OceanFirst Bank Announces Appointment of Daniel J. Harris, New York Regional President

RED BANK, N.J., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OceanFirst Bank (OceanFirst), the wholly owned subsidiary of OceanFirst Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:OCFC), announces Daniel J. Harris as President of the New York Region.

Mr. Harris will spearhead OceanFirst’s expansion in its New York Region.  His Regional President responsibilities include enhancing the commercial lending presence for OceanFirst in the New York City market area by growing commercial banking relationships and expanding the commercial area by adding experienced lending professionals to the OceanFirst team.

Mr. Harris joins OceanFirst with almost 30 years of experience in financial services in the New York market area.  Most recently, he was the Managing Director and Head of Commercial Real Estate Finance at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A.  Prior to his position at Morgan Stanley, Mr. Harris was Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at Dime Community Bank.  Mr. Harris has also held leadership positions with Hudson Valley Bank and The Greater New York Savings Bank.  Mr. Harris is currently Chairman of the American Bankers Association Commercial Real Estate Lending Committee. Before beginning his banking career in 1990, Mr. Harris was a practicing attorney specializing in commercial real estate transactions.

Mr. Harris is a graduate of St. John’s University and St. John’s University School of Law.

OceanFirst Financial Corp.’s subsidiary, OceanFirst Bank N.A., founded in 1902, is a $8.0 billion regional bank operating throughout New Jersey, metropolitan Philadelphia and metropolitan New York City. OceanFirst Bank delivers commercial and residential financing solutions, wealth management and deposit services and is one of the largest and oldest community-based financial institutions headquartered in New Jersey.

OceanFirst Financial Corp.’s press releases are available by visiting us at www.oceanfirst.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to historical information, this news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies and expectations of the Company. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “will,” “should,” “may,” “view,” “opportunity,” “potential,” or similar expressions or expressions of confidence.  The Company’s ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain.  Factors which could have a material adverse effect on the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries include, but are not limited to:  changes in interest rates, general economic conditions, levels of unemployment in the Bank’s lending area, real estate market values in the Bank’s lending area, future natural disasters and increases to flood insurance premiums, the level of prepayments on loans and mortgage-backed securities, legislative/regulatory changes, monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the quality or composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan products, deposit flows, competition, demand for financial services in the Company’s market area, accounting principles and guidelines and the Bank’s ability to successfully integrate acquired operations.  These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, under Item 1A - Risk Factors and elsewhere, and subsequent securities filings and should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.  The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Company Contact:
Jill A. Hewitt
Senior Vice President
OceanFirst Financial Corp.
Tel: 732.240.4500, ext. 7513
Email: JHewitt@oceanfirst.com