First Financial Northwest, Inc. Announces - First Financial Northwest Bank and McKnight Middle School Educators Honor Graduates of Web-Based Digital Education Program

RENTON, Wash., Jan. 20, 2017 -- First Financial Northwest, Inc. (“Company”) (NASDAQ:FFNW) today announced that its subsidiary financial institution, First Financial Northwest Bank (FFNWB) recognized 100 students from McKnight Middle School earlier this week for their outstanding work in completing the Ignition - Digital Literacy and Responsibility™ program, a digital education course designed to empower young people to be responsible technology users. FFNWB expanded its partnership with leading education technology company EverFi, Inc., to bring this interactive, web-based digital responsibility program to middle school students in the Renton School District. FFNWB already sponsors an innovative financial literacy software program through EverFi in the Renton and Tukwila, WA school districts.

“Our goal in sponsoring the Ignition program was to create greater information security awareness among the younger generation who spend the majority of their time online,” said Suzanne Nester, Vice President and Compliance Officer with FFNWB and program volunteer. “We are impressed with the students’ high completion rate and feel we are accomplishing our goal with sponsorship of this program. First Financial Northwest is proud to help today’s generation meet the challenges of our increasingly online world and to be digitally responsible citizens of the future.”

“McKnight Middle School strives to create well-rounded students in all aspects of life, inside and outside the classroom,” said David J. Huff Jr., Technology Education Teacher at McKnight Middle School. “We are grateful for these public-private partnerships that enable us to provide innovative resources and new opportunities to students in our district.”

The interactive web-based course allows students to use real-world situations to learn about technology and careers using gaming and other interactive tools. The course combines the power of cutting-edge instructional design, rich media, and simulations to educate teens and empower them with the skill set to leverage technology safely and effectively. The four-hour curriculum informs students on the “nuts and bolts” of how technology works, while placing them in virtual environments to tackle issues including privacy, security, cyber-bullying, digital relationships, and the viral nature of the web.

FFNWB has led the community in its many efforts to bring financial literacy to the public and recently received the 2016 Innovation in Financial Education Award from EverFi and NASDAQ for its program. FFNWB and its employees provide financial education at various Renton middle and high schools, as well as Foster High School in Tukwila, and have hosted students from nearby schools such as Talbot Hill Elementary as part of their involvement in the American Bankers Association’s national Teach Children to Save program.

First Financial Northwest Bank is a Washington State chartered commercial bank headquartered in Renton, Washington, serving the Puget Sound Region through its four full-service banking offices. FFNWB’s parent company is First Financial Northwest, Inc. For additional information, please visit the Bank’s website at www.ffnwb.com and click on the “Investor Relations” section.

Forward Looking Statements:

This press release contains statements that the Company believes are “forward-looking statements.” These statements relate to the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance or business. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, as they are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results and performance in future periods may be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this release. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified in our risk factors contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.  Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release.  The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements found herein to reflect any changes in the Company’s expectations of results or any change in events.

For more information, contact:
Joseph W. Kiley III, President and CEO
Rich Jacobson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(425) 255-4400