Press Releases

"She was constantly there," Faulkner wrote. "It wasn't so much what she said—it was what she did. Just being there, allowing me to sit for hours without saying a word, and helping me to understand that my circumstances, my demographics didn't define who I was."

That perseverance helped Faulkner make it through school and later through college. In fact, Faulkner thought of quitting college after her mother died her freshman year.

"My world stopped, and I was bent on leaving school," she wrote. "But she was there, every step of the way encouraging me to hang in there. Now, 38 years later, she is still my mentor and best friend. It is because of her influence that I can now pour my life into the lives of others." Faulkner currently serves as executive director of the Mentor/Role Model Program, Inc. in Halifax, Va.

Randy Koporc, regional president for western Virginia, said, "There is no way to underestimate the importance of a caring mentor or teacher. Wachovia applauds Joyce Houser for her commitment to helping children and adults build a brighter future."

Ken Thompson, chairman and CEO of Wachovia Corporation, said, "Together with our customers, this contest allowed Wachovia to spread the spirit of gratitude, something we value every day."

Faulkner, of South Boston, Va., is one of 38 prize winners in Wachovia's Who Would You Thank? contest conducted as part of 2007 National Customer Service Week. Winners received prizes ranging from $250 to $25,000 for writing a short essay about someone they know who deserved special recognition.

About Wachovia's Who Would You Thank Contest
Wachovia's initiation of the contest began through a desire to express gratitude to customers in celebration of National Customer Service Week. The contest, which ran from Sept. 10 through Oct. 5, encouraged consumers to thank a person who has made a significant impact on their life by nominating them for the contest. Wachovia awarded the winners with a cash prize to use as a thank you to their nominee.

Wachovia has been recognized by multiple independent organizations for providing exceptional customer service. Wachovia rated No. 1 among major banks in overall customer satisfaction according to 2006 Consumer Reports; in addition, Wachovia was ranked No. 1 in overall customer satisfaction for two consecutive years in J.D. Power's Home Equity Line/Loan Origination Study. Wachovia also rated No. 1 in customer satisfaction for the sixth consecutive year in the 2006 University of Michigan Business School's American Customer Satisfaction Index.

About Wachovia Corporation
Wachovia Corporation (NYSE:WB) is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services companies, with assets of $754.2 billion and market capitalization of $95.3 billion at September 30, 2007. Wachovia provides a broad range of retail banking and brokerage, asset and wealth management, and corporate and investment banking products and services to 13 million household and business customers. Wachovia has 3,400 retail financial centers in 21 states from Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas and California, and nationwide retail brokerage, mortgage lending and auto finance businesses. Globally, clients are served in selected corporate and institutional sectors and through more than 40 international offices. Our retail brokerage operations under the Wachovia Securities brand name manage more than $800 billion in client assets through 11,400 registered representatives in 786 offices nationwide. The acquisition of A.G. Edwards, Inc., following the end of the third quarter, added approximately 740 offices, 6,300 financial consultants and $384 billion in brokerage client assets. Online banking is available at wachovia.com; online brokerage products and services at wachoviasec.com; and investment products and services at evergreeninvestments.com.