Mechanics Bank

Kirsten E. Weisser joined Mechanics Bank in 2005, and serves as Executive Vice President of the Wealth Management Group, which includes private banking, investment management, trust and estate services, and retail brokerage. A fourth generation Berkeley native and Cal graduate, she began her banking career in 1982 with Crocker National Bank, which was acquired by Wells Fargo in 1986. After the acquisition, she remained with Wells Fargo until 1997, when she joined U.S. Trust Company, where she served as the senior fiduciary officer in Northern California, responsible for managing the trust and estate business, the post she held until joining Mechanics Bank. Weisser serves on the Council of Friends for the Bancroft Library at the University of California at Berkeley, and on the board of the Oakland Community Pools Project, which provides recreation and leadership opportunities for youth in the West Oakland and East Oakland communities. She is also a member of the professional advisory committees of the San Francisco Ballet and the East Bay Community Foundation. She and her family are residents of Oakland.

Chris Cole is a Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager of Private Banking for the Wealth Management group at Mechanics Bank in San Francisco. For more than a century, Mechanics Bank has been helping people build prosperous communities as a trusted financial partner, building lasting relationships through teamwork, respect and integrity. Before joining Mechanics Bank, Chris served as a Senior Private Business Banker at First Republic Bank for over 10 years. Chris has more than 18 years of banking experience specializing in Private Banking for high net worth individuals, residential lending, and business banking and wealth management. Chris has served as a consultant and advisory board member to numerous nonprofit organizations including The Treasure Island Sailing Center, ElderArts and Live Oak School. Chris has been serving on the board of directors and finance committee for Little Kids Rock since 2005. Chris has also worked as a Regional Training & Development Specialist for Key Bank in Seattle. Chris is an avid music collector and enjoys cooking, traveling, modern & green design and his dogs, Lola & Stanley.

Thomas F. Bennett is Vice President of The Mechanics Bank, Area Manager and Office Manager of the Hilltop Office, and the Program Manager of Hilltop Investments located at The Mechanics Bank. (Full General Securities licenses including Life Health Disability California.) Tom is a member of Richmond Rotary, West Contra Costa Business Development and Pug Rescue of Sacramento. He and his wife Tara have two children and various numbers of pugs. Tom is a graduate of UC Berkeley.

Richie is the Financial Services Manager of the Sacramento office of Mechanics Bank located at Alta Arden and Howe. He was born and raised in Southern California and upon graduating from UC Davis decided to make Sacramento his permanent home. Richie was a member of the Rotary International Group Study exchange mission to Austria in 2008, is Metro Chamber Leadership Sacramento Alumni, and is a current member of the Rotary Club of East Sacramento to keep him active in the community. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing soccer, and the live arts. Being married to a first grade teacher has opened Richie's eyes and heart to the importance of the future generation and hopes to help out SCA one child at a time.

After working on the executive financial counseling team that founded the Private Banking Division of the Bank of America, Ms. Felton joined The Mechanics Bank board in 1981 and immediately was appointed chair of the Audit Committee. The same year, she founded an auto leasing company, serving as its chief operating officer for over a decade. She graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1978 with a degree in Mathematics and Statistics. Ms. Felton has also completed the Directors College program offered by Stanford University's School of Law, and the Family Business Management program offered by Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Business and Management. In addition to her TMB duties, Ms. Felton acted as a founder, director and corporate secretary of the Glenbrook Club at Lake Tahoe. Her many community activities include serving on the community advisory board of the Junior League of the East Bay, in various parent club board positions at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School, Wagner Ranch Elementary School and Miramonte High School (all public schools in Orinda, California), on the Board of Councilors of the Save The Redwoods League, and in various board positions for St. Luke's Hospital Jr. Auxiliary. She and her family are residents of Orinda, California.

Mr. Staes is a director of Mechanics Bank located in Richmond, California which he joined in 2002 and where he is Lead Director, Chairman of Governance Committee, and a member of Loan and Compensation Committees. In January 2006, Mr. Staes became a Director of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy. From 1997 to 2004, he was a director of Manufacturers Bank, where he was Chairman of Credit Risk Management, ALM and Trust, and Audit Committees, as well as a member of Compliance Committee.

Mark Wilson, Chair, is the President of Wilson and Kratzer Mortuaries. He also co-owns International Sportsmen's Expositions, a company which produces adventure travel, fishing, hunting, and outdoor sports shows in seven Western cities. He serves on the Board of Directors of Carriage Services (CSVNYSE), the Mechanics Bank, and the West Contra County YMCA. He graduated from California State University Chico with a BS degree in Business Administration. Mark has lived in the Martinez area for 10 years. He and his wife Anne have 4 children. He enjoys fly-fishing, bird hunting, skiing, and hiking.