Heritage Financial Recognized by Seattle Business Magazine as One of The Best Companies to Work For

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Jun 29, 2010, 01:39 ET

OLYMPIA, Wash., June 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Heritage Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: HFWA), the bank holding company for Heritage Bank and Central Valley Bank, today announced that Heritage Bank was recently honored and recognized by Seattle Business Magazine as one of The 100 Best Companies to Work For, ranking second among midsized companies.

"We are fortunate to have a quality team of employees, which serve our customers and our community with excellence," said Mr. Brian Vance, Heritage Financial Corporations President and Chief Executive Officer. "We recognize the importance of providing a quality work environment especially during these difficult economic times. We enjoy a common thread of teamwork, fun events, and strong communication and advancement opportunities with our employees. This award was won as a result of the culture that all of us embrace, believe and live everyday at Heritage Bank."

The Best Companies to Work For rankings were determined by employee surveys conducted by Ipsos Worldwide, a global research firm, which determined an initial ranking. A panel of judges then reviewed the results to get the final ranking.

According to the publication, this is the year that separates true best companies from pretenders. An economic contraction the country hasn't seen since the Great Depression has put pressure on all aspects of a business. Layoffs, pay freezes and cuts, benefits pruning—all have been the norm during these turbulent times. Many employees are simply thankful to have a job, and are less concerned with health club memberships and other perks. But there are standouts, as there always are. Some companies realize that an investment in human capital can have a positive effect on the bottom line. These are the companies that have survived turbulent times and managed to keep their employees happy. These are the Best Companies to Work For.

Heritage Financial Corporation is a bank holding company headquartered in Olympia, Washington which operates two community banks, Heritage Bank and Central Valley Bank. Heritage Bank serves Pierce, Thurston, Mason and South King Counties in the South Puget Sound region of Washington through its fourteen full-service banking offices and its Online Banking Website www.HeritageBankWA.com. Central Valley Bank serves Yakima and Kittitas Counties in central Washington through its six full-service banking offices and its Online Banking Website www.CVBankWa.com. Additional information about Heritage Financial Corporation is available on its Internet Website www.HF-WA.com.