For Immediate Release (April 11, 2000)

The U.S. bank that EPE represents in Turkey, WEBSTER BANK, has been chosen to receive the 2000 Small Business Bank of the Year award from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EX-Im Bank) for its successful contributions to the U.S. export effort. An Ex-Im Bank delegated authority lender since 1997, WEBSTER BANK will be honored at an awards ceremony at Ex-Im Bank's Annual Conference at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. on April 12-13.

"Webster Bank's intelligent use of Ex-Im Bank programs has provided millions of dollars in Ex-Im Bank-guaranteed financing and insurance to small businesses that have needed the funds to fill foreign orders and offer competitive credit terms," said Ex-Im Bank Vice Chair Jackie M.Clegg. "We appreciate how aggressively Webster Bank markets Ex-Im Bank programs, particularly to the small business community." In addition to its marketing agreement with EPE INC. in Turkey, WEBSTER BANK has a marketing arrangement in Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela.

In fiscal 1999, the U.S. Ex-Im Bank helped to finance nearly 17 billion of U.S. exports worldwide.

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