GOLETA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Community West Bancshares (“Community West”), (NASDAQ: CWBC), parent company of Community West Bank, today announced that Thomas M. Wetzel, most recently with Rabobank, N.A., will join its management team as SVP and Chief Risk Officer, effective June 4, 2012.
“We are extremely fortunate to have Tom join our management team,” said Martin Plourd, President and CEO of Community West Bancshares. “With over 30 years of experience in audit and risk management, he brings a wealth of in-depth knowledge of the banking industry and the risk management sector. I’ve known Tom for over 13 years and believe that his individual expertise and demonstrated leadership will bring a unique perspective on issues that will be of great value to our organization as we continue to grow and position ourselves for future success.”
Prior to joining Community West, Wetzel worked at Rabobank in El Centro, California for 10 years, most recently as SVP and Deputy Chief Auditor, where he directed and managed the audit program for its 92 branch network, including 15 loan production offices and bank-wide employee-related investigations of irregularities, frauds and embezzlements. Wetzel has built and staffed audit teams for several banks and financial service companies, including the creation and implementation of the audit standards, risk based audit schedules and processes.
Wetzel became a Certified Risk Professional (CRP) through the Bank Administration Institute in 2002 and was an Audit Major at the Bank Administration Institute in Madison, Wisconsin in 1992. He also became a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) through the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners in 1990 and holds an Associate Degree in Arts, Business Administration and Accounting, from Hagerstown Community College in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Company Overview
Community West Bancshares is a financial services company with headquarters in Goleta, California. The Company is the holding company for Community West Bank, which has five full-service California branch banking offices, in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura and Westlake Village. The principal business activities of the Company are Relationship banking, Mortgage lending and SBA lending.
Safe Harbor Disclosure
This release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management's current views of future events and operations. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company as of the date of this release. It is important to note that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the ability of the Company to implement its strategy and expand its lending operations.