HOUSTON, April 29, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Encore Bank, N. A., a subsidiary of Encore Bancshares, Inc., is pleased to announce the appointment of Rose Chen as Senior Vice President - Commercial Banking for Encore Bank.

Rose brings 15 years of banking and financial expertise to Encore. She most recently was associated with Sterling Bank as Senior Vice President, Commercial Lender. Before that time, she served as Senior Vice President and Area Business Manager for MetroBank N.A.

Rose graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.S. in International Economics, and attended the American Institution of Banking located in Houston. She serves as Secretary for the National Association of Asian American Professionals and Treasurer of Delta Phi Epsilon, an international business fraternity. She is a member of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce.

About Encore Bancshares

Encore Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Houston, Texas and offers a broad range of banking, wealth management and insurance services through Encore Bank, N.A. and its subsidiaries. Encore Bank operates 11 private client offices in the Greater Houston area and six in southwest Florida. Headquartered in Houston and with $1.5 billion in assets, Encore Bank builds relationships with professional firms, privately-owned businesses, investors and affluent individuals. Encore Bank offers a full range of business and personal banking products and services, as well as financial planning, wealth management, trust and insurance products through its trust division, Encore Trust, and its subsidiaries Linscomb & Williams and Town & Country Insurance. Products and services offered by Encore Bank's affiliates are not FDIC insured.

CONTACT: Encore Bank          Rhonda Carroll, Corporate Secretary         713.787.3118