HSBC Expands Branch Network in Washington, D.C.

HSBC, one of the world’s largest financial services organizations, has opened the doors to its latest retail branch in the heart of historic Georgetown, Washington, D.C. With the addition of this facility, HSBC now has a total of nine retail branches and a dedicated commercial banking office in the Washington, D.C. area, employing some 130 people and serving tens of thousands of customers.

HSBC’s network in over 80 countries and territories is perfectly aligned to Washington, D.C., with its high concentration internationally-orientated individuals and businesses that benefit from both a well established on-the-ground HSBC branch presence and its extensive global reach.

Aimee Daniels, HSBC’s Mid-Atlantic Regional President, said, "Georgetown, with its strong cross-border connections, was the obvious place in which to expand our Washington, D.C. branch network. As ‘The world’s local bank’, we fully understand the importance of serving the Georgetown community locally while helping them to make the most of opportunities globally.”

Located at 1715 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., the brand new 4,500 square-foot facility features three teller stations, three private consultation rooms, an ATM and Saturday hours, as well as the latest in customer-friendly design.

Operating initially with a staff of seven locally employed banking professionals, the Georgetown branch provides a full range of financial services to both businesses and individuals including: mortgages, loans, wealth management⁽¹⁾ and insurance.

Also offered is Premier,⁽²⁾ HSBC’s global personal banking service, which provides international recognition, worldwide support, a credit card, single relationship manager and Global View, a unique online service which allows customers to access and manage all of their international Premier accounts in one place.

Newly promoted branch manager, Joseph Reamer, is a career banker with over ten years business experience in and around the Washington, D.C. area. Joseph and team are able to serve customers in French, German, Hindi, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish and Urdu as well as English and offer more than 30 years combined banking experience.

This evening, HSBC will mark the occasion of its new Georgetown branch with a grand opening ceremony, featuring a presentation of two $10,000 checks, to the Friends of the Georgetown Library⁽³⁾ and the American Forest Foundation.⁽⁴⁾

The Georgetown Library grant will be used to support programming for children. Examples of proposed programs include:

• Breakfast Book Club - a book club for grade-school students
• Zines and the Creation Station - a teen magazine produced only in electronic form
• Summer reading for young children and teens

Bradford Gray, co-president of the Friends of the Georgetown Library, said, "We’re thrilled by this generous gift by HSBC, which will be the library’s close neighbor when the restoration of our wonderful building is completed in 2010. We have agreed with HSBC, the D.C. Public Library Foundation, and the library itself, that this gift will be used to support the Georgetown Branch’s programming for children and young people over the next year.”

The HSBC grant to the American Forestry Foundation will provide funding to the ‘Greening the Capital City: One Schoolyard at a Time’ program. This program provides GreenWorks!⁽⁵⁾ grants to elementary schools in the heart of Washington, D.C., who are in urgent need of schoolyard improvement and greening.

"Thanks to HSBC’s support of the American Forest Foundation’s environmental education program, Project Learning Tree®, students at Hyde Elementary School will learn the skills they need to make sound choices about the environment,” said Laura Tuel, Director of Development at the American Forest Foundation.

Note to editors

(1) Securities and Annuity Products are provided by Registered Representatives and Insurance Agents of HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC, a registered Futures Commission Merchant, a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Markets (USA) Inc. and an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc. Insurance products are offered through Insurance Agents of HSBC Insurance Agency (USA) Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Bank USA, N.A., and an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc.

Products and services may vary by state and are not available in all states. Securities, Annuity and Insurance Products are: Not a deposit or other obligation of the bank or any of its affiliates; Not FDIC insured or insured by any federal government agency of the United States; Not guaranteed by the bank or any of its affiliates; and subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal invested.

(2) HSBC Premier

HSBC Premier is a premium financial management service offering a range of banking, investment and financing solutions. To qualify for HSBC Premier, you need to maintain $100,000 in combined personal deposit and investment balances. Business owners may use their commercial balances to qualify for personal Premier membership. A monthly maintenance fee of $50 will be incurred if minimum balance requirements are not maintained.

HSBC Premier provides international recognition and support, international services, credit card rewards and protection around the world, and financial planning and wealth management through a single Premier Relationship Manager. With Premier Centres in 42 countries and territories, HSBC Premier breaks down banking barriers allowing customers to seamlessly bank anywhere in the world.

Within the United States, HSBC Premier Centres can be found in Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Westport, CT., and White Plains, NY. Additionally, there are over 250 Premier Centres worldwide. For more information visit: HSBCPREMIERUSA.com.

(3) Friends of the Georgetown Library

The Friends of The Georgetown Public Library has existed since the library began in 1965. Records indicate that the organization did not seek 501(c)3 status until 1992. From then until 1997, the members were predominantly young mothers whose children participated in the library's programs. As the children grew up, the interest in the Friends waned; and by 1995, the active membership only included about a dozen or so persons. In 1999, the group disbanded.

In her July 18, 1999 column in the Williamson County Sun, library director Sheila Henderson mourned the loss of the Friends and asked for someone to "step forward to lead in the resurrection" of the Friends. Within weeks a group of retired men and women contacted the director and indicated their willingness to take over the organization. Since then, the Friends have become the library's most dependable benefactor, raising funds through a wide variety of programs. Current membership in the Friends is over 400 with annual membership fees ranging from $10 for an individual to $500 for a life member.

(4) American Forest Foundation

The American Forest Foundation is committed to creating a future where North American forests are sustained by a public which understands and values the social, economic, and environmental benefits they provide to our communities, our nation, and the world.

(5) GreenWorks! is the service-learning, community action program of PLT (Project Learning Tree) that partners PLT educators, students, and communities in environmental neighborhood improvement projects. GreenWorks! blends service activities with the academic curriculum and addresses real community needs as students learn through active engagement.

About HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA, Inc. It has more than 470 bank branches throughout the United States, with over 380 in New York State. The Bank also operates in Florida, California, D.C., Washington, D.C. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Oregon, Washington, Maryland, Illinois, Connecticut and Virginia. HSBC is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc., an indirectly-held, wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc. HSBC USA Inc. is one of the nation's largest bank holding companies by assets. Deposits in the United States are offered by HSBC Bank USA, N.A. Member FDIC.

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