Exhibit 99.1

City National Names New Chief Financial Officer; Christopher J. Carey
Has Extensive Background in Financial Services

    LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 6, 2004--City National
Corporation today named Christopher J. Carey Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of both the corporation and its
subsidiary, City National Bank. His appointment became effective
today.
    Mr. Carey, 49, joins City National from Provident Financial Group,
Inc., a Cincinnati, Ohio-based commercial banking and financial
services company with $16.7 billion in assets. On June 30 of this
year, Provident completed its merger with National City Corporation,
which is based in Cleveland.
    Mr. Carey succeeds City National's former Chief Financial Officer
Frank Pekny. As previously announced, Mr. Pekny stepped down as CFO
for health reasons on March 15 of this year, but continues as a senior
executive of both the bank and the corporation. Steve McAvoy, who had
been Acting CFO, continues in his role as Controller.
    Mr. Carey will oversee City National's finance, accounting and
treasury functions as well as asset/liability management, investor
relations, insurance, corporate premises and security. He also will be
a member of both the company's Executive Committee and its Strategy
and Planning Committee.
    "We are very pleased to have Chris Carey joining our senior
management team," said City National Chief Executive Officer Russell
Goldsmith. "He brings to our company nearly 20 years of experience as
a finance executive in the banking industry. We're confident that his
considerable experience, leadership and skills will enhance City
National's growth, performance and management, and will further
strengthen our position as California's premier private and business
bank."
    Said Mr. Carey: "I am very excited to be joining City National. It
has a superb track record, a compelling business model and a
fortress-like balance sheet. I look forward to helping the company
continue to grow its markets and earnings."
    Mr. Carey had been Executive Vice President and CFO of Provident
Financial Group since 1998. Prior to that time, he was the CFO of
CoreStates Bank in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He joined CoreStates
Bank in 1985 and remained there until it was sold to North
Carolina-based First Union Bank, a predecessor company to Wachovia.
    Between 1981 and 1985, Mr. Carey was accounting manager at AEL
Industries, Inc., a publicly held manufacturing company in Lansdale,
Pennsylvania. For the previous five years he worked in the
Philadelphia offices of Price Waterhouse.
    Mr. Carey received his bachelor's degree from Villanova
University. He is a certified public accountant in the state of
Pennsylvania, and a member of the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants.
    He also is the treasurer and a member of the board of directors of
the Free Store Food Bank in Cincinnati.

    About City National

    City National Corporation (NYSE: CYN) is a financial services
company with $13.2 billion in total assets. Its wholly owned
subsidiary, City National Bank, is the second largest independent bank
headquartered in California. As California's Premier Private and
Business Bank(R), City National provides banking, investment and trust
services through 53 offices, including 12 full-service regional
centers, in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area and New
York City. The company and its affiliates manage or administer more
than $30 billion of client trust and investment assets.
    For more information about City National, visit the company's
Website at cnb.com.

    CONTACT: City National Corporation
             Linda Mueller, 213-833-4719
             linda.mueller@cnb.com