Private Bancorp of America in La Jolla, Calif., hired a former leader of Montecito Bank and Trust to oversee its expansion into Santa Barbara County.
The company said in a press release that George Leis would serve as executive vice president and market president and would be based in its Montecito, Calif., office.
Leis retired as Montecito Bank’s president and chief operating officer in January.
“Having known George for years and having served alongside him on the board … for the California Bankers Association, I know [him] to be a person of great character, with strong leadership qualities and an unwavering commitment to the greater Santa Barbara community,” Rick Sowers, Private Bancorp’s president and CEO, said in the release. “His approach to relationship banking is exactly what we provide at Cal Private Bank.”