Plaza Bank Strengthens Team With Two Key New Hires

IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - Feb 1, 2016) - Plaza Bank (the "Bank") (OTCBB: PLZZ) is pleased to announce it has hired two additional banking professionals for various roles at its Irvine and Montebello branches, as follows.

• Agnes Kakihara, Vice President, Client Services Center Manager, Montebello -- Most recently, Ms. Kakihara was Assistant Vice President of Central Operations at Banc of California. She started her banking career as a teller with Bank of America and worked her way up into corporate management, primarily in branch operations and customer service. She also gained valuable industry experience as a consolidation manager and branch sales and service manager with both Bank of America and Union Bank. Ms. Kakihara, who graduated from University of Santo Tomas with a bachelor's in Communications, is married with three daughters.
• Elsa Cardoza, Vice President, Branch Manager, Irvine -- Most recently, Ms. Cardoza worked for Wells Fargo, where she held various management roles leading teams of bankers, business development officers, branch managers, and district managers. Ms. Cardoza began her banking career in 1998 as Business Banker for North County Bank in San Diego, which was acquired by Wells Fargo. As a top producer, she was promoted to management in high-value areas including North County San Diego and Orange County Coastal. Ms. Cardoza's client focus and commitment to service, along with her supportive leadership style, will further benefit the Irvine team and operations.

About Plaza Bank
Plaza Bank is full service community bank serving the business and professional communities in Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bank is committed to meeting the financial needs of small to middle market businesses and professional firms with loans for working capital, equipment and owner-occupied commercial real estate financing and a full array of cash management services. Our bankers are experienced, professional and knowledgeable. For more information, visit www.plazabank.com.

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 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 claims or changes in existing litigation or claims; 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.