Western Financial Group (WFG) today to announced the appointment of Bill Yuill as vice chairman of WFG’s board of directors. Yuill is filling the role that has been vacant since Jim Dinning accepted the position of chairman in September 2004.

“Bill knows our Company well, having served as a board member for the past two years,” said Scott Tannas, president & CEO in a news release. “He contributes a wealth of experience as a western entrepreneur who has successfully consolidated small companies into larger, more competitive entities.”

Yuill is chairman and CEO of The Monarch Corporation, a private holding company with investments in telecommunications, sports properties, real estate properties and transportation. As well, Yuill is a director on a number of public, private and not for profit boards.

WFG also announced today that the board of directors has approved a change to the company’s dividend policy and upon satisfaction of certain conditions WFG plans to commence payment of a quarterly dividend on July 1, 2007.

It is expected that such dividends will be paid to shareholders quarterly on each of January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1.

With offices in towns and small cities across the West, WFG provides more than 250,000 customers with insurance, investment and banking products through WFG Agency Network, Western Life and Bank West.