Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> June 1, 1998
DAVID L. PAYNE is Chairman, President & CEO of Westamerica
Bancorporation, a holding company for two northern California community
banks. Westamerica Bancorporation is headquartered in San Rafael. A
longtime major Westamerica shareholder, Mr. Payne was elected to the
Board in 1984, became Chairman in 1988 and Chief Executive Officer the
following year. In part, the company's impressive growth over these past
years reflects a series of successful mergers with smaller banking
companies that share Westamerica's community banking philosophy: John
Muir National Bank, Napa Valley Bancorporation, PV Financial,
CapitolBank-Sacramento, North Bay Bancorp and ValliCorp Bank-Fresno. Mr.
Payne came to Westamerica from his family printing, publishing and cable
TV business, a well-diversified and solid bottom-line-oriented
background that helped him to successfully lead Westamerica in this
rapidly changing and consolidating banking business. Profile
company. And then, bring us up-to-date, over the next two to three
years, what do you see as the key challenges and
