Santa Cruz County Bank In The News

Community bank to open in Watsonville

August 25, 2004

The following is an article from the Register Pajaronian

After less than a year in business, Santa Cruz County's only community bank has announced plans to open a Watsonville branch by February of next year. Santa Cruz County Bank, open since February, finalized a lease this week for a building at 595 Auto Center Drive. The branch will be full-service, with in-branch banking in addition to an ATM and night drop depository. The bank planned to add a Watsonville branch since its opening, CEO John Rossell said. "About half of the board are from the greater Watsonville area, and the bank is very much a countywide undertaking," he said. "The only reason at the outset for not forming a Watsonville branch was some difficulty finding a location." Watsonville is currently home to nearly a half dozen banks. "Watsonville is very well banked and some of the big banks have done a good job," Rossell said. "But our community is convinced that every community ought to have its own local bank, where the economic impact of a deposit made is greater."