8-K

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) January 31, 2009

Hanmi Financial Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation) 000-30421
(Commission File Number) 95-4788120
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

3660 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles California	90010
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (213) 382-2200

Not applicable
(Former name of former address, if changed since last report)

     Check the appreciate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

o     Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o     Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02(a) and (d). Departure of Directors or Certain Officers, Election of Directors, Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On February 4, 2009, the Board of Directors of Hanmi Financial Corporation (“HFC”) appointed Mr. John Hall to the HFC and Hanmi Bank Boards following receipt of notice of non-disapproval from the California Department of Financial Institutions and Federal Reserve Board. Mr. Hall will be appointed as a Class II director and his term will expire in 2010. Until his retirement in 2005, Mr. Hall, 59, spent more than three decades with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), a division of the U.S. Treasury Department. He received his commission as a National Bank Examiner in 1979 and eventually served as Examiner-in-Charge of many of the nation’s premier banks, including Union Bank of California, First Interstate Bancorp and Fleet Boston. Mr. Hall, who has a B.A. from the University of Iowa, also served as the lead examiner for credit for Wells Fargo Bank. On February 4, 2009, the HFC and HB Boards also assigned Mr. Hall to serve as Chairperson of the Audit Committee for Hanmi Financial Corporation and as Vice Chairperson of the Compliance Committee, Asset/Liability Committee and a member of the Loan and Credit Management Committee of Hanmi Bank.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Hall and any other person pursuant to which Mr. Hall was appointed as director. There are no transactions in which they had an interest requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

On January 31, 2009, Mr. Robert Abeles tendered his resignation from the Board of Directors of Hanmi Financial Corporation and Hanmi Bank, effective the same day. Mr. Abeles cited his return to full time employment as a Chief Financial Officer as the basis of his resignation as well as a result of fundamental differences between himself and a majority of the Board of Directors with respect to corporate governance. A copy of Mr. Abeles’ resignation letter is attached hereto as Exhibit 17.1. Mr. Abeles served on Hanmi’s Audit Committee, Nominating, Corporate Governance and Compensation Committee, Loan and Credit Management Committee, Asset/Liability Committee, and Compliance Committee.

A copy of the press release announcing Mr. Hall’s nomination and Mr. Abeles’ resignation is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

17.1	Letter of Resignation from Mr. Abeles, dated February 1, 2009
99.1	Press Release dated February 5, 2009, issued by Hanmi Financial Corporation

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Form 8-K report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: February 5, 2009	Hanmi Financial Corporation
	By:	/s/ Jay S. Yoo
		Jay S. Yoo
		President and Chief Executive Officer

EX-17.1

Exhibit 17.1

Robert Abeles

February 1, 2009

Board of Directors of Hanmi Financial Corporation
Board of Directors of Hanmi Bank
3660 Wilshire Boulevard, Penthouse A
Los Angeles, California 90010

Dear Sirs:

Effective January 31, 2009, I am resigning as a member of the Board of Directors of Hanmi Financial Corporation and Hanmi Bank. My decision is based on two considerations as follows:

1)	I have recently agreed to full-time employment as a Chief Financial Officer. The requirements of that position make it not feasible for me to devote the time necessary to my current Director responsibilities at Hanmi Financial Corporation and Hanmi Bank.
2)	Since joining the Boards of Hanmi Financial Corporation and Hanmi Bank in late April 2008, I have had fundamental differences of opinion on appropriate corporate governance between myself and a majority of Directors. Due to these differences, I believe that I can no longer represent the interests of shareholders.

I remain disappointed that, during my short tenure as a Director, I was not able to effect more positive change in the corporate governance of Hanmi Financial Corporation and Hanmi Bank.

Sincerely,
 

/s/ Robert Abeles  

Robert Abeles 

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Hanmi Financial Corp. Appoints
Jack Hall to its Board of Directors

LOS ANGELES — February 5, 2009 — Hanmi Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: HAFC), the holding company of Hanmi Bank, announced that John A. (Jack) Hall has been appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors and to the Board of Directors of Hanmi Bank.

Until his retirement in 2005, Mr. Hall, 59, spent more than three decades with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), a division of the U.S. Treasury Department. He received his commission as a National Bank Examiner in 1979 and eventually served as Examiner-in-Charge of many of the nation’s premier banks, including Union Bank of California, First Interstate Bancorp, Fleet Boston, and Treasury Bank in Los Angeles, Countrywide’s national bank subsidiary. Mr. Hall, who has a B.A. from the University of Iowa, also served as the lead examiner for credit for Wells Fargo Bank.

“I am pleased to welcome Mr. Hall to the Board,” said Jay S. Yoo, President and Chief Executive Officer. “His longstanding familiarity with the financial services industry, including the requirements and expectations of bank regulators, will be especially valuable as Hanmi addresses the challenges of the current recession. He brings a deep and well-rounded knowledge of risk-management issues, particularly on matters concerning internal audits, compliance, and credit management.”

Mr. Yoo also mentioned with appreciation the service of Robert Abeles, who effective January 31, 2009 resigned from Hanmi Financial Corporation’s Board of Directors, as well as from the Board of Directors of Hanmi Bank. Among the considerations cited by Mr. Abeles in announcing his resignation was his recent return to full-time employment.

About Hanmi Financial Corporation:

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Hanmi Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hanmi Financial Corporation, provides services to the multi-ethnic communities of California, with 26 full-service offices in Los Angeles, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Diego counties, and six loan production offices in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Hanmi Bank specializes in commercial, SBA and trade finance lending, and is a recognized community leader. Hanmi Bank’s mission is to provide a full range of quality products and premier services to its customers and to maximize shareholder value. Additional information is available at www.hanmifinancial.com.

Contact:
Stephanie Yoon
Investor Relations
213-427-5631

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