SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION



Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


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|_|         (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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                             Washington Mutual, Inc.
                (Names of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)



    (Names of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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Media Contact:             Washington Mutual
                                    Bill Ehrlich
                                    1-800-228-9268
                                    Gavin Anderson & Company
                                    Hollis Rafkin-Sax
                                    212-373-0231

Investor Contact:          Washington Mutual
                                    JoAnn DeGrande
                                    206-461-3186
                                                                  June 3, 1997
                                                         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

               WASHINGTON MUTUAL/GREAT WESTERN MERGER IS ON TRACK
                  ---------------------------------------------

 Washington Mutual/Great Western Merger Votes to Be Held on June 13 as Scheduled


     SEATTLE,  Washington -- Washington Mutual,  Inc. (Nasdaq:  WAMU) issued the
following  statement today in response to the Delaware Chancery Court's decision
to deny H.F.  Ahmanson's  (NYSE:  AHM) motion to delay Great  Western  Financial
Corporation's (NYSE: GWF) special meeting to vote on the Washington Mutual/Great
Western merger:

     "We are  pleased to report that our  timetable  for  completion  remains on
track. On June 13th both Washington  Mutual and Great Western  shareholders will
have the opportunity to vote on our merger.  We still anticipate that the merger
could be completed as soon as late June or early July,  following the receipt of
necessary shareholder and regulatory approvals."

     With a history  dating  back to 1889,  Washington  Mutual is a  diversified
financial  services  company  focusing  on  families  and  small  and  mid-sized
businesses.  As of March 31, 1997,  Washington  Mutual and its  subsidiaries had
consolidated  assets of $46.1  billion  and  operated  more than 550  offices in
Washington,  California,  Oregon,  Idaho, Utah, Montana,  Arizona,  Colorado and
Nevada.  The company's  subsidiaries  provide  consumer and commercial  banking,
full-service   securities  brokerage,   mutual  fund  management  and  insurance
underwriting.
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