Farmers & Merchants Bank Names Phillip Bond Chief Credit Officer

TUSTIN, CA, July 14, 2012 (Press-News.org) Farmers & Merchants Bank (F&M) recently named Phillip Bond as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer, where he will oversee all credit administration practices for the Bank's 21 branches in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, including special assets and residential lending.

"Phil will play an instrumental role in strengthening all areas of our credit department as we continue our organic growth," said Daniel K. Walker, F&M's Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. "His extensive expertise in banking and credit administration will enable us to further our commitment to providing prudent and responsive credit services to customers throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties."

Bond brings more than 20 years of banking experience as a credit professional having served in key positions with various regional and community banks throughout California.

He previously served as Chief Credit Officer and founding member of Beach Business Bank, where he was instrumental in developing and managing the bank's extensive commercial and industrial loan portfolio. Bond helped establish Beach Business Bank's credit policies and lending practices and co-chaired its Directors' Loan Committee.

Prior to that, Bond served as Senior Vice President in several positions with City National Bank, including Manager of its Government Lending Department, and Long Beach Commercial Banking Center. He began his career as a banking regulator, holding positions as a bank examiner and senior capital markets specialist with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

"F&M is an organization that has fostered continuous growth for the businesses and communities it serves through the strength of its community involvement, fiscal conservatism and unshakable integrity," said Bond. "I will seek to honor and extend this legacy in my role as Chief Credit Officer."

The Long Beach resident holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas, Austin and an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management. He is Vice President and a founding board member of Long Beach BLAST (Better Learning For All Students Today) and a Board Member of Advantage Certified Development Corporation (CDC). He has also served as a board member for community business and nonprofit corporations including Leadership Long Beach, Long Beach Boys and Girls Clubs, and Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, among others.

About Farmers & Merchants Bank

Founded in Long Beach in 1907 by C.J. Walker, Farmers & Merchants Bank has 21 branches in L.A. and Orange counties. The Bank specializes in commercial and small business banking along with business loan programs. Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach is a California state chartered bank with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (Member FDIC) and an Equal Housing Lender. For more information about F&M, please call the media contacts listed or visit the website, http://www.fmb.com.