company's supplier diversity office proactively seeks minority and women-owned business enterprises to include them in bank-wide purchasing and contracting opportunities and to increase the amount of business conducted with those vendors.

Union Bank has received significant recognition for its diversity. In 1999, Union Bank topped Fortune's list as the nation's No. 1 employer for minorities and was ranked as the No. 1 bank for the next five consecutive years by the magazine. Union Bank also received the Opportunity 2000 Award, the U.S. Labor Department's highest honor presented to companies and organizations that go beyond legal requirements in hiring and promoting women, minorities, veterans and those with disabilities.

Based in San Francisco, UnionBanCal Corporation (NYSE:UB) is a bank holding company with assets of $50.8 billion at June 30, 2006. Its primary subsidiary, Union Bank of California, N.A., had 321 banking offices in California, Oregon and Washington, and 2 international offices at June 30, 2006. The company's Web site is located at www.unionbank.com.