Mechanics Bank Fact Sheet

Description

Mechanics Bank operates 34 offices across Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Marin, Napa, Placer, Sacramento and San Francisco counties. It is the largest bank headquartered in California’s East Bay region, serving tens of thousands of individual clients and thousands of small and middle-market businesses with personal banking, business banking, commercial banking, trust and estate services, brokerage and wealth management.

History

Mechanics Bank’s roots go back to Iverson Bank and Trust Company, founded in Richmond in 1905. It became The Mechanics Bank in 1907 and Edward M. Downer joined the organization shortly thereafter, purchasing a controlling interest by 1919. Four generations later, the bank is still locally owned, and Downer’s great granddaughter, Dianne Daiss (“D.D.”) Felton, serves as Chairman of the Board. E. Michael Downer, a great grandson of E. M. Downer, serves as Vice Chairman of the Board.

Innovation has played a key role in the bank’s growth: it opened the first drive-through banking facilities in the region; pioneered banking products such as auto and personal loans; and was one of the first banks in California to pay daily interest on savings accounts. It also introduced ATMs to Northern California.

Mechanics Bank’s reputation and its exceptional customer service have helped it grow almost entirely without acquisitions. By 1996, the bank reached the $1 billion asset milestone, and it reached $3 billion in 2010. In the past decade, it has expanded to include San Francisco, Marin, the Sacramento area, Napa and Alameda County.

Ownership

Mechanics Bank is privately controlled and has been majority-owned by the founding family for four generations.

Role as a Community Bank

Giving back to the community is an integral part of Mechanics Bank’s culture, and the bank is consistently recognized as one of the Top 50 local corporate philanthropists. It recently launched the “Community Partners” program offering nonprofits a host of services, resources and online access to a database of employee volunteers. Fully two thirds of bank employees are involved in at least one community organization and Mechanics Bank has a banking relationship with over 800 nonprofits.

The bank also has been recognized as one of the “Top Ten Best Places to Work” in the Bay Area. It was the first bank in California to obtain Green Certification for one of its offices and now has over twenty offices certified Green.

Mechanics Bank Metrics as of 12/31/2009

• Total number of Personal Banking Clients: 42,977
• Total number of Business Banking Clients: 9,664
• Total deposits: $2.396 billion
• Total assets: $2.945 billion
• Net income: $15,258,393
• Total number of employees: 670

Key Executive Management

President and Chief Executive Officer: Steven K. Buster
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer: Steven I. Barlow
Senior Vice President, Interim Director of Corporate Banking: John Wells
Executive Vice President, Enterprise Risk Management: William J. Schwerin
Executive Vice President, Wealth Management: Kirsten E. Weisser
Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Richard Stephenson
Senior Vice President, Director of Human Resources, Judy Ditchey

Board of Directors

Dianne Daiss Felton, Chairman
E. Michael Downer, Vice Chairman of the Board
Steven K. Buster, President and Chief Executive Officer
Daniel W. Albert
Daniel M. Daiss
E.M. Downer III, Chairman Emeritus
Martin B. McNair
J. David Powell
James P. Staes
Mark F. Wilson
Patricia Cochran
Richard A. Moran

Headquarters

3170 Hilltop Mall Road
Richmond, CA 94806
800.797.6324

Press Contacts

Ms. Hatti Hamlin
925.872.4328
HattiHamlin@comcast.net

Mr. David Louis
510.741.3328
David_Louis@mechanicsbank.com