WaMu Names Rotella Prez/COO

Stephen J. Rotella, chief executive officer of Chase Home Finance, has been named president and chief operating officer of Washington Mutual Inc., Seattle, effective Jan. 10.WaMu said Mr. Rotella will be responsible for the oversight of the thrift's retail, commercial, and mortgage businesses as well as the company's technology group and day-to-day administration. Mr. Rotella, 51, has been the CEO of Chase Home Finance and executive vice president of JP Morgan Chase since 2001. He was COO of Chase Home Finance from 1998 to 2001, and EVP of servicing at Chase Manhattan Mortgage Co. from 1991 to 1998, WaMu said. "We embark on our new five-year strategic plan as a far larger and more complex company than we were just five years ago, and so the addition of a president and COO to our team is the natural next step in our growth and evolution as a top-tier, national financial services company," said Kerry Killinger, WaMu's chairman and CEO. WaMu can be found online at http://www.wamu.com.