Plaza Bank Announces Final Regulatory Approval for $18 Million Investment

IRVINE, CA--(Marketwire - June 1, 2009) - Plaza Bank (the "Bank") today announced that the Carpenter Community BancFund (the "Fund") received approval from the Federal Reserve Bank to complete its planned investment in the Bank. On December 31, 2008 the Fund purchased a 4.8% stake in the Bank and is scheduled to complete its $18 million investment (the "Investment") on June 5, 2009. The Fund is making the investment pursuant to the terms of a stock purchase agreement with the Bank wherein the Fund will acquire newly issued common stock and warrants. Upon completion of the Investment, the Fund will own a majority interest in the common stock of the Bank.

Concurrent with the Fund's investment, the Bank will add three new outside members to its Board of Directors and will appoint several new Executive Management Team members, including Mr. Terry Robinson as Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Gene Galloway as President. Mr. Robinson and Mr. Galloway will also join the Bank's Board of Directors.

As a longtime community banker, Terry Robinson joins the Bank as CEO after completing a successful twenty-year career as CEO of the Vintage Bank and North Bay Bancorp. He joined the Vintage Bank when it was $26 million in total assets growing the bank to a ten branch $675 million asset bank at the time of its sale to Umpqua Bank in 2007.

Mr. Gene Galloway is a career southern California banker, with a long professional history in regional banking at California Federal Bank, Crocker National Bank, and Sanwa Bank, California. He completed his tenure at Sanwa as Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief of the Community Banking Group, with responsibility for over $3.5 billion in banking assets and liabilities in 118 branch banking offices.

"Plaza Bank started working on an additional capital raise in early 2008 and we are very pleased to have attracted such a strong capital partner and an experienced and talented executive management team to lead Plaza Bank's renewed support of the small business customer," said Robert Feldhake, Chairman of the Bank's Board of Directors. "At the same time, we want to recognize the time, hard work and efforts of Don Solsby and Larry Luckey, who formed and helped grow the Bank in difficult economic times. While transitioning to other opportunities we thank them for their continued support of the Bank and its new Executive Management Team."

"During the past year, the Board has appreciated and respected the loyalty of Plaza Bank's shareholders, employees as well as present and prospective customers. Now we will all redouble efforts to drive the Bank to greater business successes, for the short and long term benefit of every shareholder, employee and customer. This was a challenging environment in which to raise capital for a community business bank, but we've succeeded where many have failed," added Mr. Feldhake.

The Bank is also pleased to announce that Mr. Charles Kenny, former Chief Executive Office of Century City-based the Private Bank of California, Mr. Thomas Rogers, veteran Orange County banker and former Irvine Company Treasurer, and Mr. James Jones, a partner of the Fund's general partner, will also be joining the Board of Directors.

Following completion of the Investment, the Bank will continue its commercial banking emphasis and expand its Small Business Lending Division, led by Mr. Robert Forsythe. Mr. Forsythe most recently served as Chief Operating Officer of the Small Business Finance Unit of Lehman Brothers Bank where he oversaw a staff of 400 who originated and serviced over $5.0 billion in credits to small businesses.

"Irvine is our home city, and we are delighted to make a significant investment in an Orange County based commercial bank," said Edward Carpenter, Chairman of the Fund's general partner. "We have high hopes for this strong business banking team in meeting the needs of clients in today's changing banking environment."

The proceeds from the Investment will be used primarily to strengthen the Company's balance sheet, aid in growing the conventional commercial, industrial and related lending support for the Bank's existing and prospective customers, and expand the Bank's small business lending platform. "Small businesses are always the first to recover and then lead the economy out of slower economic cycles," said Howard Gould, Vice Chairman of the general partner of the Fund. "Plaza Bank offers opportunities for revenue production by expanding its products and services aimed specifically to the small business community."

About Plaza Bank

Plaza Bank is a full-service professional business bank based in Irvine, CA. The Bank is dedicated to meeting the financial needs of the small business customer in Orange County and the adjacent counties. For additional information, visit the Plaza Bank website at http://www.plazabank.net.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject to the safe harbors created by that Act. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," or "may." Forward-looking statements describe future plans, strategies and expectations. Forward-looking statements are based on currently available information, expectations, assumptions, projections, and management's judgment about the Bank, the banking industry and general economic conditions. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, nor should they be relied upon as representing management's views as of any subsequent date. Future events are difficult to predict, and the expectations described above are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely.

Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from those presented, either expressed or implied, in this press release. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the Bank's ability to successfully execute its business plans and achieve its objectives; changes in general economic, real estate and financial market conditions, either nationally or locally in areas in which the Bank conducts its operations; changes in interest rates; new litigation or changes in existing litigation; future credit loss experience; increased competitive challenges and expanding product and pricing pressures among financial institutions; legislation or regulatory changes which adversely affect the Bank's operations or business; loss of key personnel; changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other regulatory agencies; and the ability to satisfy requirements related to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other regulation on internal control.

Contact Information: Contact: Cheryl Bame Bame Public Relations 310-312-8800