Sterling Financial Corporation of Spokane, Washington, Announces First-Quarter 2009 Earnings Conference Call

SPOKANE, Wash.--(Business Wire)--
Sterling Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:STSA) today announced that it expects to
release first-quarter 2009 earnings at 1:30 p.m. PDT on Thursday, April 23,
2009. Sterling plans to host a conference call for investors the next morning,
April 24, 2009, at 8:00 a.m. PDT to discuss the company's financial results.

A live audio webcast of the conference call can be accessed at the company's
website, www.sterlingfinancialcorporation-spokane.com. To access this audio
presentation call, click on the audio webcast icon. Additionally, you may listen
to the live conference call by telephone. To participate in the conference call,
domestic callers should dial 517-308-9194 approximately five minutes before the
scheduled start time. You will be asked by the operator to identify yourself and
provide the password "STERLING" to enter the call. A webcast replay of the
conference call will be available on the company's website approximately one
hour following the completion of the call. The webcast replay will be offered
through June 15, 2009.

About Sterling Financial Corporation

Sterling Financial Corporation of Spokane, Washington, is the bank holding
company for Sterling Savings Bank, a commercial bank, and Golf Savings Bank, a
savings bank focused on single-family mortgage originations. Both banks are
state chartered and federally insured. Sterling offers banking products and
services, mortgage lending, construction financing and investment products to
individuals, small businesses, commercial organizations and corporations. As of
December 31, 2008, Sterling Financial Corporation had assets of $12.79 billion
and operated more than 175 depository branches throughout Washington, Oregon,
Idaho, Montana and California. Visit Sterling's website at
www.sterlingfinancialcorporation-spokane.com.

Sterling Financial Corporation
EVP, Chief Financial Officer
Daniel G. Byrne, 509-458-3711
or
VP, Investor Relations Director
Deborah L. Wardwell, CFA, 509-354-8165

Copyright Business Wire 2009