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  <TITLE> Sterling Financial Corporation (Form: 8-K) </TITLE>
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  		UNITED STATES<BR>
  	SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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  	WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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  	FORM 8-K
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  	CURRENT REPORT
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  	Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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  	Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):
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  	&nbsp;
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  	May 2, 2006
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  	Sterling Financial Corporation
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  <BR>__________________________________________<BR>
  	(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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  	Pennsylvania
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  	0-16276
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  	23-2449551
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  _____________________<BR>
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  _____________<BR>
  	(Commission
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  ______________<BR>
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  	of incorporation)
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  	File Number)
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  	Identification No.)
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  	101 North Pointe Boulevard, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
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  	17601-4133
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  _________________________________<BR>
  	(Address of principal executive offices)
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  	&nbsp;
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  ___________<BR>
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  	Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code:
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  	717-581-6030
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  	Not Applicable
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  	Former name or former address, if changed since last report
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  	&nbsp;
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  <!-- CoverPageRegistrant END --><P><FONT SIZE="2">
  Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
  simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any
  of the following provisions:</FONT>
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  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)<br>
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<br>
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<br>
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))<br>
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  	Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.
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  On May 1, 2006, Sterling Financial Corporation announced that Thomas J. Sposito II had assumed the role of Chief Banking Officer, replacing Thomas P. Dautrich.  The announcement of Mr. Dautrich's pending retirement from this position was announced in February 2006.  Craig Kauffman was named to replace Mr. Sposito as President of Pennsylvania State Bank.  Also, as part of a new senior management organizational structure announced in February 2006, effective May 1, 2006, J. Bradley Scovill assumed the role of Chief Revenue Officer, a newly created position, and Beverly Wise Hill assumed the role of Group Executive - Financial Services Group, vacated by Mr. Scovill.    <br><br>
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  	Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
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  On May 2, 2006, Sterling Financial Corporation held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders at 9:00 a.m. at the Lancaster Host Resort & Conference Center in Lancaster, PA.  The following proposals were presented and voted upon at the Annual Meeting:<br><br>*Election of four Class of 2009 Directors for a three year term;<br>*Approval of a 2006 Equity Compensation Plan; and<br>*Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Corporation's independent auditors for fiscal year 2006.<br><br>The shareholders elected the following four Class of 2009 Directors:<br><br>Michael A. Carenzo           <br>FOR  21,382,863     <br>WITHHELD  650,938 <br><br>Anthony D. Chivinski         <br>FOR  21,629,468     <br>WITHHELD  404,333<br><br>J. Roger Moyer, Jr.          <br>FOR  19,915,453     <br>WITHHELD  2,118,348<br><br>W. Garth Sprecher            <br>FOR  21,164,214     <br>WITHHELD  869,586<br><br>The following Directors' term of office continues after the Annual Meeting:<br>Dr. Richard H. Albright, Jr.<br>Bertram F. Elsner<br>Howard E. Groff, Jr.<br>Joan R. Henderson<br>Terrence L. Hormel<br>David E. Hosler<br>William E. Miller, Jr.<br>John E. Stefan<br>Glenn R. Walz<br><br>The shareholders approved the 2006 Equity Compensation Plan as follows:<br>FOR  17,714,115   <br>AGAINST  776,997   <br>ABSTAIN  227,958  <br>BROKER NON-VOTE 3,314,731 <br><br>The Plan was adopted by the Corporation's Board of Directors on January 24, 2006, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual Meeting. The material terms of the Plan are summarized in the definitive proxy statement for the Corporation's 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and a copy of the Plan was included as Appendix A to the definitive proxy statement which was filed with the SEC on March 29, 2006.  All of the officers and employees of the Corporation and its subsidiaries are eligible for grants under the Plan. <br><br><br>The shareholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Corporation's independent auditors for fiscal year 2006 as follows:<br>FOR  21,630,756   <br>AGAINST  241,003   <br>ABSTAIN  162,039  <br>BROKER NON-VOTE 0<br><br><br><br>
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  <BR><BR><BR><BR><P ALIGN="LEFT" STYLE="FONT-SIZE: 10PT">The information in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of such section, nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. </P><!-- PageBreak START -->
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  	SIGNATURES
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  	Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  	registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  	undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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  	Sterling Financial Corporation
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  	May 5, 2006
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  	Jean Svoboda
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  	Name: Jean Svoboda
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  	Title: General Counsel, Corporate Secretary
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metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "htm_12223.htm", "description": "LIVE FILING", "secsgml_size_bytes": 11747}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "STERLING FINANCIAL CORP /PA/", "cik": "0000811671", "assigned-sic": "6021", "irs-number": "232449551", "state-of-incorporation": "PA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-16276", "film-number": "06813146"}, "business-address": {"street1": "NORTH POINTE BANKING CORP", "street2": "101 NORTH POINTE BLVD", "city": "LANCASTER", "state": "PA", "zip": "17601-4133", "phone": "7175816030"}}
text: Sterling Financial Corporation (Form: 8-K)
  UNITED STATES
  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  FORM 8-K
  CURRENT REPORT
  Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):
  May 2, 2006
  Sterling Financial Corporation
  __________________________________________
  (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  Pennsylvania
  0-16276
  23-2449551
  _____________________
  (State or other jurisdiction
  _____________
  (Commission
  ______________
  (I.R.S. Employer
  of incorporation)
  File Number)
  Identification No.)
  101 North Pointe Boulevard, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  17601-4133
  _________________________________
  (Address of principal executive offices)
  ___________
  (Zip Code)
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
  717-581-6030
  Not Applicable
  ______________________________________________
  Former name or former address, if changed since last report
  Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
  simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any
  of the following provisions:
  [  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
  [  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
  [  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
  [  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
  Top of the Form
  Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.
  On May 1, 2006, Sterling Financial Corporation announced that Thomas J. Sposito II had assumed the role of Chief Banking Officer, replacing Thomas P. Dautrich.  The announcement of Mr. Dautrich's pending retirement from this position was announced in February 2006.  Craig Kauffman was named to replace Mr. Sposito as President of Pennsylvania State Bank.  Also, as part of a new senior management organizational structure announced in February 2006, effective May 1, 2006, J. Bradley Scovill assumed the role of Chief Revenue Officer, a newly created position, and Beverly Wise Hill assumed the role of Group Executive - Financial Services Group, vacated by Mr. Scovill.
  Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
  On May 2, 2006, Sterling Financial Corporation held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders at 9:00 a.m. at the Lancaster Host Resort & Conference Center in Lancaster, PA.  The following proposals were presented and voted upon at the Annual Meeting:
  *Election of four Class of 2009 Directors for a three year term;
  *Approval of a 2006 Equity Compensation Plan; and
  *Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Corporation's independent auditors for fiscal year 2006.
  The shareholders elected the following four Class of 2009 Directors:
  Michael A. Carenzo
  FOR  21,382,863
  WITHHELD  650,938
  Anthony D. Chivinski
  FOR  21,629,468
  WITHHELD  404,333
  J. Roger Moyer, Jr.
  FOR  19,915,453
  WITHHELD  2,118,348
  W. Garth Sprecher
  FOR  21,164,214
  WITHHELD  869,586
  The following Directors' term of office continues after the Annual Meeting:
  Dr. Richard H. Albright, Jr.
  Bertram F. Elsner
  Howard E. Groff, Jr.
  Joan R. Henderson
  Terrence L. Hormel
  David E. Hosler
  William E. Miller, Jr.
  John E. Stefan
  Glenn R. Walz
  The shareholders approved the 2006 Equity Compensation Plan as follows:
  FOR  17,714,115
  AGAINST  776,997
  ABSTAIN  227,958
  BROKER NON-VOTE 3,314,731
  The Plan was adopted by the Corporation's Board of Directors on January 24, 2006, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual Meeting. The material terms of the Plan are summarized in the definitive proxy statement for the Corporation's 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and a copy of the Plan was included as Appendix A to the definitive proxy statement which was filed with the SEC on March 29, 2006.  All of the officers and employees of the Corporation and its subsidiaries are eligible for grants under the Plan.
  The shareholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Corporation's independent auditors for fiscal year 2006 as follows:
  FOR  21,630,756
  AGAINST  241,003
  ABSTAIN  162,039
  BROKER NON-VOTE 0
  The information in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of such section, nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
  Top of the Form
  SIGNATURES
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  	registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  	undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  Sterling Financial Corporation
  May 5, 2006
  By:
  Jean Svoboda
  Name: Jean Svoboda
  Title: General Counsel, Corporate Secretary