Lorain National Bank Celebrates a Century of Serving the Community.

LORAIN, Ohio -- A century ago the forerunner of Lorain National Bank opened for business in a small office in downtown Lorain to serve the needs of the community. While dramatic changes have occurred over the past 100 years, Lorain National Bank's philosophy hasn't changed.

"We are still focused on being an independent community bank, serving the needs of individuals and businesses," explains Daniel E. Klimas, president and chief executive officer of Lorain National Bank.

The Lorain Banking Company -- forerunner of Lorain National Bank -- opened for business on December 1, 1905 amid the hustle and bustle of a community bursting at the seams. It was early in the 20th century and Lorain and the surrounding communities were booming. A group of energetic and visionary business leaders decided to create a bank that could keep pace with the rapid changes of this vibrant community.

In September of 1905, seven Lorainites met to draw up incorporation and the Lorain Banking Co. was born. It opened it doors on December 1 that year in a cramped first floor space at the corner of Broadway and Sixth Avenue in downtown Lorain, a location the bank would continue to operate from for more than 55 years.

In 1961, The Lorain Banking Company merged with The National Bank of Lorain and the combined company took the name Lorain National Bank. The merged bank set up headquarters in the National Bank of Lorain building at 457 Broadway, where it has been based for nearly 45 years.

"The strength of our company through the century has been and will remain its people - the associates of Lorain National Bank you have come to know and trust for your financial needs," said Klimas. "We thank those who served years ago as well as those who serve today and who have made Lorain National Bank a unique community asset."

Klimas and LNB associates take great pride in being one of only a handful of true community banks left in northern Ohio. "We are confident that the community bank focus we have relied upon for the past 100 years will serve our customers and the community well as we head into our second century."

"Just like those founding directors, the board of Lorain National Bank is just as committed to the notion of an independent community bank," said James R. Herrick, current chairman of the board of Lorain National Bank. "As we plan for the future, it is important for us to recognize the history and principles upon which this great institution was founded. We look forward to expanding our services to consumers and businesses and growing our presence in the area."

After its opening the bank grew and prospered, despite the devastation that heavily damaged the bank's building and the financial toll of the Great Depression.

By the mid-1950s Lorain County was growing and the Lorain Banking Company was growing right with it. In the early 1960s, the bank expanded to Vermilion and Amherst and later that decade opened new offices in Avon Lake and Oberlin.

In 1968, LNB was also one of the first banks in Northern Ohio to offer BankAmericard, one of the earliest credit cards available, and was among the first to install automated teller machines or ATMs, called MoneyMate.

Prior to the 1970s, Lorain banks rarely ventured south into Elyria and vice versa. That changed when LNB opened branches in Elyria in 1975 and 1979. LNB expanded into Cuyahoga County in the 1980s, adding branches in Olmsted Township and Westlake.

In the decade of the 1990s, LNB witnessed even stiffer competition from savings and loan associations and credit unions, which were granted expanded powers and multi-state banking and mortgage companies. To keep pace the bank expanded its offerings of commercial banking services, debit cards, online banking and brokerage services.

In early 2005, the Board of Directors of the Bank hired Klimas as president and chief executive officer. Klimas, a banking veteran and native Lorain Countian, quickly embraced the heritage of the bank.

About Lorain National Bank:

Lorain National Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of LNB Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq:LNBB), an $812.4 million financial holding company. Lorain National Bank provides a full spectrum of financial services, including full-service community banking, specializing in commercial, personal banking services, and investment and trust services. Lorain National Bank serves customers through 20 retail-banking centers and 24 ATMs in Lorain, eastern Erie and western Cuyahoga counties. For more information about Lorain National Bank and LNB Bancorp, Inc. and related products and services, please visit http://www.4lnb.com.