SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Golden Pacific Bancorp and Golden Pacific Bank (“GPB”) are pleased to announce that SBA District Director Mr. Joseph (“Joe”) McClure will be joining the Bank’s executive ranks as their newly appointed EVP/Chief Business Officer.   Mr. McClure has an impressive 25+ year career in small business lending and economic development, holding executive leadership positions for over 15 years.

Chief Business Officer

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0202ea9e-4b8d-4f19-b40b-5331be235e94.

“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Joe McClure to our team,” says Richard Claussen, Chairman of GPB.  “Joe has vast experience with a variety of small businesses, and his involvement and dedication will be a valuable asset in helping GPB build a strong and vibrant community banking force in Northern California.”  CEO Virginia Varela adds, “The Bank is poised to take advantage of the recent uptick in the local economy.  Joe will enhance GPB’s already robust commercial loan program to meet the needs of growing small and medium size businesses.”

Joe’s oversight as Small Business Administration (“SBA”) District Director covers 22 counties in Northeastern California, serving over 3.1 million constituents.  Under Joe’s leadership, in just three years SBA loan volume grew by over 30% from 700 to 928 loans, and total dollars grew by over 55% from $306 million to over $475 million, in 2013 and 2016 respectively.  Before arriving in Sacramento, Mr. McClure was the SBA District Director in Montana.

Prior to his federal service, Mr. McClure worked in small business lending programs including overseeing a SBA 504 lending program at the Lancaster Economic Development Corporation, running the Los Angeles County Business loan fund for the L.A. County Community Development Commission’s Business Finance Center, and acting as the Executive Director of the Economic Development Collaborative in Ventura County.

In 2000, McClure resided in Billings, Montana, where he was Executive Director for a county wide Economic Development Agency and led a business recruitment effort for Yellowstone County that lured four new major employers to the community, including General Electric and Cabela’s, and created over 750 new high-quality jobs.  Joe also created a privately funded Economic Development Corporation, launched a small business revolving loan fund, and developed a new SBA 504 Certified Development Corporation which has recently become the leading SBA 504 lender in Montana.

Mr. McClure commented, “I’m a true supporter of small business and excited to join Golden Pacific Bank.  Sacramento continues to enjoy resurgence, and small business is at the heart of that exciting growth.”

Golden Pacific Bank www.goldenpacificbank.com is a full service community business bank committed to serving the small and medium size business community in and around the Sacramento region, with branches in Sacramento, Yuba City and Live Oak.

Contact:  Virginia Varela 
President & CEO 
Golden Pacific Bank
(916) 414-0680