CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Wachovia Corporation (NYSE:WB) and Golden West Financial Corporation (NYSE: GDW), parent of World Savings Bank, said today they have signed a definitive agreement to merge, creating a leading retail banking and mortgage lending franchise in many of the nation's most attractive growth markets. This combination strengthens Wachovia's presence in California, Florida and Texas, and extends the banking franchise within reach of 55 percent of the U.S. population.