VISION, MISSION, AND VALUES
Our Vision
To be recognized and respected as the premier bank in the San Francisco Bay Area for successful small and medium sized businesses and their owners, professional service firms and their partners, non-profit organizations, and real estate investors and developers.
Our Mission
In order to realize our vision, we will develop long term, mutually beneficial relationships with our clients by exceeding their expectations through extraordinary service, superior products, and advanced technical capabilities. We will attract, retain, develop, and recognize the most talented team of bankers in our marketplace. We will be a highly valued member of our local communities and partner with non-profit charitable organizations to improve the communities in which we work and live. The adherence to each of these elements of our culture will result in superior long-term financial performance for our shareholders.
Our Values
1. Our clients' interests always come first. Our experience shows that if we serve our clients well, our own success will follow.
2. Our most highly valued assets are our people, capital and reputation. If any of these is ever diminished, the last is the most difficult to restore. We are dedicated to complying fully, not only with the letter, but also the spirit of the laws, regulations, and ethical principles that govern us.
3. Among our most important stakeholders are the communities where our customers and employees live and work. We have a vested interest in building economically healthy communities. We provide not only financial services that speed the flow of commerce and add convenience for individuals, but we also offer the extra help necessary to support local charities and other non-profit organizations, as well as to house low-to-moderate income families.
4. Our goal is to consistently provide superior returns to our shareholders over a long period of time. Profitability is critical to building our capital, and attracting and keeping our best people. Significant employee stock ownership aligns the interests of our employees and our shareholders.
5. We emphasize creativity and innovation in everything we do. While recognizing that the old way may still be the best way, we constantly strive to find a better solution to a client's financial needs. It is expected that our decision making process will be thorough, transparent and, to the extent possible, based on facts.
6. We make an unusual effort to identify and recruit the very best person for every job. Although our activities are measured in millions of dollars, we select our people one by one. In a service business, we know that without the best people, we cannot be the best firm.
7. For us to be successful, our team must reflect the diversity of the communities and cultures in which we operate. That means we must attract, retain and motivate people from many backgrounds and perspectives.
8. We stress teamwork in everything we do. While we certainly value individual creativity, we have found that team effort generally produces the best results. We cooperate for the betterment of the whole. We have no room for those who put their personal interests ahead of the interests of the Bank and its clients. We also have little time for "office politics". This kind of dysfunctional behavior is a waste of time for all involved, distracts the team from what is really important, and generally results in a misplacement of valuable emotional energy.
9. We hold our officers and staff accountable for their actions. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. We expect complete candor from our people. We willingly acknowledge our mistakes, learn from them, and take corrective action as soon as possible. On the other hand, excellent performance by our employees will be recognized and rewarded with compensation and career promotion.
10. We treat everyone with respect, dignity and honesty. We are good listeners and create a safe environment for genuine and open communication.
11. To keep our customer pricing competitive and to deliver superior returns to our shareholders, we continuously work to reduce our costs and maximize efficiency, to minimize waste and to work as productively as possible. Our culture is one in which employees take responsibility to improve processes whenever they can.
12. We take great pride in the professional quality of our work. We have an uncompromising determination and passion to achieve excellence in everything we undertake. We seek to improve continuously and always seek to exceed expectations. While being intelligent and making smart decisions are always an advantage, we really value teammates who are competitive, passionate about being successful, and willing to work extra hard to get the best results for the team.
13. Integrity and honesty are at the heart of our business. We will maintain high ethical standards in everything we do, both in our work for the Bank and in our personal lives. We protect the confidence and privacy of our customers and scrupulously avoid conflicts of interest.
