American River Bankshares is a bank holding company registered under the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. The Company was incorporated under the
laws of the State of California in 1995. As a bank holding company, the Company
is authorized to engage in the activities permitted under the Bank Holding Company
Act of 1956, as amended, and regulations thereunder. Its principal office is located
at 3100 Zinfandel Drive, Suite 450, Rancho Cordova, California 95670 and its telephone
number is (916) 851-0123.
The Company owns 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of its banking
subsidiary, American River Bank, and American River Financial, a California
corporation which has been inactive since its incorporation in 2003.
American River Bank was incorporated and commenced business in Fair Oaks, California,
in 1983 and thereafter moved its headquarters to Sacramento, California in 1985.
American River Bank operates four full service offices in Sacramento County
including the main office located at 1545 River Park Drive, Suite 107, Sacramento
and branch offices in Sacramento and Gold River; one full service office in
Placer County, located in Roseville; two full service offices in Sonoma County
in Healdsburg and Santa Rosa; and three full service offices in Amador County
in Jackson, Pioneer, and Ione. In addition, American River Bank operates loan
production offices in Santa Clara and Contra Costa Counties. In 2000, North
Coast Bank was acquired by the Company as a separate bank subsidiary. Effective
December 31, 2003, North Coast Bank was merged with and into American River
Bank. On December 3, 2004, the Company acquired Bank of Amador located in Jackson,
California. Bank of Amador was merged with and into American River Bank.
American River Bank does not offer trust services or international banking
services and does not plan to do so in the near future. American River Bank’s
primary business is serving the commercial banking needs of small to mid-sized
businesses within those counties listed above. American River Bank accepts checking
and savings deposits, offers money market deposit accounts and certificates
of deposit, makes secured and unsecured commercial, secured real estate, and
other installment and term loans and offers other customary banking services.
American River Bank also conducts lease financing for most types of business
equipment, from computer software to heavy earth-moving equipment. American
River Bank owns 100% of two inactive companies, ARBCO and American River Mortgage.
ARBCO was formed in 1984 to conduct real estate development and has been inactive
since 1995. American River Mortgage has been inactive since its formation in
1994.
American River Bank is licensed by the California Commissioner of the Department
of Business Oversight (the “Commissioner”), and its deposits are
insured by the FDIC up to the applicable legal limits. On November 9, 2010,
the FDIC implemented a final rule under the Dodd-Frank Act to permanently increase
the maximum insurance limit to $250,000 per depositor. American River Bank has
chosen not to become a member of the Federal Reserve System. Consequently, American
River Bank is subject to the supervision of, and is regularly examined by, the
Commissioner and the FDIC. The supervision and regulation includes comprehensive
reviews of all major aspects of American River Bank’s business and condition,
including its capital ratios, allowance for possible loan and lease losses and
other factors. However, no inference should be drawn that such authorities have
approved any such factors. American River Bankshares and American River Bank
are required to file reports with the Board of Governors, the Commissioner,
and the FDIC and provide any additional information that the Board of Governors,
the Commissioner, and the FDIC may require.
American River Bankshares is a bank holding company within the meaning of the
Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “Bank Holding Company
Act”), and is registered as such with, and subject to the supervision
of, the Board of Governors. The Company is required to obtain the approval of
the Board of Governors before it may acquire all or substantially all of the
assets of any bank, or ownership or control of the voting shares of any bank
if, after giving effect to such acquisition of shares, the Company would own
or control more than 5% of the voting shares of such bank. The Bank Holding
Company Act prohibits the Company from acquiring any voting shares of, or interest
in, all or substantially all of the assets of, a bank located outside the State
of California unless such an acquisition is specifically authorized by the laws
of the state in which such bank is located. Any such interstate acquisition
is also subject to applicable California and federal law.
The Company, and any subsidiaries which it may acquire or organize, are deemed
to be “affiliates” within the meaning of that term as defined in
the Federal Reserve Act. This means, for example, that there are limitations
(a) on loans by American River Bank to affiliates, and (b) on investments by
American River Bank in affiliates’ stock as collateral for loans to any
borrower. The Company and its subsidiaries are also subject to certain restrictions
with respect to engaging in the underwriting, public sale and distribution of
securities.