"We ended 1998 with more than $98 billion in assets. And with the stock market''s strength and our continued outstanding growth, we are very proud and excited to announce that we have exceeded the century mark in assets during the first quarter," McFerson said.

"We ended 1998 with more than $98 billion in assets. And with the stock market''s strength and our continued outstanding growth, we are very proud and excited to announce that we have exceeded the century mark in assets during the first quarter," McFerson said.

"The independent agents and the former Countrywide employees have been overwhelmingly positive about the acquisition," Crabtree said. "They understand the growth potential, the benefits of scale that come with being part of a large organization such as Nationwide, and our commitment to this distribution system."