Urban Trust Bank Opens a New Branch in Bethesda, MD

Strategy balances consumer and business market, emphasizes convenient,
efficient locations and positions bank for expansion.

WASHINGTON, July 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Urban Trust Bank (UTB) is
pleased to announce the opening of a new branch in The RLJ Companies' (RLJ)
headquarters building at 3 Bethesda Metro Center, in Bethesda, Maryland. This
unique community branch will serve our retail and business customers while
continuing to drive Urban Trust Bank towards its goal of serving diverse
communities with valuable banking products.

With almost two years of experience serving our Washington, D.C.-area
customers, Urban Trust Bank is executing a compelling branch strategy that
allows the bank to offer low cost banking services and competitive rates:
-- Place each branch in a location convenient to both residential and business
communities
-- Select locations that easily integrate into existing life patterns of our
customers
-- Design branches with a small, efficient, cost-effective footprint

"This strategy reflects our positive experience with our successful in-store
locations, and positions Urban Trust Bank to implement a targeted expansion
strategy in the capital region," commented Kathy Boden-Holland, Executive
Vice-President at Urban Trust Bank, who added, "Urban Trust Bank is actively
searching for new branch locations meeting the above criteria within the
diverse communities of Washington, D.C. and Prince Georges County, Maryland."

Resulting from this focused strategy, the branch located at 1350 I Street, NW
was closed on July 17, 2008. While Urban Trust Bank identifies additional
locations more reflective of the capital region branch strategy, existing
customers will be supported through one of the two metro area branches:
-- Our Bethesda Branch: 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda, Maryland
-- Our Landover Hills Branch - located in the Landover Hills Wal-Mart(R) Super
Center: 6210 Annapolis Road, Landover Hills, Maryland

Urban Trust Bank is committed to the Washington, D.C. region and we are well
positioned to deliver valuable banking products and services to customers in
the communities we serve.

About UTB:
Urban Trust Bank is a federally chartered, full-service thrift, whose mission
is to be the preeminent provider of financial services to diverse communities.
UTB offers a broad product line that includes deposit and savings products,
mortgages, credit cards and small business banking services. UTB maintains a
network of 15 branches in Florida and the Washington, D.C. region. Urban Trust
Bank is a portfolio company of The RLJ Companies and was founded by Robert L.
Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and The RLJ
Companies. Urban Trust Bank is among the leading African-American controlled
financial institutions in the nation.

(R) Wal-Mart is a registered trademark of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

SOURCE Urban Trust Bank

Seth Troy of Urban Trust Bank, stroy@urbantrustbank.com, +1-301-347-1086