Contact Us    Locations    11/20/2008

Mechanics Bank Fact Sheet

Description:

Mechanics Bank, founded in 1905, is a community bank serving Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, and San Francisco Counties.

History:

Founded in 1905, Mechanics Bank has been under the leadership of the Downer family for most of its history. E. M. Downer steered the Bank through the 1920s, boom years when Richmond was a major West Coast industrial center, and Mechanics Bank served Standard Oil, Santa Fe Railroad, the Ford Motor Company and their employees. He also successfully led the bank through the Great Depression years while many other banks succumbed.

In 1939, E.M. Downer Jr. became president. With the war already underway, Richmond became a major hub of industrial and shipping activities, and home to the Kaiser ship-building company, adding more then 70,000 new citizens. Enjoying burgeoning growth during this period, Mechanics Bank pioneered such innovations as the first personal, automobile and appliance loans in Northern California, as well as the first drive-in banking facility. From 1941 to 1945, the bank more than quadrupled in size.

E.M. Downer III became president in 1971. In 1980, the Bank moved its headquarters to 3170 Hilltop Mall Road in Richmond, CA. The Bank began its expansion in 1990 outside of West Contra Costa County, adding offices in Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Oakland, Marin, and Napa Valley. More recently, Mechanics Bank has added offices in San Francisco, El Dorado Hills, Elk Grove, Howe Avenue, Roseville and Lafayette.

E.M. Downer, III continues to serve as the Bank's chair taking it into its second century.

Our Role As a Community Bank:

Mechanics Bank owners and employees believe that as an independent, family-owned community bank, they have a responsibility to give back to the communities they serve. The bank’s corporate giving program mainly focuses on youth and education, but also supports a variety of cultural, civic and health and human services organizations. Employees are encouraged to become active, as well. Fully two-thirds are engaged in at least one community organization or nonprofit activity.

Products and Services:

Mechanics Bank provides a full suite of personal and business banking services to its customers; combining big bank conveniences with the personalized service that has long been its hallmark. Mechanics Bank has a history of offering innovative technological banking solutions, from the introduction of ScreenPhone banking in the early 1990s to Online PC Banking and more recently MechDirect® Internet Banking for both consumers and businesses.

Notable products and services include:

• A full array of ATM and debit cards, all featuring unlimited ATM surcharge rebates with qualifying accounts.
• The introduction of Mechanics Bank's newest product the Debit BusinessCard®. It is more secure than cash, more convenient than checks, and offers greater control over employee spending. Plus, Mechanics Bank never charges our customers for using another bank’s ATM. And, if another bank assesses an ATM fee to a qualifying Mechanics Bank customer, it will be refunded.
• The Smart & Easy Checking and Smart Business Checking accounts, offering unique relationship incentives and rewarding customers for making Mechanics Bank their primary bank.
• The Community Partner Checking account reflecting Mechanics Bank’s commitment to community service, offered free of monthly service charge and featuring a unique year-end contribution to local non-profit organizations.
• MechDirect® Internet Banking, enabling customers to monitor their finances 24/7 by allowing access to real time account information.
• Small Business Administration financing from Mechanics Bank, a preferred SBA lender, provides small businesses access to capital through a commercial loan, structured according to SBA requirements, which receives an SBA guaranty.
• Tailored small business lending through Mechanics Bank Community Development Corporation, a certified community development entity offering financing and financial counseling to qualifying businesses in low and moderate income areas in Contra Costa, Alameda and San Francisco counties.
• Mechanics Bank Escrow Services Department, offering escrow services for bulk sale, professional practice sales, contractor retention and construction contract disbursements, depository for 1031 exchanges, subscription offerings, stock transfers and mergers/acquisitions. In conjunction with these common types of escrow transactions the bank provides unusually comprehensive assistance with resolving issues related to escrow.

Mechanics Bank Metrics as of 12/31/2006:

Total Employees: 661
Customers:
  Consumer - 64,836
  Business - 7,460
Deposits: $2.265 billion
Assets: $2.756 billion
Net Income: $26,505,277
Earnings Per Share: $1,367.66

Locations:

Mechanics Bank has a total of 33 retail and commercial banking offices located in Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, Sacramento, Napa, El Dorado, Marin, and Placer Counties.

Key Officers:

President and CEO: Steven K. Buster
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer: Steven I. Barlow
Executive Vice President and Senior Trust Officer: Kirsten E. Weisser
Executive Vice President , Enterprise Risk Management: William J. Schwerin
Executive Vice President , Corporate Banking: Cort O'Haver

Board of Directors:

E.M. Downer III, Chairman
Dianne Daiss Felton, Vice Chairman
Steven K. Buster, President / CEO
Deborah Downer Abono
Daniel W. Albert
Daniel M. Daiss
E. Michael Downer
Martin B. McNair
J. David Powell
James P. Staes
Mark F. Wilson
Patricia Cochran
Richard A. Moran
Robert W. Snelling (Emeritus)
John M. Bryan (Emeritus)
William S. Oliver (Emeritus)
Donald E. Pryde(Emeritus)

Headquarters:

3170 Hilltop Mall Rd.
Richmond, CA 94806
800-797-6324
www.mechbank.com

Press Inquiry Phone Numbers

Contact:

Hatti Hamlin
925.872.4328
hatti@Hamlin.net

Patricia P. Hudson
510.741.3436
pat_hudson@mechbank.com

Last Updated 07/21/2008

©2008 Mechanics Bank. All rights reserved