First Western Financial, Inc. One of Inc. 500's Fastest Growing Private Companies in America

DENVER, CO--(Marketwire - August 25, 2008) - First Western Financial, Inc. announced today it has been ranked 382 in Inc. magazine's Inc. 500 list of fastest growing, privately held companies in the United States. First Western, the holding company of First Western Trust Bank (www.fwtb.com) -- the premier private bank for the western wealth management client -- is the only one on the Inc. 500 list providing banking services. The firm also ranked as the 6th fastest growing company in Denver.

First Western, which has more than doubled its assets under management in recent months, saw revenues jump 791.2% from 2004 to 2007, growing from $1.7 million to more than $14.8 million.

"It is an honor to be recognized and a true validation of our long-term business strategy, which is to be the best private bank in the West," said Scott Wylie, founder and CEO of First Western. "Our success in achieving exceptional client satisfaction is the direct result of the passion, creativity and hard work of each First Western team member."

To be eligible for the 2008 Inc. 500 list, companies had to be U.S.-based, privately held, and not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies. They must have been founded and generating revenue by the first week of 2004 through the end of the 2007 calendar year and therefore able to show four full calendar years of sales.

As of June 30, First Western had $330 million in consolidated assets and $2.8 billion assets under management for clients. The firm has over 200 individual shareholders and a total of 140 associates at banks in Denver, Boulder, Cherry Creek, and Fort Collins. New banks will open in DTC | Cherry Hills and Scottsdale, Arizona, later this year, providing clients with fully integrated wealth management solutions. First Western also established an office in Century City, in the heart of Los Angeles, California in mid-2008.

About First Western Financial, Inc.

First Western Financial, Inc., the holding company of First Western Trust Bank, integrates private banking and investment management services for all the bank's offices. With $2.8 billion currently in Affiliate assets under management, First Western fields a team of experienced professionals to serve the needs of the entrepreneurial spirit of the West. First Western Financial has offices in Colorado, Arizona, and California. For more information, please visit www.fwtb.com or call 303-531-8100.

Contact Information: For more information, please contact: Rebecca Wilson Macsovits First Western Trust Bank (303) 531-8100 Morrison Shafroth Communications Strategy Group (720) 470-3653