PORT ANGELES, Wash., July 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Fed Bank ("First Fed"), a wholly owned subsidiary of First Northwest Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNWB), today announced that Board Chair Cindy Hill Finnie has been named one of the Puget Sound Business Journal's 2026 Directors of the Year. Finnie is one of 12 directors recognized in the publication's 10th annual awards program celebrating outstanding corporate and nonprofit board leadership across the state of Washington.

Finnie has served on the First Northwest Bancorp Board of Directors since 2012 and has chaired the board since 2022, when she became the first woman to serve as board chair in the organization's more than 100-year history. During her tenure, she has helped oversee a period of significant transformation for First Fed, including executive leadership succession, strategic expansion into the Puget Sound region, strengthened governance practices and continued investment in the communities the bank serves.

"Board leadership is measured by the decisions made during times of change, and Cindy has provided exactly the kind of thoughtful, principled leadership every organization hopes to have," said Curt Queyrouze, President and CEO of First Fed. "She has been an invaluable partner to me and to our leadership team, bringing sound judgment, unwavering integrity and a long-term perspective to every issue before the board. Her leadership has strengthened First Fed as we continue building on more than a century of serving Western Washington, and I couldn't be more pleased to see her receive this recognition."

As board chair, Finnie has led an independent board responsible for governance, executive succession, risk oversight and long-term strategy while serving on the Audit, Executive, Compensation, and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees. She also previously served on the board's fintech oversight committee, providing leadership across virtually every major area of board responsibility.

Finnie also played a central role in guiding the board through the national search that resulted in the appointment of Queyrouze as President and CEO in 2025, as well as other recent executive appointments. Throughout that period, she helped provide continuity and stability while the organization navigated an increasingly dynamic operating environment for community banks.

"Curt and our executive leadership team have embraced First Fed's mission while positioning the organization for the future, making the board's role both meaningful and rewarding," Finnie said. "This recognition is especially gratifying because it reflects the work of an engaged board and talented leadership team who share a commitment to strong governance, thoughtful decision-making and serving our customers and communities for the long term."

In addition to serving as board chair, Finnie is a director of the First Fed Foundation, reinforcing the organization's longstanding commitment to community investment throughout Western Washington. Since 2015, the Foundation has awarded more than $7 million to nonprofit, tribal and governmental organizations supporting housing, economic opportunity, community development and other critical community needs.

Finnie’s civic leadership also includes serving as vice president of the Fort Worden Foundation and being a member of the Lodging Tax Advisory Council of Port Townsend. She previously chaired the Washington State Arts Commission, Centrum Foundation, and the Fort Worden Public Development Authority, served on the Jefferson County Community Foundation Board, and was director of Fort Worden Hospitality.

Before joining the First Fed board, Finnie spent 38 years with Allstate Insurance Company, where she held leadership positions in underwriting, sales management, business development, agency development and financial management. Following her corporate career, she co-founded Rainshadow Properties, an award-winning hospitality and property management company in Port Townsend.

The Puget Sound Business Journal Directors of the Year awards recognize board members who have demonstrated exemplary governance, strategic leadership and organizational stewardship. The 2026 awards mark the program's 10th anniversary.

About the Company

First Northwest Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNWB) is a financial holding company engaged in investment activities including the business of its subsidiary, First Fed Bank. First Fed is a Pacific Northwest-based financial institution which has served its customers and communities since 1923. Currently First Fed has 15 locations in Washington state including 11 full-service branches. First Fed’s business and operating strategy is focused on building sustainable earnings by delivering a full array of financial products and services for individuals, small businesses, non-profit organizations, and commercial customers. First Northwest has also strategically invested in partnerships focused on developing modern financial solutions and a boutique investment banking/accelerator firm. These investments underscore the Company’s commitment to innovation and growth in the financial services sector. First Northwest Bancorp was incorporated in 2012 and completed its initial public offering in 2015 under the ticker symbol FNWB. The Company is headquartered in Port Angeles, Washington. For more information, visit https://www.ourfirstfed.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, projections of future performance of the Company and its executives and include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions that are not historical facts, and other statements often identified by words such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based upon current management beliefs and expectations and may, therefore, involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Our actual results, performance, or achievements may differ materially from those suggested, expressed, or implied by forward-looking statements as a result of a wide variety of factors including, but not limited to: increased competitive pressures; changes in the interest rate environment; the credit risks of lending activities; pressures on liquidity, including as a result of withdrawals of deposits or declines in the value of our investment portfolio; changes in general economic conditions and conditions within the securities markets, including potential recessionary and other unfavorable conditions and trends relating to housing markets, unemployment levels, interest rates and inflationary pressures, among other things; legislative, regulatory, and policy changes; legal proceedings, regulatory investigations and their resolutions; and other factors described in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K under the section entitled "Risk Factors," and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which are available on our website at www.ourfirstfed.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Any of the forward-looking statements that we make in this press release and in the other public statements we make may turn out to be incorrect because of the inaccurate assumptions we might make, because of the factors illustrated above or because of other factors that we cannot foresee. Because of these and other uncertainties, our actual future results may be materially different from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by or on our behalf and the Company’s operating and stock price performance may be negatively affected. Therefore, these factors should be considered in evaluating the forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. We do not undertake and specifically disclaim any obligation to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements. These risks could cause our actual results for 2026 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements by, or on behalf of, us and could negatively affect the Company’s operations and stock price performance.

Contact Information for Questions:

Curt Queyrouze, President and CEO

Curt.Queyrouze@ourfirstfed.com

360-417-1519

First Northwest Bancorp Board Chair

Cindy Hill Finnie, First Northwest Bancorp Board Chair

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