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Westar Financial Services Announces Promotions

7 December 1999

Westar Financial Services Announces Promotions

    OLYMPIA, Wash., Dec. 7 -- Westar Financial Services
Incorporated (OTC Bulletin Board: WEST), a prime-credit auto lessor, loan
originator and the financing agent for DriveOff.com, today announced the
promotions of two Vice Presidents as the company continues to evolve its
structure to accommodate four different distribution channels.
    "With our traditional Dealer Direct business already growing at more than
30% per quarter, the integration of our newest financing origination
channels-Internet, Intranet and Private Label-offers new challenges and
opportunities to our Team Members," observed R. W. Christensen, Jr., President
and CEO.  "The development of each channel has required tremendous innovation
and utilization of new technologies, both to originate the volumes and to
service the growing numbers.  As a leader in finance origination, Westar is
now being recognized by national opinion shapers, including recently in
The Wall Street Journal.  Since our most significant innovation has been
created in-house, it's been an opportunity to watch the accomplishments of our
managers grow even more rapidly than our volumes."
    Cindy Kay has been promoted to Vice President and Controller.  She has
served as Controller since 1996 when she joined Westar.  Kay, a Certified
Public Accountant, spent six years at Kay & Company, and also performed
auditing and accounting functions at Hardel Mutual Plywood, Coopers and
Lybrand, and Pacific Mobile Leasing.  Kay earned her Bachelor of Arts from
St. Martin's College and is a member of the Washington Society of CPA's.
    "Ms. Kay has built an accounting staff which is unsurpassed in our
industry.  She has managed her exacting responsibilities so as to make our
growth rate of more than 30% per quarter for the past eight quarters look
easy," said Christensen.
    Vicki Christensen, who managed the team that created the
Westar/DriveOff.com LASIR interface, was promoted to Vice
President-Information Systems.  She has served as Information Systems (IS)
manager since joining Westar in October a year ago, and has nine years of
experience in IS supervisory and management positions.  Prior to joining
Westar, Christensen served as a Senior Systems Analyst for six years at
Abitibi Consolidated.  She was an IS manager for three years at Kitsap Federal
Credit Union, and also was involved in computer analysis, programming and
operations at Goldome Rainier Mortgage, Pierce County Library Systems and
Puget Sound Mailing, Inc.
    "Ms. Christensen's leadership and experience have proven very beneficial
to Westar's constant need for innovation, and she has certainly earned her
spot on our senior management team.  The speed and scalability of our
technological solutions to financial services will be difficult for others to
copy and have given Westar a tremendous competitive advantage," added
Mr. Christensen, who is unrelated.
    WEST is the only publicly traded automobile lease finance company focused
solely on the prime-credit segment of the $530 billion auto finance market.
Westar entered into automotive e-finance through a $1 billion funding
commitment to DriveOff.com, a 3rd generation e-commerce business model
allowing consumers to buy and finance new automobiles in a single electronic
transaction.  Through DriveOff.com, Westar completed the first entirely
electronic Internet automobile purchase and lease transaction in October 1999.
The company operates its Dealer Direct leasing program in the western US.  It
is rapidly expanding its e-finance capabilities nationally.