Business Bank of Nevada Carson City Branch Celebrates First-Year Anniversary with Total Deposits Topping $37 Million.

Business Editors

CARSON CITY, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 2000

It was one year ago today that Business Bank of Nevada entered the Carson City market by opening a 1,500-square-foot leased branch in the Shaheen Business Park at 3476 Executive Point Way No. 10.

During its first year of operation in Carson City, Business Bank has enjoyed what very few, if any, banks have experienced in terms of growth in its deposits base in such a short period of time. As of the close of business yesterday, the bank reported more than $37 million in total deposits.

The phenomenal success of this branch resulted in the bank announcing plans last summer to build a new 5,000-square-foot bank-owned facility in the Shaheen Business Park at 1811 East College Parkway. The new branch will be completed next month, with an anticipated opening date of Jan. 8. Located near the on and off ramps of the new portion of Highway 395 freeway bypass currently under construction, this facility will be a showcase for both the bank and the entire Carson City community.

"With the opening of our new branch less than a month away now, we are getting very excited to move into our new home away from home," said Jerry Gregory, senior vice president and regional manager of Business Bank of Nevada. "We never dreamed we would be opening a state-of-the-art, highly visible and extremely attractive branch this soon after entering the Carson City market.

"Our success is the direct result of a very supportive community, along with having some of the most seasoned and experienced staff who know and understand this market because most of us were born and raised in this area."

Gregory added that the 10 employees at the Carson City branch have more than 175 years of banking experience, most of which has been spent working with other financial institutions in the area that have either merged or been bought out by out-of-state banks over the last several years.

Prior to joining Business Bank, Gregory worked for Sierra West Bank before it was bought out by Bank of the West. He also worked for Bank of America and its predecessor, Valley Bank of Nevada. Lori Haney, branch manager, worked for Pioneer Citizens Bank before it was acquired by Nevada State Bank. Haney also worked for First Interstate Bank of Nevada for a number of years. Holly Black joined Business Bank from Sierra West Bank, as did Weldon Lary. Black also worked for BofA and Valley Bank for many years. Likewise, Lary worked for First Interstate Bank for a lot of years.

When the new facility opens next month it will sit on approximately two-thirds of an acre and have a split-face block and stucco architectural design. The outside of the branch will have a walk-up ATM vestibule area, one drive-up teller window and a 24-hour night depository. The inside of the branch will have six teller windows, with one being ADA compliant for handicapped individuals, two new accounts desks and 143 safe deposit boxes. A grand opening celebration of the new facility is planned for the following month on Feb. 6.

"We couldn't be more pleased with the performance of this branch and the people working in this facility," said John Guedry, president and CEO of Business Bank of Nevada. "The staff has done a tremendous job, and when you consider there are just 53,000 people living in the Carson City area and 19 banks serving this market, it's even more impressive what these individuals have done. Their performance also reaffirms that banking is still a people-to-people business that is service oriented rather than product driven."

Guedry added that the success of the bank in Carson City and the positive business environment throughout the area has caused the bank to look at other areas in Northern Nevada that it might want to move into. The bank believes the surrounding areas of Carson City, such as Minden and Gardnerville, may have some appeal to the bank. The Reno/Sparks market, along with Incline Village in the Lake Tahoe area, may also present some good business opportunities for the bank.

"We're seeing some good growth in these other markets, and with the right management team and staff, similar to our Carson City office, we feel we could be very successful in these markets as well," Guedry said. "Nevada's economy should remain strong for the next 18 to 24 months, and during this time, we want to position ourselves as the banking leader for businesses throughout Nevada."

Business Bank of Nevada, with more than $175 million in total assets, is in its sixth year of operations and is one of the fastest-growing independent banks in the state. The bank has four branch offices in Nevada, with three in the Las Vegas area and one in Carson City. The bank has plans to open additional offices statewide in the near future. Business Bank is FDIC Insured and is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and is listed over the counter (OTC) at ticker symbol "BBNV."

www.bbnv.com