Community West Bancshares Strengthens Management Team.

Business Editors

GOLETA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 1, 2000

Lew Stone, president and chief executive officer of Community West Bancshares (Nasdaq:CWBC), today announced additions to, and a realignment of, management to better reflect the current strategic direction of the company.

The changes take advantage of the leadership within the company's ranks and better position the company to gain greater market share within its product lines.

Donald Solsby has been hired as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company. He is responsible for the oversight of all nonlending operations, business development, marketing, and staffing for the overall organization, as well as the daily operations of the company's two banking subsidiaries, Goleta National Bank and Palomar Community Bank. Solsby has more than 20 years of experience within the banking industry, including functioning as COO and CEO of banking organizations.

In addition to her duties as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Community West, Lynda Radke has assumed the additional duties relating to investor relations. Radke, a CPA who has been with the company since 1996, previously worked for a &uot;Big Five&uot; public accounting firm.

Rick Sanborn, who was promoted to president and CEO of Palomar Community Bank when it was converted from a savings and loan to a commercial bank, is redirecting the bank as it becomes the leading community bank with headquarters in North San Diego County, Calif. He was previously chief operating officer of Palomar. Jim Rady has been elected chairman of the Board of Directors of Palomar. Sanborn brings 10 years' experience in commercial lending and management with regional and national banks.

Bernie Merry has assumed the duties as senior vice president and manager of the Alternative Mortgage Division of Goleta National Bank. Merry, who has been with the bank since early 1998, is responsible for the origination, funding, packaging, and sales of an expanded group of products being developed within this area. Merry has more than 30 years' experience in consumer and mortgage finance, and has most recently been responsible for the administrative portion of this division.

Michael Rice has been promoted to senior vice president and manager of the Western States SBA Development for Goleta National Bank. Rice has been instrumental in the expansion of the bank's SBA lending in the Western United States throughout California and in Nevada and Oregon. He is currently working on the establishment of offices in Colorado and Washington. Rice has been with the bank since 1996 and brings more than 15 years' commercial lending experience to the organization.

Stone said, &uot;With the new hires and promotions, we will be better able to focus on our strategic objectives on a go-forward basis. All of these people are highly talented and have demonstrated the ability to drive their respective areas towards peak performance.&uot;

Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking and based on management's projections, assumptions and estimates; actual results may vary materially. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which include but are not limited to: (1) potential changes in banking regulations; (2) competitive forces; (3) changes in prevailing interest rates and borrowing costs; (4) and changes in the economic climate or in real estate values. Further factors concerning financial risks and results may be found in documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.