Carmel Magazine

Carmel Magazine HO15

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Local Bank Thrives with a Per sonal Touch SHORTCUTS BUSINESS 60 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 5 M ore than two decades after he trained at Fort Ord, Charles Chrietzberg returned to the Monterey Peninsula with his wife, Sandra. They moved to Carmel from Houston, where he was a banker, in 1982. Chrietzberg settled into his new home and invested in Monterey County Bank three years later. Soon, he was named board president and then elected president and chief executive officer. Thirty years after his first affiliation with the institution, which opened in 1977, Chrietzberg oversees Monterey County Bank branches in Monterey, Carmel, Pacific Grove and Salinas. And, in an era of big merg- ers, he proudly keeps his locally owned bank focused on local concerns. Chrietzberg took California Independent Banker of the Year honors in 1995; this summer, the Independent Community Bankers of America named Monterey County Bank one of its 2014 top performers. "One of the first things I did here was establish a Small Business Administration lending program. That's been the direction and focus of the bank since I've been actively involved," Chrietzberg says. "I appreciate the work that small business owners do to be successful, and I want to help them through the good times and the bad." Chrietzberg is especially proud to work with area hospitality profession- als. Some clients, he explains, first opened bank accounts back when they bussed tables and washed dishes. Today, several of those same individuals own area restaurants and manage their own teams. Small business loans can be used for new businesses, expanding a business or debt restructuring. In addition, Chrietzberg enjoys the bank's evolution on a personal level. His wife, Sandra, is on the board. Their son, Clark, works there as a con- sulting accountant. Stephanie, their daughter, joined the staff in 2006 and currently serves as senior vice-president and administrative officer. Several employees have worked at the bank for more than a decade, further extending the sense of family. Chrietzberg attributes Monterey County Bank's success to five qualities: it is small, secure, safe, sound and small business-focused. "That all applies," he says. "It has for almost 30 years." To learn more, please visit www.montereycountybank.com. —Renee Brincks Monterey County Bank has been helping locals since 1977. Bank CEO Charles Chrietzberg (next to wife, Sandra) climbed the ranks since 1985, and his daughter Stephanie (on ladder) is now part of the "younger generation stepping up to serve" as a senior vice president. Photo: Kelli Uldall

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