Bank of the Sierra Hires Kevin Williams as Market President – Fresno Ag; Continues Focus on Loan Growth with Lending Team Additions
May 18, 2022
Porterville, Calif. – Bank of the Sierra announced today that Kevin Williams has been named Market President – Fresno Ag. In this role, Williams will develop the Bank’s presence among agribusinesses and middle-market companies. He will work from the Bank’s branch in Fresno on 7391 N. Palm. Ave., Ste. 101.
Williams has more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry. Prior to joining Bank of the Sierra, he served as Senior Vice President, Central Valley Group Manager for Comerica Bank in Fresno. Williams has also worked in executive management roles for several local banks, including Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer and Chief Lending Offer for Security First Bank, where he established the bank’s agricultural lending portfolio.
Since 2006, Williams has served on the Valley Children’s Healthcare Foundation Board of Directors. He is also the current Board Chair for the Central California Blood Center and a Board Member for the Fresno Business Council. Williams earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, an MBA from Fresno State’s Craig School of Business, and completed the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Fresno with his wife, Stacey, a local middle-school teacher, and two children, who both attend Clovis West High School.
“We are thrilled to have Kevin join our team,” said Matt Dusi, Bank of the Sierra’s Agricultural and Commercial Lending President. “Kevin possesses a vast amount of experience in banking and agriculture. He will be key to growing the Bank’s ag portfolio and businesses throughout the Central Valley will benefit from working with him.”
“Kevin Williams is yet another talented individual that has joined our outstanding lending team,” said Bank of the Sierra President and CEO Kevin McPhaill. “Our Bank is committed to providing high-quality service while growing our lending capabilities and portfolio.”
“We are pleased to have Kevin join Bank of the Sierra to continue growing our agricultural financing in the Central Valley,” said Michael Olague, the Bank’s Chief Banking Officer.
Throughout 2022, Bank of the Sierra has hired several employees to expand the capabilities of its lending team. In addition to Williams, the Bank has also hired Brandon Gallardo as Assistant Vice President, Commercial Underwriter. Gallardo has over 11 years in the banking and lending industries and most recently worked in the Agricultural Department for Tri Counties Bank as a Commercial Credit Analyst II. He also worked for Valley Strong Credit Union and earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Finance from California State University, Bakersfield. Gallardo will work from the Bank’s branch on 4456 California Ave. in Bakersfield.
About Bank of the Sierra
Bank of the Sierra is in its 45th year of operations and is the largest independent bank headquartered in the South San Joaquin Valley. Bank of the Sierra is a community-centric regional bank, which offers a full range of retail and commercial banking services with full-service branches located within the counties of Tulare, Kern, Kings, Fresno, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. The bank also maintains two loan production offices and an online branch and provides specialized lending services through an agricultural credit center. Bank of the Sierra is recognized as one of the strongest community banks in the country with a 5-star rating from Bauer Financial.
