Wells Fargo Global Correspondent Banking Expands, Strengthens Focus on the Americas

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wells Fargo & Company said today it has added three company veterans to its Global Correspondent Banking group to strengthen its focus on serving customers in the Americas:

-- Susan Rico was named senior relationship manager for Canada, Mexico and Iberia -- Rita Mendoza joins the Americas and Iberia team as a relationship associate -- Rosamaria Gonzalez will serve as a relationship manager with the Global Transaction Services group

"Mexico is one of the largest and most important trade markets for Wells Fargo customers," said Steve Bash, executive vice president of Wells Fargo's Global Correspondent Banking Group. "With their knowledge of Mexican financial institutions Susan, Rita and Rosamaria will help Wells Fargo deepen current relationships and create new ones for the benefit of our customers."

Rico joined Wells Fargo in 1994 and most recently served as senior vice president, Business Banking manager in El Paso, Texas. Before joining Wells Fargo she served as an international bank examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta -- Miami branch. Rico earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and her masters of business administration from the University of Miami.

Mendoza started her banking career in 1973. She joined Wells Fargo in 1976 and has served in many areas. For the past 10 years Mendoza has served in Correspondent Banking for the Border Bank, where she has provided customer service to the Mexican correspondent banks for cash vault services, cash letters and return items.

Gonzalez has more than 20 years of financial services experience in the United States and Mexico. Prior to joining Wells Fargo in 1998 as a business banker she spent 10 years serving in Mexico. She earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from Instituto Tecnologico de Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and a master's degree in finance from Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico.

Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $575 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through almost 6,000 stores and the internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the only bank in the U.S., and one of only two banks worldwide, to have the highest credit rating from both Moody's Investors Service, "Aaa," and Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, "AAA."