BROOKS HADEN JOINS THE MECHANICS BANK AS VICE PRESIDENT

SAN FRANCISCO, California, April 12, 2007—Brooks Haden, 43, has joined The Mechanics Bank as Vice President, Wealth Management, with responsibilities for liaison with the bank's Retail Banking Division. The Mechanics Bank's Wealth Management group offers comprehensive services in Financial Planning, Investment Management, Trust and Estate Services.

"This is the first time we've had a dedicated effort to directly connect our retail customers - a significant percentage of whom have family-owned businesses- with the wide array of services available through The Mechanics Bank's Wealth Management Group," said Kirsten Weisser, Executive Vice President and head of the group. "Having founded and worked in a number of small businesses, Brooks understands the pressures experienced by entrepreseurs - and the importance of having a trusted financial advisor. He's the ideal person to help The Mechanics Bank's small business clients tap into the remarkable resources we can offer them."

Haden's career has spanned real estate syndication, telecommunications, venture capital, Internet start-ups and investment management. Working in the telecommunications industry in the late '80s and '90s, Haden founded and later sold HOTELCO, a company that provided hardware, software, and long distance system telecommunications solutions to the hotel industry. Haden went on to co-found SIS, Inc., a pension investment consulting firm that works with both public and corporate pension investment clients and major family offices, and then to become a director of China Enterprise Investment Co., which made direct equity investments into Chinese Government Joint Venture companies. In 2001, he founded Mazingo Network, Inc., a subscription-based start-up delivering copyright protected movies, TV and music to handheld devices, and which was sold in 2004.

Prior to joining The Mechanics Bank, Haden was with Quantum Capital Management, Inc., which provides asset management for high net worth individuals and institutions, where he was Senior Vice President/Director of Business Development.

Haden, his wife Courtnay, and their two children live in San Francisco. Their community activities include serving on the board of the California Pacific Medical Center, supporting San Francisco Children of the Shelters and San Francisco Friends of the Parks. He is a Founding Patron of Tahoe International Film Festival. He enjoys outdoor sports ranging from golf to wing shooting and fishing, as well as collecting Regency furniture, contemporary art and wine.

A Southern Methodist University graduate with a double BA in History and English, Haden was a 1984 Oxford Scholar at University College.

The Mechanics Bank is headquartered in Richmond, California. The 102-year-old family-owned community bank is one of the largest independent banks in California, with more than $2.7 billion in assets.

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Contacts: Debbie LeJeune
The Mechanics Bank (510) 741-7652

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