BMO Capital Markets Expands U.S. Fixed Income Capabilities with Hiring of Municipal Bond Sales and Trading Team
BMO hires 5 former LaSalle sales and trading professionals in Chicago

CHICAGO, February 21, 2008 – BMO Capital Markets, the investment and corporate banking arm of BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), has significantly strengthened its U.S. fixed income business with the hiring of five municipal bond sales and trading professionals.

Formerly with LaSalle Financial Services, the group will be based in Chicago and will be responsible for selling municipal bonds to a wide range of BMO’s institutional and corporate clients across the U.S.

“We have added an extremely experienced team that will further enhance BMO’s existing fixed income and municipal bond capabilities. It has been our intention to strengthen and grow this business. We are thrilled that our clients will now have the benefit of a 20-person stronghold team that will provide highly regarded service and advice for those seeking exposure to this part of the market,” said Charlie Piermarini, Executive Managing Director and Head of Debt Products & Securitization, BMO Capital Markets.

Members of the new team include:

• Richard Bodkin joins BMO Capital Markets as a Director and Sales Manager. He has 28 years of fixed income trading and sales experience, including three years with LaSalle Financial Services and 13 years with Bank One Capital Markets.
• Randall Laible who has 17 years experience in municipal bond sales, including seven with LaSalle Financial Services. Randy joins BMO Capital Markets as a Director.
• Charles Montgomery joins BMO Capital Markets as a Director with 14 years experience in municipal bond sales, 10 with LaSalle Financial Services.
• Edward Murphy, has been appointed Director, BMO Capital Markets. He has 20 years of experience as a municipal bond trader, including 10 years with LaSalle Financial Services.
• John Zubak joins BMO Capital Markets as a Director with 13 years of sales and trading experience, including eight with LaSalle Financial Services.

BMO Capital Markets is one of the largest investment banking employers in Chicago. Over the last two years, BMO Capital Markets and its Chicago-based financial services affiliate, Harris, have been steadily adding professionals to strengthen its ability to serve customers and clients across the Midwest and nationally.

Harris announced last month that it expanded its business banking team by appointing five professionals to the Commercial Middle Market Group in Chicago.

BMO Capital Markets has also significantly grown its investment and corporate banking group with the addition of senior professionals in its New York and Chicago offices. BMO previously hired in Chicago: Michael Scolaro as Head of the firm’s U.S. Asset Based Lending Group; Scott Humphrey as Head of U.S. M&A; and Paul Hawkinson as Head of the Commercial & Industrial Group.

About BMO Capital Markets
BMO Capital Markets is a leading full-service North American financial services provider, with over 2,000 employees operating in 14 North American offices and 26 worldwide, offering corporate, institutional and government clients access to a complete range of investment and corporate banking products and services. BMO Capital Markets is a member of BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), one of the largest diversified financial services providers in North America with more than US$388 billion total assets and more than 35,000 employees as at October 31, 2007.

Media Contacts:

Kim Hanson, Toronto, kim.hanson@bmo.com, (416) 867-3996
Amy Yuhn, Chicago, amy.yuhn@harrisbank.com, (312) 416-2478
Kevin Windorf, New York, kevin.windorf@bmo.com, (212) 885-4111

Internet:

www.bmocm.com