MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 1, 2008--Several Twin Cities members of The Financial Services Roundtable (FSR) including U.S. Bancorp, Bank of the West, Wells Fargo, Ameriprise, GMAC Financial Services and RBC Bank, joined nearly 100 Twin Cities school age kids at Junior Achievement's BizTown on July 1 to celebrate the national start of Community Service 2008, a blockbuster 90 days of community service activities July 1 through September 30 that this year will focus on financial education.

Richard Davis, chairman, president and chief executive officer of U.S. Bancorp, is co-chair of Community Service 2008, along with Don McGrath, chairman and chief executive officer of BancWest Corporation. Davis and his FSR colleagues joined Junior Achievement (JA) in encouraging the kids of BizTown to start good financial habits now because these lessons will be important to their success throughout their lives. BizTown is a miniature business community in which the children conduct business transactions, including a bank, City Hall, a cafe, a wellness center, a grocery store, a newspaper and a radio station.

The mission of JA's BizTown and that of Community Service 2008 are a perfect complement to each other, and I applaud Gina Blayney, JA's upper Midwest president, for her outstanding leadership. JA teaches the importance of a free market and financial responsibility, and the aim of Community Service 2008 is to place thousands of financial service professionals in the community to make a powerful impact in the spirit of community service and financial education, said Davis.

Member companies of the FSR have committed to a wide range of projects in hundreds of cities across the United States. This year's Community Service 2008 (formerly known as Community Build Day), will focus on financial education, with increased visibility of financial education programs in communities. Community Service 2008 unites member companies' efforts to improve the communities in which they work, and strengthens partnerships with non-profit partners and public policymakers.

The FSR projects nearly 1,000 community service projects will take place across the nation. U.S. Bancorp will participate in more than 179 Community Service 2008 events in 34 states, and those numbers continue to rise.

Community Service 2008 demonstrates how the financial services industry works 365 days a year to improve the communities they serve, said Steve Bartlett, president and chief executive officer of The Financial Services Roundtable. With this year's events focusing on financial education, these volunteers will be spreading their knowledge to be used as a stepping stone in life.

The Financial Services Roundtable represents 100 of the largest integrated financial services companies providing banking, insurance, and investment products and services to the American consumer. Member companies participate through the chief executive officer and other senior executives nominated by the CEO. Roundtable member companies provide fuel for America's economic engine, accounting directly for $66.1 trillion in managed assets, $1.1 trillion in revenue, and 2.5 million jobs.

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), with $242 billion in assets, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the 6th largest commercial bank in the United States. The company operates 2,522 banking offices and 4,844 ATMs, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, and trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

CONTACT: U.S. Bancorp
Amy Frantti, 612-303-0733
Teri Charest, 612-303-0732

SOURCE: U.S. Bancorp