California Banker Issue 2 2025

What advice would you give to aspiring leaders, looking to advance in the banking industry? My biggest piece of advice is simple: whatever needs to be done, do it, even if you don’t know how. I moved forward in my career by stepping up wher ever I could, offering to help beyond my job descrip tion, and being willing to take on tasks I’d never done before. That mindset opened doors and gave me a broader understanding of the business than I would have gained by staying in my lane. I wasn’t focused on whether every extra effort came with an immedi ate reward. I trusted that if I demonstrated my ca pabilities, the right opportunities would come. And they did. I’d also say: always be true to your highest convic tions. Character will carry you a long way in both life and leadership. Let people see your integrity, your re liability, and your commitment to doing what’s right. When you lead with character, you build trust — and with trust comes respect, influence, and ultimately, success. Is there a piece of advice or perspective that has stuck with you throughout your career? Yes. I’ve tried to live by Leo Rosten’s words: “The purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is, after all, to matter, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.” It’s an ambitious ideal, and maybe some people wouldn’t associate those words with a career in bank ing. But I truly believe that community bankers are dream makers. We help people buy their first homes, start small businesses, support their families, and in vest in their futures. That’s what keeps me passionate about this work — it allows me to live out Rosten’s vision in a very real and personal way. What’s next for you and the Community Bank of Santa Maria? We will keep doing what we’ve been doing for nearly 25 years: serving the community.

Some of those problem loans took years to resolve, but we stuck with our customers, and together, we made it through. That’s what community banking is all about: showing up, standing by your people, and staying committed — even when it’s hard. What are some key community initiatives or pro grams that the bank has been involved in recently? Lately, we’ve been focusing heavily on workforce development. We’ve increased our presence at lo cal job fairs to help students understand the wide range of career opportunities in banking — includ ing roles that don’t require a college degree, as well as management and C-suite paths for college-bound students. We’ve also partnered with an agency within the coun ty education office to take a more active role in job training. This includes hosting student interns and even welcoming teacher interns who want to refresh their understanding of today’s workplace skills. That way, they can better align their curriculum with what employers like us and others are actually looking for. While part of our motivation is to build our own fu ture workforce, our reach goes beyond that. We’re also helping to develop the broader workforce that our business customers will one day depend on. It’s a long-term investment in the economic strength of our entire community. As digital banking continues to grow, how does Com munity Bank of Santa Maria balance technology with the personal, relationship-driven approach that de fines community banking? We have a motto: “Technology when you want it. People when you don’t.” At some point, a customer is going to have a problem or a question, and they’re going to need to get someone on the phone or sit down across the desk. Today’s tech nology is a convenience, it is not a replacement for a relationship. We can harness technology to improve the customer experience and improve internal efficiencies, but relationships will always be at the heart of what we do.

9

CaliforniaBanker | Issue 2 2025