Capital Corp of the West Named One of America's 100 Fastest Growing Small Companies By Fortune Magazine.

Business Editors

MERCED, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 20, 2002

Capital Corp of the West (Nasdaq:CCOW) announced today that it has been included in the Fortune Small Business 100 list, which highlights America's fastest growing small public companies for the year 2001. Capital Corp of the West was positioned with a ranking of 84 on the list of 100 companies in terms of stock performance, revenue and earnings growth.

This is Capital Corp of the West's first year on the list, which was inaugurated last year. Capital Corp joins 64 other companies that are new to the list this year. In other rankings, Capital Corp was listed at the 76th position in three-year total return (20.5% annual rate) and at the 57th position in three-year earnings per share growth (44.1% annual rate).

Tom Hawker, Chief Executive Officer of Capital Corp of the West stated, "We are very pleased to be included in the Fortune Small Business 100 list. Our results are derived from a thorough understanding of our central California markets, our clients, and our ability to provide products that meet the needs of customers in this region. Coupled with a tightly focused acquisition strategy, we are emerging as a dominant force in our geographic sector. Our area is poised for rapid growth, both from an overflow of people who work in the Bay Area but need more affordable housing as well as a new University of California campus which will break ground later this year."

Capital Corp. of the West, found on the internet at Web Site www.ccow.com, is a bank holding company established November 1, 1995, is the parent company of County Bank, celebrating 25 years of service as "Central California's Community Bank." Currently County Bank has eighteen offices serving our communities in the counties of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne. As of the latest FDIC data, County Bank has 5.1% market share of the seven counties in which it has retail branches. This ranks County Bank sixth out of forty-one financial intuitions in these counties.

For further information about the Company's financial performance, contact Tom Hawker, President & Chief Executive Officer at 209/725-2276, or R. Dale McKinney Chief Financial Officer, at 209/725-7435.