A gentle giant is among this year’s crop of winners of the
Chamber of Commerce Showcase awards. South Valley National Bank,
recipient of the Large Business award, is hailed as a community
leader for providing services above and beyond banking.
A gentle giant is among this year’s crop of winners of the Chamber of Commerce Showcase awards. South Valley National Bank, recipient of the Large Business award, is hailed as a community leader for providing services above and beyond banking.
Bank representatives Myles Taketa and Jeff Perkins, along with board member and founding shareholder Roger Knopf, are proud to boast that this award is made possible through teamwork.
“We would not be able to participate in all of the community activities and would not be getting this award if it were not for the support of our entire staff and the help of all of the bank’s officers.” said Taketa, vice-president and relationship manager for the bank.
A bank founded on commitment to providing friendly service to a diversified base of individual and business clients believes in the paradigm that everybody is important.
“The shareholders, employees and customers are what make SVNB an organization committed to the community,” said Knopf, a community member who remains on the board since the bank’s founding in 1983.
SVNB sponsors many Chamber events with volunteer time, support, and gives money to organizations and businesses in Morgan Hill and the surrounding communities.
The bank’s community involvement includes the Taste of Morgan Hill Custom and Classic Car Show, Chamber Board of Directors and Economic Development Committee, Morgan Hill Rotary, Leadership Morgan Hill, Morgan Hill Community Foundation, Independence Day, Inc., Morgan Hill Kiwanis and others.
When Toys for Tots needed sponsorship for their annual Chamber of Commerce breakfast, SVNB stepped in to help. GoKids, provider of Early Childhood Education training services to low-income unemployed women is among the latest recipients of the bank’s help.
SVNB employees go above and beyond banking in both support and action.
“Bank representative Mindy Cabral is also the Board of Director of Community Solutions and a member of the Morgan Hill Rotary club,” said Taketa.
Knopf, one of the original 18 bank founders, continues to be active with the bank and the community. He believes that SVNB is able to foster good relationships because of its legacy commitment to the community.
Both Taketa, and Perkins, senior vice-president and regional manager of the commercial banking group, relish their roles as small-town bankers taking pride in the bank’s hand in the city’s and the county’s growth.
Since 1999, the bank’s assets have grown to more than $2.5 billion. Today, pending acquisitions will strengthen the bank’s portfolio of products and services giving it all the capabilities of a “big bank,” Taketa said.
“The difference between a large bank and our bank is that our customers get to talk to a live person immediately rather than having to go through a menu prompt,” said Taketa.
“It helps to be able to win an award like this when you have a bank that understands the importance of being involved in the community,” said Perkins.
Maintaining a strong community identity and involvement is important to the bank.
“This bank has a long history of supporting the community. We must safe keep this organization for the benefit of our shareholders, employees and always keep our customers in mind,” said Knopf.
“Because we are a community bank, most decisions are made locally,” said Taketa.
Businesses wanting to establish a credit line can look to SVNB as a leader.
“The best thing that you can do when you want to establish a new business is to have a business plan,” according to Perkins. “Your business plan needs to change as the economy changes.”
Perkins also influences the community in other ways; too, from chairman of the City of San Jose Federated Retirement System to becoming assistant coach for the varsity girl’s basketball team at Live Oak High School.
He is also on the Board of Directors and is the treasurer of the Morgan Hill Community Foundation, which gives grants to recreation and arts organizations in Morgan Hill.
Additionally, Taketa serves the community as head of the Taste of Morgan Hill Classic Car show and as president of the Board of Directors for GoKids.
Thirty years ago, local residents got together to establish a bank to serve the needs of the surrounding community. After raising $4 million along with personal contributions, SVNB opened its doors to the community on Aug. 15, 1983.
Originally, located in the Morgan Hill Plaza, next to Albertson’s, SVNB opened a second office in Gilroy in 1983 and moved into its new Tennant Station building in 1986. Since then, SVNB has opened its doors to the communities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista, with San Benito Bank.
As a member of Pacific Capital Bancorp, a $4.4 billion, multi-bank holding company, SVNB’s financial strength can offer product diversity and small town customer service.
SVNB is truly a relationship bank.
“I think that we are doing a good job as evidenced by the fact that we are being recognized for this award. We are always striving to do better and to take care of our customers,” said Perkins.
SVNB’s passion for the people and the community can be considered unique for a local bank.
“Even if you have a great concept, without the people, you have nothing,” said Knopf.
