[LETTERHEAD OF FIRST NORTHERN COMMUNITY BANCORP]





Contact:  Owen J. Onsum                                           May 22, 2000
Chief Executive Officer/President
FIRST NORTHERN BANK
P.O. Box 547
Dixon, California
(707) 678-3041

      First Northern Bank Announces Completion of Holding Company Formation
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First Northern Bank, headquartered in Dixon, California, has announced the
completion of its corporate reorganization whereby the Bank became the
wholly-owned subsidiary of First Northern Community Bancorp effective
May 19, 2000.

The shareholders of the Bank are now the shareholders of the Bancorp in a
stock exchange on a one-for-one basis. An actual exchange of Bank share
certificates will not be required because the existing Bank share certificates
are deemed to represent shares of the Bancorp. However, new Bancorp share
certificates will be issued when future transactions occur.

"Completing the reorganization into a bank holding company structure is
beneficial to us and our shareholders," said Owen J. Onsum, who is President and
Chief Executive Officer of both the Bank and the Bancorp. "Our prospects for
enhancing our relationships with our customers remain bright and we look forward
to a successful future with this new corporate structure."

First Northern Bank's stock ticker symbol "FDIX" has been delisted from the
OTC Bulletin Board and replaced by First Northern Community Bancorp's ticker
symbol "FNRN."

In addition, the Board of Directors of the Bancorp has approved a new stock
repurchase program for its outstanding Common Stock. Based on market conditions,
share repurchases will be made from time to time in the open market or in
privately negotiated transactions. The repurchase program, which will remain in
effect until April 30, 2002, allows purchases in an aggregate amount of up to
10% of the Bancorp's equity over a rolling 12-month period. The new Bancorp
program essentially replaces the Bank's stock repurchase plan that was
terminated on May 19, 2000 as a result of the reorganization.

As before, the stock repurchase program will provide management with an
effective mechanism for capital management. Commenting on the stock repurchase
program, Onsum said, "In addition to our record first quarter earnings,
the Bancorp's new stock repurchase program demonstrates our continued commitment
to providing fundamental value for our shareholders. We continue to believe that
our common stock represents an attractive value at current prices."

First Northern Bank, established in 1910, is a community based bank with
branch offices strategically located in the communities of Dixon, Davis,
Fairfield, Vacaville, West Sacramento, Winters and Woodland. The Bank has Real
Estate offices in Davis and El Dorado Hills, and an SBA Loan Department in
Sacramento. First Northern offers a wide range of SBA, real estate, commercial,
agriculture and consumer loans, as well as a full array of alternative
investment products. Information on First Northern Community Bancorp's stock
can be obtained on the OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker symbol FNRN.
Primary market makers for First Northern Bank are PaineWebber, Inc., Hoefer &
Arnett, Inc., Sutro & Co. and Pacific Crest Securities. The Bank can be found
on the World Wide Web at www.thatsmybank.com.