Southern California Car Dealership Chooses U.S. Bank

    COSTA MESA, Calif.--Oct. 19, 2001--Orange Coast Jeep Chrysler in Costa Mesa, Calif., has chosen U.S. Bank to provide a number of financial services.
    U.S. Bank, with specialists in commercial dealer relationships, will help owner Gary Gray realize his long-term vision of unifying the Chrysler products and services in Costa Mesa through the acquisition of Atlas Dodge, soon to be Orange Coast Dodge.
    Orange Coast Jeep turned to U.S. Bank for a real estate and term loan, a line of credit and acquisition financing, and to handle the dealership's deposit accounts. The bank will also provide merchant and treasury management services that will make the company's financial operation more efficient and cost effective, and it will provide automotive retail and lease financing for Orange Coast Jeep Chrysler customers.
    "Gary and Jon Gray are well regarded in the community and by their industry. We're proud to call them our clients," said Bob Robinson, vice president at U.S. Bank.
    The Jeep and Chrysler dealer, with more than $50 million in revenue, has served the automotive sales and service needs of Orange County for more than 20 years. The company has received the Five Star Dealership award, which is the highest standard awarded by Chrysler.
    "We could not have done this deal without U.S. Bank. They made it work where others could not," said Gary Gray, president of Orange Coast Jeep Chrysler.

    Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp , with assets in excess of $168 billion, is the 8th largest financial services holding company in the United States. The company operates 2,186 banking offices and 4,937 ATMs, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of Firstar Bank and U.S. Bank. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at usbank.com and Firstar Bank at firstar.com.