Southwest Bancorp Inc. Announces Election Of Chief Financial Officer, Secretary

STILLWATER, Okla., Dec. 20, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Southwest Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq:OKSB), ("Southwest"), today reported that on December 16, 2010 its board of directors elected Laura Robertson as Southwest's new Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Priscilla Barnes, Executive Vice President/Regulatory Risk Management, to the additional office of Southwest's Secretary.

Laura Robertson (age 37) previously served as Senior Vice President/Finance Division Manager of Southwest and its principal subsidiary, Stillwater National Bank and Trust Company. Ms. Robertson joined Stillwater National in 2006. She has also served as the Public Company Reporting and Tax Manager and Assistant Secretary of Southwest and Stillwater National. Prior to joining Southwest, Ms. Robertson practiced public accounting in the Dallas, Texas metro area. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of both the Oklahoma and Texas Society of CPAs as well as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She reported to Kerby Crowell, the former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, since joining Southwest. Ms. Robertson currently serves on the Board of Directors for Payne County Court Appointed Special Advocates. 

Priscilla Barnes (age 54) served as Executive Vice President, Director of Human Resources and Compliance prior to becoming Executive Vice President/ Regulatory Risk Management in 2010. Ms. Barnes joined Southwest in 2005 as Vice President, Compliance of Stillwater National. Ms. Barnes has 30 years experience in the banking industry. Prior to joining Stillwater National, Ms. Barnes was a federal bank examiner, a senior consultant for a regional accounting firm, and served as a banker in many similar capacities. She was named an Oklahoma State University Regent's Distinguished Scholar and attended the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, Wisconsin.

Rick Green, Southwest Bancorp's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are fortunate to have these experienced and talented individuals to serve in these offices, and are confident that they will continue their track records of excellence in these new roles.  Southwest maintains succession plans for all executive officers, which has served us well during this transition."