News Release

HSBC Sweeps SBA Awards for Metro New York

HSBC Bank USA today announced that it has received several awards from the U.S. Small Business Administration, New York District 4, for fiscal year 2003.

16 December 2003

New York – HSBC Bank USA today announced that it has received several awards from the U.S. Small Business Administration, New York District 4, for fiscal year 2003. At the Lenders Award Ceremony held at the New York District Office in lower Manhattan, Hector Barreto, Administrator, SBA, and Mike Papas, SBA Regional Administrator, granted the following awards to HSBC:

• Platinum for making more than 300 SBA loans
  
• Minority Loan Pacesetter for making the most loans in District 4 to minority applicants
  
• Womens Loan Pacesetter for making the most loans to businesses that are majority owned by a woman
  
• Special Achievement Award acknowledging the significant commitment HSBC has made to the SBA program

"Over the past year, the SBA has been a great partner and were delighted that our joint efforts have been so productive," said David Kotheimer, HSBCs regional president, for the metropolitan New York City, Pennsylvania and Florida branches. "HSBCs involvement with the SBA and the New York small business community has grown tremendously, as evidenced by the fact that weve increased the number of SBA loans by about five-fold in the past year. Its an honor to have our efforts acknowledged."

SBA District director, Jose Sifontes said, "HSBC has become a formidable ally in our increasing effort to assist the downstate New York small business community. We truly appreciate their strong commitment to SBA lending and look forward to strengthening our partnership."