Banco Popular Reaches 50 Years of Service in the U.S. and Begins Celebration with National Puerto Rican Day Parade

Banco Popular announced today that the a capella group Nota, which won the first season of "The Sing-Off,” the NBC reality singing competition, and a dance troupe from Ballet Hispánico School of Dance in New York, will perform on the Banco Popular float at the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP), Sunday, June 12. The theme of this year’s parade is "Celebrating the natural beauty of Puerto Rico.”

Banco Popular opened its first branch in the United States mainland 50 years ago in the Bronx, New York. As the first corporate sponsor of the Parade, the bank has supported the event for 49 years and continues to honor the spirit and culture of the Puerto Rican community. Founded in 1893, Banco Popular is the leading financial institution in Puerto Rico by both assets and deposits.

"Our special relationship with the parade spans nearly half a century. We are enormously proud to be a continuous participant and supporter of the most important event that celebrates the spirit of the Puerto Rican community and the talent of emerging artists. We strongly commend the National Puerto Rican Day Parade organizers for bringing attention to the preservation of the beauty of Puerto Rico,” said Brian Doran, New York Metro Region Executive.

As part of the parade festivities and in keeping with Banco Popular’s commitment to educate and prepare tomorrow’s community leaders, on May 10, 2011 the bank awarded an additional $10,000 in scholarships at the NPRDP Scholarship Ceremony at Hostos Community College. Ernesto Malave Scholarships were given to local scholars pursuing post-secondary education. This brings the bank’s total contribution in scholarships associated with the NPRDP to $160,000.

"This year we are fortunate to present remarkable talent for the many people attending and watching the parade. Nota is a superb Puerto Rican a capella group introduced to the world when they won "The Sing-Off.” We are also thrilled to once again have Ballet Hispánico students join us and share their gift of dance and the return of our beloved mascot, Populoso,” added Doran.

Banco Popular will be distributing bilingual information on "how to take control of your finances” tip cards throughout the march along with other giveaways.

About Nota

Nota is six men from Puerto Rico who are a modern twist on a capella. Their sound is a fusion of salsa, jazz, bossa, pop, bachata and gospel. They were voted by America as the winners of the 1st season of the NBC reality singing competition, "The Sing Off,” featuring a capella groups from around the country. The finale, which aired live on December 21, 2009, had a Nielsen rating of 7.3 million viewers.

About Ballet Hispánico School of Dance

Under the artistic direction of Eduardo Vilaro, the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance expands the vision established by founder Tina Ramirez in 1970. The School has forged a reputation among the nation's leading professional training programs, offering a balanced curriculum in ballet, modern and Spanish dance – a practice unique among America's dance training institutions. As a result, students receive not only a thorough grounding in the primary techniques required for a successful performing career, but also specialized training in the rich and varied dance tradition which, for many, is their cultural heritage.

About Banco Popular

As a premier community bank, Banco Popular North America (BPNA) provides a broad range of financial services and products to a diverse group of consumer and business customers across the United States.

First established in the United States in 1961, Banco Popular North America today operates 96 branches across five states: New York, New Jersey, Illinois, California and Florida. Banco Popular was recently rebranded in Chicago as POPULAR COMMUNITY BANK. This initiative seeks to expand the customer base in the region.

Banco Popular North America is part of Popular, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed [BPOP], full-service financial services provider with operations in Puerto Rico, the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America. Founded in 1893, Popular is the leading banking institution by both assets and deposits in Puerto Rico and ranks 35th by assets among U.S. banks.

For more information about Banco Popular North America, visit the company's website at www.mypopularbanking.com.