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Local bank names new CEO [The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore. :: ]
[July 25, 2014]

Local bank names new CEO [The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore. :: ]


(Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) July 25--Hal Brown will step down as CEO of Pacific Continental Corp., the parent of Pacific Continental Bank, at the end of the year. President Roger Busse, another long-time employee, will succeed Brown as CEO, the company announced Thursday.



Brown has been with the bank for 29 years, the past 12 as CEO, He led the bank through a period of unprecedented growth, when it roughly tripled in size and expanded into the Portland and Seattle markets.

He also led the bank through the worst recession the country has experienced since the Great Depression.


Now, he said, he feels comfortable that he is leaving the bank in good hands, at a time when it is financially strong. "I think this is the right time," Brown, 61, said. "It just feels right." Brown will remain on Pacific Continental's board of directors until next April, to provide continuity and serve as a senior consultant, he said.

Busse said bank customers and investors won't be seeing any wholesale changes as a result of the change in leadership. Instead, Pacific Continental will continue to focus on, and grow, the areas that it has carved out as its target markets.

"We have set in motion a number of specific strategies that have been successful for a number of years," Busse said. "We will be continuing (to focus on) our niche in four key areas: Commercial and industry lending, businesses in the $4 million to $50 million range; the nonprofit segment, we're extremely proud of our commitment to the nonprofit segment; the health care segment -- we have been extremely successful in attracting dental practices -- we've been able to expand our footprint nationwide with dental loans in 39 states -- and other heath care professionals, including optometrists and veterinarians; the last segment we serve is the board members, the managers for (professional services) providers." While the company will continue to focus on its target niches for continued growth, Busse said, "that is not to exclude that one of our concurrent strategies (for growth) is to acquire other institutions." He noted that Pacific Continental has made two acquisitions in recent years -- Eugene-based Century Bank in 2012 for $13.4 million and Seattle-based Northwest Business Bank in 2005 in a $39 million deal. Busse said Pacific Continental plans to continue making acquisitions.

"All of these strategies have made us the largest bank in the Eugene marketplace, and one of largest in Oregon," he said.

In addition to the change in CEOs, Pacific Continental announced Thursday that Casey Hogan, who is executive vice president and chief credit officer, will become executive vice president and chief operation officer, while Damon Rose, senior credit officer, will assume the role of senior vice president and chief credit officer.

Pacific Continental's stock is publicly traded on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol PCBK. Its stock closed Thursday at $13.80 per share, up 14 cents from Wednesday's close. The company announced a double-digit increase in quarterly profits after the close of regular trading Wednesday.

___ (c)2014 The Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.) Visit The Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.) at www.registerguard.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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