Executive Management

  • Jeffrey B. DeVine - President and Chief Executive Officer

    David A. Duarte - Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer and Chief Operating Officer

    Michelle Martinich, CPA - Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

    Laurie Meyn Leighty - Senior Vice President, Head of Operations and Human Resources

  • Founding Organizers

    Dennis Baker, M.D

    Barbara Donnelly, M.D.

    Julie Friedman

    Morrie Jurkowitz

    Harvey Bottelson

  • Jeff DeVine
    President and Chief Executive Officer

    Mr. DeVine has over 20 years experience in banking with the last 14 years spent here in Santa Barbara. Over his career, he has held positions in commercial, retail, private and investment banking. Prior to joining American Riviera Bank in 2008, Mr. DeVine led the Commercial Real Estate Division for Rabobank, N.A. in California. Prior to that, he was the Regional President for the Greater Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley Region of Mid-State Bank & Trust.

    Mr. DeVine graduated from the University of California San Diego with a BS in Quantitative Economics. He later attended Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington where he graduated with honors. Mr. DeVine has held various Board positions with local non-profits including Treasurer of the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa Barbara County and Treasurer of the Los Padres Council of Boy Scouts of America. He is also a member of the steering committee for the South Coast Business and Technology Awards Dinner and Premier Professionals of Santa Barbara.

  • David A. Duarte
    Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer and Chief Operating Officer

    Mr. Duarte has more than 30 years of experience in growing and managing California community banks. Prior to joining American Riviera Bank, he held the position of President and Chief Operating Officer of Hacienda Bank, a community bank with $90 million in assets and $56 million in loans. Heritage Oaks Bank in Paso Robles, California, later acquired Hacienda Bank. He was also a member of the Board of Directors with both Hacienda Bank, and Heritage Oaks Bank.

    Mr. Duarte began his career at Home Bank in Long Beach, California, where he spent 23 years progressing through branch management, corporate administration, and senior management.

  • Michelle Martinich
    Senior Vice President
    Chief Financial Officer

    In her 12-year career, Mrs. Martinich has gained extensive knowledge and experience in performing complex financial modeling such as asset liability management, funds transfer pricing, and profitability and risk management.

    As Vice President, Planning & Analysis with Pacific Capital Bancorp (Santa Barbara Bank & Trust), Mrs. Martinich had full responsibility for corporate planning, budgeting, forecasting and analysis, including consideration of merger and acquisition activity, as well as complex modeling, such as profitability, funds transfer price and asset liability model preparation.

    She also held the position of Experienced Audit Senior for Arthur Andersen, where she worked primarily in the financial services industry. Her clients included Pacific Capital Bancorp (Santa Barbara Bank & Trust) and Sanwa Bank of California.

    As a Certified Public Accountant, Mrs. Martinich is also the Treasurer and Board Member of Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care of Santa Barbara.

  • Laurie Leighty
    Senior Vice President
    Head of Operations and Human Resources

    Mrs. Leighty's career in the Santa Barbara banking industry spans 23 years with management experience in numerous banking and branch specific operations. At Montecito Bank and Trust, she served as Senior Vice President and Branch Administrator for nine years . Previously, she was Montecito Bank and Trust's Human Resources Director for 14 years .

    Mrs. Leighty is actively involved in numerous non-profits in Santa Barbara, including Hospice of Santa Barbara, Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, Elings Park, Channel Islands Multiple Sclerosis Association, Women's Executive Network and various PTAs.