American Riviera Bank has announced its expansion into San Luis Obispo County, with the Aug. 7 opening of a loan production office in Paso Robles at 205 Oak Hill Road, Suite 106, in the Highlands Shopping Center.
The office will provide business, commercial real estate, agricultural, residential mortgage, construction, and Small Business Administration loans. This will be American Riviera Bank’s first office in San Luis Obispo County.
The loan production office will be replaced by a proposed full-service retail branch slated to open in late 2017 or early 2018. American Riviera Bank expects to open more branches between Santa Barbara and Paso Robles in the future.
“In the last five years, San Luis Obispo County lost all of its community banks to mergers,
There are no longer any banks headquartered in San Luis Obispo County,” said Jeff DeVine, the bank’s president/CEO. “Yet, we know the community desires the type of flexible and responsive banking experience American Riviera Bank delivers.
“We are very pleased to have hired an excellent team of experienced, local banking leaders for our Paso Robles office,” he said.
Neil Amarante will serve as senior vice president/regional credit manager. He has a 16-year background in banking and agriculture, with the last 12 years spent in senior community bank leadership positions in Paso Robles.
Amarante is a member of the Atascadero Kiwanis Club, and a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and the Pacific Coast Banking School.
Ann Cochrane will serve as vice president/commercial and ag banking officer. She has been a business and agricultural lender in Paso Robles since she graduated from Cal Poly in 2007.
Cochrane was named Cattlewoman of the Year” in 2014 by the County CattleWomen’s Association. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Paso Robles, and volunteers her time at several other local organizations.
Paul Tognazzini will serve as community relationship officer. He has served in senior community bank-leadership positions over his 40-plus-year distinguished banking career.
A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Tognazzini is a board member for the Cancer Support Community of the Central Coast and is active in the County Cattlemen’s Association.
He is a supporter of Jack’s Helping Hand, a member of the Agribusiness Tour Committee for the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West, and a member of the Paso Robles Elks Club.
The new office will also bring local employment opportunities as the Bank expects to have a staff of eight in Paso Robles by the time the full-service branch opens.
— Jennifer Goddard for American Riviera Bank.