In this role, Ms Portwood will provide the company’s relationship management team with leadership, sales management and customer satisfaction for community banks across the US.

Most recently, Ms Portwood served as national key accounts and marketing manager for Kensington Investment Group in Orinda, California. In that capacity, she developed and maintained relationships with banks, broker-dealers and financial advisors. She will also work closely with executives at Banc Investment Group, the wholly owned broker-dealer subsidiary of the company.

Steve Brown, president and CEO, said: We are very pleased to have someone with Sonia’s sterling reputation and depth of experience join our relationship management team. Sonia is a strong leader who will continue to help us provide unparalleled customer service that our community bank clients have come to expect from Pacific Coast Bankers’ Bank, while expanding our product and service offering.