John E. Roe, Sr. Elected Chairman Of The Board Of Flushing Financial Corporation

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Feb. 16, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flushing Financial Corporation (the "Company") (Nasdaq:FFIC), the parent holding company for Flushing Savings Bank, FSB (the "Bank"), announced today that John E. Roe, Sr. has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company and the Bank, effective February 16, 2011.

John E. Roe, Sr. has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Company since its formation in 1994 and of the Bank since 1968. Mr. Roe is a retired Captain of the United States Navy Reserve and was appointed Rear Admiral of the New York State Naval Militia by the Governor of New York. He is a former Trustee of Eastern Long Island Hospital and of Flushing Hospital Medical Center, where he spent ten years as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Roe recently retired as Chairman of City Underwriting Agency. Mr. Roe stated, "I am extremely proud of this nomination and thank my fellow board members for their support and confidence. I would like to thank Gerard P. Tully, Sr., who has served as Chairman of the Company since its formation and of the Bank for the past 30 years. Under Gerry's leadership, Flushing Financial converted to a public company, and the Bank grew from a small community bank to one with over $4 billion in assets."  

John R. Buran, President and Chief Executive Officer of Flushing Financial, stated: "During John's tenure as a Director, he has served as Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and Chairman of the Insurance Committee. He has also been a member of the Compensation, Audit and Investment Committees. I look forward to working with John in his new role as we continue to grow the Flushing Financial franchise." Gerard P. Tully, Sr., the outgoing Chairman, who will remain on the Board, stated: "John's contributions throughout the years have proved invaluable. Most notably, his insurance industry experience as Chairman of City Underwriting Agency has provided unique insights in assessing the Company's risk profile. His involvement in many of the Board's most vital committees has given him a broad understanding of our business. These experiences will serve him well in his new role as Chairman of the Board for Flushing Financial Corporation. I know I speak for the entire Board of Directors in wishing him great success in his new role as Chairman of the Board."