from the Resolution Trust Corporation for $27.5 million. Some of the acquired offices were closed due to close proximity existing Great Western branch offices. In August 1994, Great Western announced that it was selling 31 branches in the western portion of the state of Florida, which included Tampa-St. Petersburg, to First Union for $75 million to focus on other parts of Florida. Expansion in Arizona Great Western made its first expansion into the state of Arizona in June 1987 by announcing the pending acquisition of the Phoenix-based First Commercial Savings & Loan Association for $17 million in cash. The acquisition was completed in January 1988. Expansion in Washington Great Western made its first expansion into the state of Washington in July 1987 by announcing the pending acquisition of the similar named Bellevue-based Great Western Savings Bank for $52.3 million. The acquisition was completed in February 1988. In June 1989, Great Western announced that it was selling its six Spokane branch offices to Washington Trust Bank of Spokane for undisclosed amount. This move represented Great Western's withdraw from Eastern Washington state. Three years later, Great Western finally exited the state of Washington by announcing in September 1992 that Great Western would swap its entire 13 branch offices in Washington for Seattle-based Pacific First's entire seven offices in Southern California. Expansion in New York Great Western made its first and only expansion into the state of New York in September 1987 by announcing the opening a New York state chartered savings bank in the city of White Plains that was able to accept consumer deposits and issue consumer loans, but unable to make commercial loans. Unfortunately, Great Western was unable to expand further into the New York City metropolitan area and it quietly sold its only New York area office to Chemical Bank in 1990. Acquisition by Washington Mutual In early 1997 California thrift H. F. Ahmanson & Co. launched a hostile takeover bid for the company, but Washington Mutual's friendly offer won out later that year. Ironically, in 1998 Washington Mutual acquired Ahmanson for $10 billion. In 2008, it became part of JPMorgan Chase. Advertising In 1971, the company adopted the GW "brand" while it consolidated its many savings units into one subsidiary. Celebrity spokespersons In October 1977, actor John Wayne filmed the first of several television commercials that he recorded over the next year for Great Western. In August 1978,