Bank of America Chief Hails Success of MBNA in Carrick

DUBLIN, July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America Card Services executive Lance Weaver hailed the success of MBNA Ireland in Carrick-on-Shannon on the day the site celebrated its fifth anniversary with the unveiling of Bank of America signage on the buildings in Carrick.

MBNA was acquired by Bank of America Corporation on 1 January, 2006, immediately making the combined organisation the largest credit card provider in the World.

The operation in Carrick-on-Shannon opened for business in July 2001 and has played a key role in the regeneration of Carrick with over 1,000 jobs being created and over half a million euros being donated to local schools and charitable organisations.

Bank of America's commitment to the operations in Ireland was underlined by the visit of Lance Weaver who unveiled the Bank of America logo.

Commenting during his visit to MBNA Ireland, Lance Weaver, Card Services Executive for Bank of America, said: "MBNA Ireland has grown to become a major credit card player in the Irish market in such a short space of time. Much of that success is due to our associates at Carrick-on-Shannon who have played a vital part in our tremendous growth. Bank of America is committed to our international business and we see Ireland as a key player in our growth outside of the United States. I would like to thank all our associates for making this business so successful and I look forward to seeing the business grow further in the years to come."

Ian O'Doherty, Chief Executive Officer of MBNA Ireland, added: "The unveiling of the new Bank of America signage on our buildings in Carrick-on-Shannon is a major milestone for our business. MBNA has already established itself as a major player in Ireland - this will not change under Bank of America's ownership. MBNA Ireland is now in a strong position to grow further."

Notes to Editors

High-resolution editorial images for the MBNA Ireland event in Carrick-on-Shannon will be available for the media to download after 4pm on 25 July, 2006 at www.newscast.co.uk

About MBNA Europe Bank:

MBNA Europe, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC), is the recognized leader in affinity marketing. MBNA credit cards and related products and services are endorsed by more than 5,000 organizations worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.mbna.com or Bank of America's site at www.bankofamerica.com.