# Montecito Bank & Trust

> Montecito Bank & Trust is a privately held community bank serving California’s Central Coast with personal and business banking, commercial and mortgage lending, cash management, investment management and trust services. Its local nonprofit giving includes Community Dividends and employee-selected Anniversary Grants.

- **Founded:** 1975
- **Headquarters:** Santa Barbara, United States
- **Founders:** Michael Towbes (Co-founder and founding board member), Jerry Parent (Co-founder and founding board member), John O’Keefe (Co-founder and founding board member)
- **Products:** Personal banking, Business and nonprofit banking, Cash management, Wealth management and trust services, Mortgage division
- **Notable:** Reached its 50th anniversary on March 17, 2025., Community Dividends has distributed more than $24 million since 2003, according to its November 2025 announcement., Awarded $1.2 million through the November 2025 Community Dividends event attended by 188 nonprofit leaders.

## Products & services

- **Personal banking** — Checking, savings, money markets, certificates of deposit, IRAs, credit cards, and online and mobile banking.
- **Business and nonprofit banking** — Deposit accounts, loans and credit lines, commercial real estate finance, equipment lending, merchant services and payroll-related services.
- **Cash management** — ACH and wire origination, remote deposit capture and Positive Pay; published bundles list $10, $65 and $115 monthly base fees plus per-item charges.
- **Wealth management and trust services** — Investment management, trust administration, estate-related services, foundations and endowments, and philanthropic planning.
- **Mortgage division** — Home purchase and refinance lending, home equity credit, construction and other home-related loans.
- **Greenlight partnership** — Eligible linked MB&T account holders can receive Greenlight Select at no subscription charge during the promotion; terms apply and the listed offer ends December 31, 2026.

## Achievements

- Reached its 50th anniversary on March 17, 2025.
- Community Dividends has distributed more than $24 million since 2003, according to its November 2025 announcement.
- Awarded $1.2 million through the November 2025 Community Dividends event attended by 188 nonprofit leaders.
- March 2026 Anniversary Grants awarded $33,000 across 11 recipients.
- The bank reported 3,593 PPP loans totaling more than $322 million in its historical account.
- Named 2017 Bank of the Year by Western Independent Bankers Association.

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — Anniversary Grants reception awarded $33,000 to 11 nonprofits, including the Legacy Award recipient.
- **2026-01** — Published an account of its Baker Hill lending technology partnership and the vendor’s Santa Barbara Innovation Center.
- **2025-11** — Community Dividends event awarded $1.2 million, including two $100,000 emergency-fund grants.
- **2025-05** — Promoted Heather Ames to EVP and Chief People Officer.
- **2025-04** — Announced Lloyd Kurtz as chief investment officer of the Wealth Management Group.

## Links

- Website: https://montecito.bank/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/montecito-bank-&-trust
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/montecitobank
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/montecitobank
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montecitobank/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/montecitobank

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/montecito-bank-and-trust
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-25