SANTA CRUZ, CA -  February 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of Santa Cruz County Bank. Since opening, the Bank has grown to $1.8 billion in assets, 150 employees, and operates 8 full-service banking offices serving Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara Counties.

For two decades the Bank has been committed to providing personalized, relationship-based banking in and for the communities it serves. The doors of its first location opened in Santa Cruz on February 3, 2004.

President and CEO, Krista Snelling, states, “As we observe this milestone anniversary, we want to express our gratitude to our clients, community partners, employees, leadership team, shareholders, and board of directors. Through building these meaningful relationships, we remain committed to being a trusted partner and empowering growth, economic vitality, and community well-being.”

ABOUT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BANK: Founded in 2004, Santa Cruz County Bank is the wholly owned subsidiary of West Coast Community Bancorp, a bank holding company. The Bank is a top-rated, locally operated, and full-service community bank headquartered in Santa Cruz, California with branches in Aptos, Capitola, Cupertino, Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, and Watsonville. Santa Cruz County Bank is distinguished from "big banks" by its relationship-based service, problem-solving focus, and direct access to decision makers. The Bank is a leading SBA lender in Santa Cruz County and Silicon Valley. As a full-service bank, Santa Cruz County Bank offers competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and individuals; including business loans, lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction lending, asset-based lending, agricultural loans, SBA and USDA government guaranteed loans, credit cards, merchant services, remote deposit capture, mobile and online banking, bill payment, and treasury management. True to its community roots, Santa Cruz County Bank has supported regional well-being by actively participating in and donating to local not-for-profit organizations. More about Santa Cruz County Bank: www.sccountybank.com

NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL RATINGS AND AWARDS

• 2024 OTCQX Best 50: West Coast Community Bancorp “SCZC” stock ranked 37th for stock performance based on total return and growth in average daily dollar volume in 2023.
• American Banker Magazine: The Bank is ranked #89 in the Top 200 Community Banks list based upon 3-year average equity for banks under $2 billion in assets and ranked #13 out of 21 California banks.
• S&P Global Market Intelligence: The Bank is ranked #6 in the Top 100 banks nationwide for 2022 performance for banks under $3 billion in assets and ranked #3 for the best-performing community banks in the Western U.S. with assets under $10 billion.
• The Findley Reports, Inc.: The Bank has received the top ranking of Super Premier for 13 consecutive years.
• Bauer Financial Reports, Inc.: The Bank is rated 5-star "Superior" based upon its financial performance.
• U.S. Small Business Administration: The Bank is in the Top 100 most active SBA 7(a) lenders in the nation.
• Silicon Valley Business Journal: The Bank is the top ranked, #1 lender by number of SBA loans and #3 ranked by total dollar volume lent to Silicon Valley businesses from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023.
• Good Times, 2023 Best of Santa Cruz County Award, Voted "Best Bank" for 11 consecutive years.
• Santa Cruz Sentinel, 2022 Reader’s Choice Award, number one bank in Santa Cruz County as voted by Santa Cruz Sentinel readers for 9 years.  

BANK LOCATIONS:

Aptos

7775 Soquel Drive

Aptos, CA 95003

831.662.6000

Capitola

819 Bay Avenue

Capitola, CA 95010

831.464.5300

Cupertino

19240 Stevens Creek Blvd.

Cupertino, CA 95014

408.200.2880

Monterey

584 Munras Avenue

Monterey, CA 93940

831.242.8361

Salinas

480 S. Main Street

Salinas, CA 93901

831.758.2271

Santa Cruz

75 River Street

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

831.600.4020

Scotts Valley

4604 Scotts Valley Drive

Scotts Valley, CA 95066

831.461.5000

Watsonville

595 Auto Center Drive

Watsonville, CA 95076

831.761.7600

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties may include but are not necessarily limited to fluctuations in interest rates (including but not limited to changes in depositor behavior in relation thereto), inflation, government regulations and general economic conditions, and competition within the business areas in which the Bank is conducting its operations, including the real estate market in California and other factors beyond the Bank's control. Such risks and uncertainties could cause results for subsequent interim periods or for the entire year to differ materially from those indicated. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which reflect management's view only as of the date hereof. The Bank undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

MEDIA CONTACT: Mary Anne Carson, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer

Mary Anne Carson

Santa Cruz County Bank

EVP, Chief Marketing Officer

75 River Street | Santa Cruz, CA 95060

d: 831.600.4019 | o: 831.457.5000

w: sccountybank.com | e: mcarson@sccountybank.com