North Bay Business Journal

Banking & Finance: Charter Oak shareholders OK merger; Daulton moves to Exchange

Also: Bank of Marin reports 6.2% rise in earnings for 2010

Spotlight: Leaders in Commercial Banking in 2011

Following are many of the leading professionals in commercial lending across the North Bay. (Listed alphabetically by institution name)

Exchange Bank net income $10.2 million for 2010

SANTA ROSA — Exchange Bank today announced unaudited net income of $10.2 million for 2010, up significantly compared to the $3.9 million net loss for 2009.

Long-time Sonoma County banker Daulton joins Exchange

SANTA ROSA – Long-time North Bay banking veteran Howard Daulton has joined Exchange Bank in a newly created position of senior vice president and manager of corporate business development.

Business Journal Q&A: Top lenders give their outlook, tips for getting financing

NORTH BAY — The economy is still challenged, and businesses are still struggling. But there are some positive things happening, according to leading SBA lenders in the North Bay.

Succession planning: Fifth-annual conference focuses on preserving the family business

SANTA ROSA – At Burr Pilger Mayer’s fifth-annual succession planning conference, Will, Nancy and Karl Seppi of Costeaux French Bakery in Healdsburg talked about their experience with putting a successful succession process in place, and a panel of experts discussed the dos and don’ts of having a well-thought-out plan.

Exchange Bank reports sixth straight profitable quarter

SANTA ROSA — Exchange Bank reported another profitable quarter — the sixth in a row since the losses and suspension of dividends a year and a half ago.

Banks one step closer to an uptick in lending

NORTH BAY — This morning, the Senate passed HR 5297, the small business lending bill that once made into law will greatly increase the reach of Small Business Administration loans.

Exchange Bank reports fifth consecutive profitable quarter

SANTA ROSA – Exchange Bank reported its fifth consecutive quarterly profit of $2.76 million at the end of the second quarter of 2010, up from the $2.43 million at the same time last year.

Startup offers an antidote to online account theft

ROHNERT PARK – Entrepreneur Eric Burns has come up with a solution for a problem a lot of businesses don’t know they have. And finding out the hard way can be very, very expensive.

Conference speakers to address economy, permit best practices

NORTH BAY — The good news is that the worst part of the recession generally is over for the local construction industry, according to conference panelist Rob Eyler, chair of the Sonoma State University Economics Department and director of the institution’s Center for Regional Economic Analysis.

Dr. Eyler will be one of the panelists at the Business Journal’s annual Construction Conference on Wednesday, offering opportunities for the North Bay economy and its significant construction industry to prepare for the next business cycle.

Construction event to focus on conditions needed for recovery

NORTH BAY — The Business Journal’s 2010 Construction Conference on May 19, titled “We’re ready: Laying the foundation for economic recovery,” will focus on taking action to build a plan for a healthy construction industry in the North Bay.
The event will be Wednesday, May 19 at the Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park with registration from 1 to 1:30 and the program from 1:30 to 4:30. A wine and hors d’oeuvres reception will follow. Tickets are $49 per person or $510 for a table of 10, including company name on the table. To register, call 707-521-5264, e-mail events@busjrnl.com or go to www.NorthBayBusinessJournal.com by Friday, May 14.

Commercial Real Estate networking event registration closes this week

NORTH BAY — The North Bay Business Journal will hold a networking event for commercial real estate industry professionals that will feature a panel of lenders to provide details on the state of financing in the North Bay, including information on required criteria for funding, potential opportunities for growth and what to look for as indicators of recovery. The event will be May 11 at the Sheraton Sonoma County in Petaluma from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $55 per person. To register, contact Linda Perkins at 707-521-5264 or events@busjrnl.com by Friday, or go to www.northbaybusinessjournal.com.

SF commercial mortgage broker, bankers to address lending issues

NORTH BAY — A principal at a San Francisco-based commercial mortgage brokerage with experience in alternative funding sources will be part of a finance panel discussion at the Business Journal’s upcoming Commercial Real Estate Networking Reception next month. The event will be May 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Sonoma County in Petaluma. To register, call 707-521-5264 or visit www.NorthBayBusinessJournal.com.

Exchange Bank posts another profit

SANTA ROSA – Exchange Bank reported a profit of $2.1 million for the first quarter, up from the $10.3 million loss in the same period last year.

SBA fee waiver, increased guarantee extended again

NORTH BAY – The fee waiver and higher guarantee percentage that rolled out last February for Small Business Administration loans was extended for the second time through the end of this month, and it is expected to be extended again through the end of the year.

Spotlight: Leaders in Commercial Banking

(Listed alphabetically by name)

North Bay wealth, investment advisers offer their guidance

NORTH BAY – From around the North Bay, wealth advisers, businesses strategists and investment experts weighed in on economic opportunities and dangers in the current environment.

Exchange Bank reports third-consecutive profitable quarter; Schrader takes on CEO role

SANTA ROSA – Exchange Bank reported a profit of $3.2 million for the fourth quarter, the third-consecutive profitable quarter since reporting an $18.5 million loss in 2008.

Could this be the end of free checking?

Don’t like the idea that if you are close to the bottom of your checking account and you go over the line with a $7 sandwich you could be subject to a $35 overdraft fee?