EDMONTON, Jan. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - The Cash Store Financial Services Inc. (TSX: CSF); (NYSE: CSFS) ("the Company") today announced that the Board of Directors will separate the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer prior to the Company's Annual General Meeting for fiscal 2013, which will be held in early 2014.

Mr. Gordon Reykdal will continue to hold the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until a suitable candidate has been selected to be the next Chairman. The Governance and Nominating Committee will undertake the search for a new Chairman. The Board of Directors' decision to separate the roles was based upon its careful consideration of the Company's current stage of growth and development, input from its shareholders, and to further align Cash Store Financial with corporate governance best practices.

"We appreciate the feedback and participation we have received from our shareholders," said Mr. Reykdal.  "We will begin our search process and look forward to finding an individual who will add to the depth and strength of our Board.  This change will also allow me additional time to focus on the growth and operations of the Company."

About Cash Store Financial

Cash Store Financial is the only lender and broker of short‐term advances and provider of other financial services in Canada that is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CSF). Cash Store Financial also trades on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CSFS). Cash Store Financial operates 512 branches across Canada under the banners "Cash Store Financial", "Instaloans" and "The Title Store". Cash Store Financial also operates 25 branches in the United Kingdom.

Cash Store Financial and Instaloans primarily act as lenders and brokers to facilitate short-term advances and provide other financial services to income-earning consumers who may not be able to obtain them from traditional banks. Cash Store Financial also provides a private-label debit card (the "Freedom" card) and a prepaid credit card (the "Freedom MasterCard") as well as other financial services, including bank accounts.

Cash Store Financial employs approximately 1,900 associates and is headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta.

Cash Store Financial is a Canadian corporation that is not affiliated with Cottonwood Financial Ltd. or the outlets Cottonwood Financial Ltd. operates in the United States under the name "Cash Store".  Cash Store Financial does not do business under the name "Cash Store" in the United States and does not own or provide any consumer lending services in the United States.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning United States federal securities legislation, which we refer to herein, collectively, as "forward-looking information". Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information with respect to our objectives, strategies, operations and financial results, competition as well as initiatives to grow revenue or reduce retention payments. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "estimates", "plans", "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will be taken", "occur", or "be achieved". In particular this news release contains forward-looking information with respect to our goals and strategic priorities, introduction of products, share repurchase initiatives, branch openings and competition as well as initiatives to grow revenue or reduce retention payments.  Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Cash Store Financial, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, but not limited to, changes in economic and political conditions, legislative or regulatory developments, technological developments, third-party arrangements, competition, litigation, risks associated with but not limited to, market conditions, and other factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Information Form, which is on file with Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities, and in our Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the  U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  All material assumptions used in providing forward-looking information are based on management's knowledge of current business conditions and expectations of future business conditions and trends, including our knowledge of the current credit, interest rate and liquidity conditions affecting us and the general economic conditions in Canada, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.  Although we believe the assumptions used to make such statements are reasonable at this time and have attempted to identify in our continuous disclosure documents important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.  Certain material factors or assumptions are applied by us in making forward-looking information, include without limitation, factors and assumptions regarding our continued ability to fund our payday loan business, rates of customer defaults, relationships with, and payments to, third party lenders, demand for our products, as well as our operating cost structure and current consumer protection regulations. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SOURCE The Cash Store Financial Services Inc.