Photo Release -- Hancock & Whitney Announce Whitney Directors To Serve On Post-Merger Boards Of Directors

NEW ORLEANS, March 11, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Executives of Hancock Holding Company (Nasdaq:HBHC) and Whitney Holding Corporation (Nasdaq:WTNY) today announced the appointment of seven current Whitney directors to Hancock boards of directors, effective following the anticipated merger between the two companies later this spring.

Richard B. Crowell Hardy B. Fowler Terence E. Hall R. King Milling Eric J. Nickelsen Alfred S. Lippman Thomas D. Westfeldt

Photos accompanying this release are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8872 , http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8873 , http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8874 , http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8875 , http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8876 , http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8877 , http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8878

Richard B. Crowell, Hardy B. Fowler, Terence E. Hall, R. King Milling, and Eric J. Nickelsen will join the Hancock Holding Company Board of Directors upon completion of the merger, which is expected to occur during second quarter 2011.

Milling, as well as Alfred S. Lippman and Thomas D. Westfeldt, will serve on the board of directors for Whitney Bank, which will operate in Louisiana and Texas after the merger.

Hancock President and CEO Carl Chaney commented, "We look forward to welcoming these Whitney directors to the Hancock and Whitney combined organization. Their knowledge of Gulf South markets and the banking industry uniquely qualifies them to direct the resulting 32 ^nd largest financial services organization based in the United States."

The seven Whitney directors who will join Hancock's boards after the merger all have extensive experience as business and community leaders. Most of the directors have served as Whitney directors for many years.