Virginia Varela joined Golden Pacific Bank as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors for both the Bank and Golden Pacific Bancorp in 2013. Golden Pacific Bank is a highly innovative community bank headquartered in downtown Sacramento, with branches in Yuba City and Live Oak. Golden Pacific is primarily a business bank offering premier banking services. Golden Pacific Bank is the co-founder of SmartBiz, the nationwide automated, online SBA lending platform for loans from $5,000 to $150,000. With Smartbiz, Golden Pacific Bank has become the nation’s leading lender for SBA Non-Express loans of $25,000 or less.
Before joining Golden Pacific Bank, Ms. Varela held various posts both as a community bank executive and as a former regulator, and brings with her more than 25 years of community banking experience. Ms. Varela is considered a bank “turn around” expert. She successfully improved banks as EVP/Chief Operating Officer of Bank of the Orient, CEO/President of Bank of Rio Vista in the California Delta region, and President and Director of San Luis Trust Bank in San Luis Obispo, California.
As a regulator, Ms. Varela held various positions of authority with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the Treasury Department, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. Her specialty area is community bank regulations and supervision.
Ms. Varela has consulted with financial institutions and government agencies both on a national and global scale. She has succeeded in overseas missions with the Financial Services Volunteer Corporation assisting developing and transition countries. She also served as a member of the Interagency Hurricane Katrina Task Force “Banks Helping Banks,” and was an active Consultant to the national “Elder Financial Protection Network.”
Ms. Varela is a member of the California Bankers Association Board of Directors. Ms. Varela’s contributions were recognized through a “Woman of Distinction” Award in the San Francisco Bay area, as well as other honors and certifications over the years. Ms. Varela holds a BS degree in Economics, a BA degree in English Literature, and a MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.
How did she get an award?