Julie A. Courkamp Appointed Chief Operating Officer of First Western Financial

DENVER, Feb. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Western Financial, a financial services holding company headquartered in Denver, Colorado, today announced the appointment of Julie A. Courkamp to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer. Ms. Courkamp will continue serving in her previous roles as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of First Western. Ms. Courkamp also serves on the Board of Directors of First Western Financial, Inc. and First Western Trust Bank.

In her role as Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Courkamp will have responsibility for overseeing the Company’s operations across the bank, mortgage, trust and investment management businesses, as well as the finance, accounting, human resources, legal/governance, risk management, and compliance departments.

Scott C. Wylie, Chairman and CEO of First Western, said, “Julie’s appointment to Chief Operating Officer reflects the increasing responsibilities that she has taken on since joining First Western in 2006 and the important role she has played in managing the growth of our company. Julie has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities while overseeing our finance department, operations, risk management, and technology functions. Creating the position of Chief Operating Officer will enable us to better leverage Julie’s institutional knowledge and managerial skills, while providing her with the opportunity to make an even larger impact on the future growth and success of the First Western franchise.”

About Julie A. Courkamp

Ms. Courkamp has served as Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and First Western Trust Bank since 2013 and as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since 2021. She joined the Company in 2006 as its Controller and was promoted to Director of Finance and Accounting in 2010. As Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Courkamp manages the Finance, Accounting, Risk, Compliance, and Operations teams, including the deposit, loan, trust, investment and mortgage support teams at First Western. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Courkamp held positions with PwC in Denver researching issues related to SEC reporting, and coordinating and supervising audits and interim quarterly reviews of public and private companies.

Ms. Courkamp earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

About First Western Financial, Inc.

First Western is a financial services holding company headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with operations in Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming and California. First Western and its subsidiaries provide a fully integrated suite of wealth management services on a private trust bank platform, which includes a comprehensive selection of deposit, loan, trust, wealth planning and investment management products and services. First Western’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “MYFW.” For more information, please visit www.myfw.com.