EXHIBIT 10.1
                                  ------------

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         THIS AGREEMENT is made effective as of _December 20, 2001, by and
between FIRSTBANK NORTHWEST (the "Bank"), FIRSTBANK NW CORP. (the "Company"), a
Washington corporation; and CLYDE E. CONKLIN (the "Executive").

         WHEREAS, the Bank wishes to assure itself of the services of Executive
for the period provided in this Agreement; and

         WHEREAS, Executive is willing to serve in the employ of the Bank on a
full-time basis for said period.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein
contained, and upon the other terms and conditions hereinafter provided, the
parties hereby agree as follows:

1.       POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

         During the period of his employment hereunder, Executive agrees to
serve as Chief Financial Officer of the Bank. During said period, Executive also
agrees to serve, if elected, as an officer and director of the Company or any
subsidiary or affiliate of the Company or the Bank.

2.       TERMS AND DUTIES.

         (a)      The term of this Agreement shall be deemed to have commenced
as of the date first above written and shall continue for a period of thirty-six
(36) full calendar months thereafter. Commencing on the first anniversary date,
and continuing at each anniversary date thereafter, the Board of Directors of
the Bank (the "Board") may extend the Agreement for an additional year. Prior to
the extension of the Agreement as provided herein, the Board of Directors of the
Bank will conduct a formal performance evaluation of Executive for purposes of
determining whether to extend the Agreement, and the results thereof shall be
included in the minutes of the Board's meeting.

         (b)      During the period of his employment hereunder, except for
periods of absence occasioned by illness, reasonable vacation periods, and
reasonable leaves of absence, Executive shall devote substantially all his
business time, attention, skill, and efforts to the faithful performance of his
duties hereunder including activities and services related to the organization,
operation and management of the Bank; provided, however, that, with the approval
of the Board, as evidenced by a resolution of such Board, from time to time,
Executive may serve, or continue to serve, on the boards of directors of, and
hold any other offices or positions in, companies or organizations, which, in
such Board's judgment, will not present any conflict of interest with the Bank,
or materially affect the performance of Executive's duties pursuant to this
Agreement.

3.       COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.

         (a)      The compensation specified under this Agreement shall
constitute the salary and benefits paid for the duties described in Sections 1
and 2. The Bank shall pay Executive as compensation a salary of not less than
$102,000 per year. Such salary shall be payable in accordance with the customary
payroll practices of the Bank. During the period of this Agreement, Executive's
salary shall be reviewed at least annually; the first such review will be made
<PAGE>

no later than one year from the date of this Agreement. Such review shall be
conducted by a Committee designated by the Board. Executive's salary plus any
increases provided by the Committee, including any incentive compensation, shall
constitute Executive's base salary ("Base Salary"). In addition to the Base
Salary provided in this Section 3(a), the Bank shall provide Executive at no
cost to Executive with all such other benefits as are provided uniformly to
permanent full-time employees of the Bank.

         (b)      The Bank will provide Executive with employee benefit plans,
arrangements and perquisites substantially equivalent to those in which
Executive was participating or otherwise deriving benefit from immediately prior
to the beginning of the term of this Agreement, and the Bank will not, without
Executive's prior written consent, make any changes in such plans, arrangements
or perquisites which would adversely affect Executive's rights or benefits
thereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing provisions of this
Subsection (b), Executive will be entitled to participate in or receive benefits
under any employee benefit plans including, but not limited to, retirement
plans, supplemental retirement plans, pension plans, profit-sharing plans,
health-and-accident plan, medical coverage or any other employee benefit plan or
arrangement made available by the Bank in the future to its senior executives
and key management employees, subject to, and on a basis consistent with, the
terms, conditions and overall administration of such plans and arrangements.
Executive will be entitled to incentive compensation and bonuses as provided in
any plan, or pursuant to any arrangement of the Bank, in which Executive is
eligible to participate. Nothing paid to Executive under any such plan or
arrangement will be deemed to be in lieu of other compensation to which
Executive is entitled under this Agreement, except as provided under Section
5(e).

         (c)      In addition to the Base Salary provided for by paragraph (a)
of this Section 3, the Bank shall pay or reimburse Executive for all reasonable
travel and other obligations under this Agreement and may provide such
additional compensation in such form and such amounts as the Board may from time
to time determine.

         (d)      If Executive serves as a member of the Board or the Board of
Directors of the Company (the "Company Board"), the Company or the Bank, as
applicable, shall pay Executive, as additional compensation, an amount equal to
eighty (80) percent of the fees or retainers received by a nonemployee member of
the Board or the Company Board.

4.       PAYMENTS TO EXECUTIVE UPON AN EVENT OF TERMINATION.

         (a)      Upon the occurrence of an Event of Termination (as herein
defined) during Executive's term of employment under this Agreement, the
provisions of this Section shall apply. As used in this Agreement, an "Event of
Termination" shall mean and include any one or more of the following: (i) the
termination by the Bank of Executive's full-time employment hereunder for any
reason other than a Change in Control, as defined in Section 5(a) hereof; death;
or retirement, as defined in Section 7 hereof; (ii) Executive's resignation from
the Bank's employ, upon (A) unless consented to by Executive, a material change
in Executive's function, duties, or responsibilities, which change would cause
Executive's position to become one of lesser responsibility, importance, or
scope from the position and attributes thereof described in Sections 1 and 2,
above (any such material change shall be deemed a continuing breach of this
Agreement), (B) a relocation of Executive's principal place of employment by
more than 35 miles from its location at the effective date of this Agreement, or
a material reduction in the benefits and perquisites to Executive from those
being provided as of the effective date of this Agreement, (C) the liquidation
or dissolution of the Bank, or (D) any breach of this Agreement by the Bank.
Upon the occurrence of any event described in clauses (A), (B), (C) or (D),
above, Executive shall have the right to elect to terminate his employment under
<PAGE>

this Agreement by resignation upon not less than sixty (60) days prior written
notice given within a reasonable period of time not to exceed, except in case of
a continuing breach, four (4) calendar months after the event giving rise to
said right to elect.

         (b)      Upon the occurrence of an Event of Termination, the Bank shall
pay Executive, or, in the event of his subsequent death, his beneficiary or
beneficiaries, or his estate, as the case may be, as severance pay, a lump sum
amount equal to the present value (at a rate reasonably determined by the Board
of all Base Salary and life, medical, dental and disability coverage that would
have been paid to Executive had the contract remained in effect through the
remainder of its then existing term; provided, however, that if the Bank is not
in compliance with its minimum capital requirements or if such payments would
cause the Bank's capital to be reduced below its minimum capital requirements,
such payment shall be deferred until such time as the Bank is in capital
compliance.

5.       CHANGE IN CONTROL.

         (a)      No benefit shall be paid under this Section 5 unless there
shall have occurred a Change in Control of the Company or the Bank. For purposes
of this Agreement, a "Change in Control" of the Company or the Bank shall be
deemed to occur if and when (a) an offeror other than the Company purchases
shares of the common stock of the Company or the Bank pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer for 25% or more of such shares, (b) any person (as such term is
used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) is
or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the
Company or the Bank representing 25% or more of the combined voting power of the
Company's or the Bank's then outstanding securities, (c) the membership of the
board of directors of the Company or the Bank changes as the result of a
contested election, such that individuals who were directors at the beginning of
any twenty-four (24) month period (whether commencing before or after the date
of adoption of this Agreement) do not constitute a majority of the Board at the
end of such period, or (d) shareholders of the Company or the Bank approve a
merger, consolidation, sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the
Company's or the Bank's assets, or a plan of partial or complete liquidation.

         (b)      If any of the events described in Section 5(a) hereof
constituting a Change in Control have occurred or the Board of the Bank or the
Company has reasonably determined that a Change in Control has occurred,
Executive shall be entitled to the benefits provided in paragraphs (c), (d) and
(e) of this Section 5 upon his subsequent involuntary termination following the
effective date of a Change in Control (or voluntary termination following the
effective date of a Change in Control following any demotion, loss of title,
office or significant authority, reduction in his annual compensation or
benefits (other than a reduction affecting the Bank's personnel generally), or
relocation of his principal place of employment by more than thirty-five (35)
miles from its location immediately prior to the Change in Control), unless such
termination is because of his death, retirement as provided in Section 7,
termination for Cause, or termination for Disability.

         (c)      Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control followed by
Executive's termination of employment, the Bank shall pay Executive, or in the
event of his subsequent death, his beneficiary or beneficiaries, or his estate,
as the case may be, as severance pay or liquidated damages, or both, a sum equal
to 2.99 times Executive's "base amount," within the meaning of ss.280G(b)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 ("Code"), as amended. Such payment shall be
made in a lump sum paid within ten (10) days of Executive's Date of Termination.
<PAGE>

         (d)      Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control followed by
Executive's termination of employment, the Bank will cause to be continued life,
medical, dental and disability coverage substantially identical to the coverage
maintained by the Bank for Executive prior to his severance. In addition,
Executive shall be entitled to receive the value of employer contributions that
would have been made on Executive's behalf over the remaining term of the
agreement to any tax-qualified retirement plan sponsored by the Bank as of the
Date of Termination. Such coverage and payments shall cease upon the expiration
of thirty-six (36) months.

         (e)      Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, Executive shall be
entitled to receive benefits due him under, or contributed by the Company or the
Bank on his behalf, pursuant to any retirement, incentive, profit sharing,
bonus, performance, disability or other employee benefit plan maintained by the
Bank or the Company on Executive's behalf to the extent that such benefits are
not otherwise paid to Executive upon a Change in Control.

         (f)      Notwithstanding the preceding paragraphs of this Section 5, in
the event that the aggregate payments or benefits to be made or afforded to
Executive under this Section, together with any other payments or benefits
received or to be received by Executive in connection with a Change in Control,
would be deemed to include an "excess parachute payment" under ss.280G of the
Code, then, at the election of Executive, (i) such payments or benefits shall be
payable or provided to Executive over the minimum period necessary to reduce the
present value of such payments or benefits to an amount which is one dollar
($1.00) less than three (3) times Executive's "base amount" under ss.280G(b)(3)
of the Code or (ii) the payments or benefits to be provided under this Section 5
shall be reduced to the extent necessary to avoid treatment as an excess
parachute payment with the allocation of the reduction among such payments and
benefits to be determined by Executive.

6.       TERMINATION FOR DISABILITY.

         (a)      If Executive shall become disabled as defined in the Bank's
then current disability plan (or, if no such plan is then in effect, totally
disabled within with respect to the performance of the material duties of his
regular occupation, as determined by a physician designated by the Board), the
Bank may terminate Executive's employment for "Disability."

         (b)      Upon Executive's termination of employment for Disability, the
Bank will pay Executive, as disability pay, a bi-weekly payment equal to
three-quarters (3/4) of Executive's bi-weekly compensation, determined as of the
effective date of such termination. For purposes of the preceding sentence of
this paragraph, "weekly compensation" shall mean the sum of Executive's Base
Salary and bonuses paid or accrued on Executive's behalf during the twelve-month
period ending on the last day of the month preceding Executive's termination of
employment for Disability divided by fifty-two (52). These disability payments
shall commence on the effective date of Executive's termination and will end on
the earlier of (i) the date Executive returns to the full-time employment of the
Bank in the same capacity as he was employed prior to his termination for
Disability and pursuant to an employment agreement between Executive and the
Bank; (ii) Executive's full-time employment by another employer; (iii) Executive
attaining the age of sixty-five (65); or (iv) Executive's death; (v) the
expiration of the term of this Agreement. The disability pay shall be reduced by
the amount, if any, paid to Executive under any plan of the Bank providing
disability benefits to Executive.

         (c)      The Bank will cause to be continued life, medical, dental and
disability coverage substantially identical to the coverage maintained by the
Bank for Executive prior to his termination for Disability. This coverage and
payments shall cease upon the earlier of (i) the date Executive returns to the
full-time employment of the Bank, in the same capacity as he was employed prior
<PAGE>

to his termination for Disability and pursuant to an employment agreement
between Executive and the Bank; (ii) Executive's full-time employment by another
employer; (iii) Executive's attaining the age of sixty-five (65); (iv)
Executive's death; or (v) the expiration of the term of this Agreement.

         (d)      Notwithstanding the foregoing, there will be no reduction in
the compensation otherwise payable to Executive during any period during which
Executive is incapable of performing his duties hereunder by reason of temporary
disability.

7.       TERMINATION UPON RETIREMENT; DEATH OF EXECUTIVE.

         Termination of Executive based on "Retirement" shall mean retirement at
or after attaining age sixty-five (65) or in accordance with any retirement
arrangement established with Executive's consent with respect to him. Upon
termination of Executive upon Retirement, Executive shall be entitled to all
benefits under any retirement plan of the Bank or the Company and other plans to
which Executive is a party. Upon the death of Executive during the term of this
Agreement, the Bank shall pay to Executive's estate the compensation due to
Executive through the last day of the calendar month in which his death
occurred.

8.       TERMINATION FOR CAUSE.

         For purposes of this Agreement, "Termination for Cause" shall include
termination because of Executive's personal dishonesty, incompetence, willful
misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty involving personal profit, intentional
failure to perform stated duties, willful violation of any law, rule, or
regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses) or final
cease-and-desist order, or material breach of any provision of this Agreement.
For purposes of this Section, no act, or the failure to act, on Executive's part
shall be "willful" unless done, or omitted to be done, not in good faith and
without reasonable belief that the action or omission was in the best interest
of the Bank or its affiliates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive shall
not be deemed to have been terminated for Cause unless and until there shall
have been delivered to him a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the
affirmative vote of not less than three-fourths (3/4) of the members of the
Board at a meeting of the Board called and held for that purpose (after
reasonable notice to Executive and an opportunity for him, together with
counsel, to be heard before the Board), finding that in the good faith opinion
of the Board, Executive was guilty of conduct justifying termination for Cause
and specifying the reasons thereof. Executive shall not have the right to
receive compensation or other benefits for any period after termination for
Cause. Any stock options granted to Executive under any stock option plan or any
unvested awards granted under any other stock benefit plan of the Bank, the
Company, or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof, shall become null and void
effective upon Executive's receipt of Notice of Termination for Cause pursuant
to Section 10 hereof, and shall not be exercisable by Executive at any time
subsequent to such Termination for Cause.

9.       REQUIRED PROVISIONS.

         (a)      The Bank may terminate Executive's employment at any time, but
any termination by the Bank, other than Termination for Cause, shall not
prejudice Executive's right to compensation or other benefits under this
Agreement. Executive shall not have the right to receive compensation or other
benefits for any period after Termination for Cause as defined in Section 8
herein.
<PAGE>

         (b)      If Executive is suspended and/or temporarily prohibited from
participating in the conduct of the Bank's affairs by a notice served under
Section 8(e)(3) or (g)(1) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ("FDIA") (12
U.S.C. 1818(e)(3) and (g)(1)), the Bank's obligations under the Agreement shall
be suspended as of the date of service, unless stayed by appropriate
proceedings. If the charges in the notice are dismissed, the Bank may, in its
discretion, (i) pay Executive all or part of the compensation withheld while its
contract obligations were suspended and (ii) reinstate (in whole or in part) any
of its obligations that were suspended.

         (c)      If Executive is removed and/or permanently prohibited from
participating in the conduct of the Bank's affairs by an order issued under
Section 8(e)(4) or (g)(1) of the FDIA (12 U.S.C. 1818(e)(4) or (g)(1)), all
obligations of the Bank under the Agreement shall terminate as of the effective
date of the order, but vested rights of the contracting parties shall not be
affected.

         (d)      If the Bank is in default (as defined in Section 3(x)(1) of
the FDIA), all obligations under this Agreement shall terminate as of the date
of default, but this paragraph shall not affect any vested rights of the
parties.

         (e)      All obligations under this Agreement shall be terminated
(except to the extent determined that continuation of the Agreement is necessary
for the continued operation of the Bank): (i) at the time the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation enters into an agreement to provide assistance to or on
behalf of the Bank under the authority contained in Section 13(c) of the FDIA;
or (ii) by the FDIC at the time it approves a supervisory merger to resolve
problems related to operation of the Bank. Any rights of the parties that have
already vested, however, shall not be affected by such action.

         (f)      Any payments made to Executive pursuant to this Agreement, or
otherwise, are subject to and conditioned upon compliance with 12 U.S.C.
ss.1828(k) and any regulations promulgated thereunder. Any payments to Executive
contemplated by this Agreement shall not be immediately payable to the extent
such payments are barred or prohibited by an action or order issued by the
Director of Banks of the Washington Department of Financial Institutions or the
FDIC.

10.      NOTICE.

         (a)      Any purported termination by the Bank or by Executive shall be
communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For purposes of
this Agreement, a "Notice of Termination" shall mean a written notice which
shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon
and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to
provide a basis for termination of Executive's employment under the provision so
indicated.

         (b)      "Date of Termination" shall mean (A) if Executive's employment
is terminated for Disability, thirty (30) days after a Notice of Termination is
given (provided that he shall not have returned to the performance of his duties
on a full-time basis during such thirty (30) day period), and (B) if his
employment is terminated for any other reason, the date specified in the Notice
of Termination (which, in the case of a Termination for Cause, shall not be less
than thirty (30) days from the date such Notice of Termination is given).

         (c)      If, within thirty (30) days after any Notice of Termination is
given, the party receiving such Notice of Termination notifies the other party
that a dispute exists concerning the termination, except upon the occurrence of
a Change in Control and voluntary termination by Executive in which case the
<PAGE>

Date of Termination shall be the date specified in the Notice, the Date of
Termination shall be the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either
by mutual written agreement of the parties, by a binding arbitration award, or
by a final judgment, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction (the
time for appeal there from having expired and no appeal having been perfected)
and provided further that the Date of Termination shall be extended by a notice
of dispute only if such notice is given in good faith and the party giving such
notice pursues the resolution of such dispute with reasonable diligence.
Notwithstanding the pendency of any such dispute, the Bank will continue to pay
Executive his full compensation in effect when the notice giving rise to the
dispute was given (including, but not limited to, Base Salary) and continue him
as a participant in all compensation, benefit and insurance plans in which he
was participating when the notice of dispute was given, until the dispute is
finally resolved in accordance with this Agreement. Amounts paid under this
Section are in addition to all other amounts due under this Agreement and shall
not be offset against or reduce any other amounts due under this Agreement.

11.      NON-COMPETITION.

         (a)      Upon any termination of Executive's employment hereunder
pursuant to an Event of Termination as provided in Section 4 hereof, Executive
agrees not to compete with the Bank and/or the Company for a period equal to the
greater of one (1) year or the remainder of the existing term of the Agreement
following such termination in any city, town or county in which the Bank and/or
the Company has an office or has filed an application for regulatory approval to
establish an office, determined as of the effective date of such termination.
Executive agrees that during such period and within said cities, towns and
counties, Executive shall not work for or advise, consult or otherwise serve
with, directly or indirectly, any entity whose business materially competes with
the depository, lending or other business activities of the Bank and/or the
Company. The parties hereto, recognizing that irreparable injury will result to
the Bank and/or the Company, its business and property in the event of
Executive's breach of this Subsection 11(a) agree that in the event of any such
breach by Executive, the Bank and/or the Company will be entitled, in addition
to any other remedies and damages available, to an injunction to restrain the
violation hereof by Executive, Executive's partners, agents, servants,
employers, employees and all persons acting for or with Executive. Executive
represents and admits that in the event of the termination of his employment
pursuant to Section 8 hereof, Executive's experience and capabilities are such
that Executive can obtain employment in a business engaged in other lines and/or
of a different nature than the Bank and/or the Company, and that the enforcement
of a remedy by way of injunction will not prevent Executive from earning a
livelihood. Nothing herein will be construed as prohibiting the Bank and/or the
Company from pursuing any other remedies available to the Bank and/or the
Company for such breach or threatened breach, including the recovery of damages
from Executive.

         (b)      Executive recognizes and acknowledges that the knowledge of
the business activities and plans for business activities of the Bank and
affiliates thereof, as it may exist from time to time, is a valuable, special
and unique asset of the business of the Bank. Executive will not, during or
after the term of his employment, disclose any knowledge of the past, present,
planned or considered business activities of the Bank or affiliates thereof to
any person, firm, corporation, or other entity for any reason or purpose
whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive may disclose any knowledge
of banking, financial and/or economic principles, concepts or ideas which are
not solely and exclusively derived from the business plans and activities of the
Bank. In the event of a breach or threatened breach by Executive of the
provisions of this Section, the Bank will be entitled to an injunction
restraining Executive from disclosing, in whole or in part, the knowledge of the
past, present, planned or considered business activities of the Bank or
affiliates thereof, or from rendering any services to any person, firm,
<PAGE>

corporation, other entity to whom such knowledge, in whole or in part, has been
disclosed or is threatened to be disclosed. Nothing herein will be construed as
prohibiting the Bank from pursuing any other remedies available to the Bank for
such breach or threatened breach, including the recovery of damages from
Executive.

12.      SOURCE OF PAYMENTS.

         All payments provided in this Agreement shall be timely paid in cash or
check from the general funds of the Bank. The Company, however, guarantees all
payments and the provision of all amounts and benefits due hereunder to
Executive and, if such payments are not timely paid or provided by the Bank,
such amounts and benefits shall be paid or provided by the Company.

13.      EFFECT ON PRIOR AGREEMENTS AND EXISTING BENEFITS PLANS.

         This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior employment agreement between the Bank or any
predecessor of the Bank and Executive, except that this Agreement shall not
affect or operate to reduce any benefit or compensation inuring to Executive of
a kind elsewhere provided. No provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted
to mean that Executive is subject to receiving fewer benefits than those
available to him without reference to this Agreement.

14.      NO ATTACHMENT.

         (a)      Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under
this Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale,
assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation, or to execution,
attachment, levy, or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any
attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to affect any such action shall be null,
void, and of no effect.

         (b)      This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit
of, Executive, the Bank, the Company and their respective successors and
assigns.

15.      MODIFICATION AND WAIVER.

         (a)      This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by an
instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.

         (b)      No term or condition of this Agreement shall be deemed to have
been waived, nor shall there by any estoppel against the enforcement of any
provision of this Agreement, except by written instrument of the party charged
with such waiver or estoppel. No such written waiver shall be deemed a
continuing waiver unless specifically stated therein, and each such waiver shall
operate only as to the specific term or condition waived and shall not
constitute a waiver of such term or condition for the future as to any act other
than that specifically waived.

16.      SEVERABILITY.

         If, for any reason, any provision of this Agreement, or any part of any
provision, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision
of this Agreement or any part of such provision not held so invalid, and each
such other provision and part thereof shall to the full extent consistent with
law continue in full force and effect.
<PAGE>

17.      HEADINGS FOR REFERENCE ONLY.

         The headings of sections and paragraphs herein are included solely for
convenience of reference and shall not control the meaning or interpretation of
any of the provisions of this Agreement.

18.      GOVERNING LAW.

         This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Idaho,
unless otherwise specified herein; provided, however, that in the event of a
conflict between the terms of this Agreement and any applicable federal or state
law or regulation, the provisions of such law or regulation shall prevail.

19.      ARBITRATION.

         Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this
Agreement shall be settled exclusively by arbitration, conducted before a panel
of three arbitrators sitting in a location selected by the employee within one
hundred (100) miles from the location of the Bank, in accordance with the rules
of the American Arbitration Association then in effect. Judgment may be entered
on the arbitrator's award in any court having jurisdiction; provided, however,
that Executive shall be entitled to seek specific performance of his right to be
paid until the Date of Termination during the pendency of any dispute or
controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement.

20.      PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES.

         All reasonable legal fees paid or incurred by Executive pursuant to any
dispute or question of interpretation relating to this Agreement shall be paid
or reimbursed by the Bank, if successful pursuant to a legal judgment,
arbitration or settlement.

21.      INDEMNIFICATION.

         The Bank shall provide Executive (including his heirs, executors and
administrators) with coverage under a standard directors' and officers'
liability insurance policy at its expense, or in lieu thereof, shall indemnify
Executive (and his heirs, executors and administrators) to the fullest extent
permitted under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.

22.      SUCCESSOR TO THE BANK OR THE COMPANY.

         The Bank and the Company shall require any successor or assignee,
whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, to
all or substantially all the business or assets of the Bank or the Company,
expressly and unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the Bank's or the
Company's obligations under this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same
extent that the Bank or the Company would be required to perform if no such
succession or assignment had taken place.

23.      ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

         Upon the termination of Executive's employment with the Bank and the
Company (or any successor entity) during the term of this Agreement, Executive
shall submit in writing his resignation as a member of the Bank Board, the
Company Board or the board of directors of any affiliate of the Bank or the
Company if he is then serving in such capacity, with such resignation to be
effective as of the date of his termination of employment.

<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Bank and the Company hereto have caused this
Agreement to be executed and their seal to be affixed hereunto by a duly
authorized officer or director, and Executive has signed this Agreement, all on
the 20th day of December, 2001.


ATTEST:                             FIRSTBANK NORTHWEST



/s/ DEBY L. LUTES                   BY: /s/ STEVE R. COX
------------------------------          -----------------------------------


ATTEST:                             FIRSTBANK NW CORP.



/s/ DEBY L. LUTES                   BY: /s/ STEVE R. COX
------------------------------          -----------------------------------


WITNESS:



/s/ DEBY L. LUTES                   /s/ CLYDE E. CONKLIN
-------------------------------     ---------------------------------------