Our History
Mission Bank's History
Mission Bank opened its doors for business on October 7, 1998.
We began serving customers in the greater Bakersfield area, with a focus on meeting the banking needs of local businesses. Under the guidance of our knowledgeable board of directors and the direction of Richard Fanucchi, our CEO and bank president, Mission Bank put down strong roots in the community. Our vision was "To become the business community's bank of choice in Kern County".
As time passed, our vision took us to nearby Shafter, where we opened an office in 2006. Mission Bank is proud to be the only locally-owned bank serving customers in the Shafter/Wasco area. Many of our customers are agricultural enterprises, in addition to all types of business customers. Our variety of loans and banking services are tailored to meet your needs – no matter what type of business you operate.
Mission Bank’s solid financial position allowed us to weather the financial crisis of 2008-2009 with positive earnings and without any government assistance. While many local banks struggled or closed, Mission Bank grew.
In 2011, with a focus toward the bank’s future and with Mr. Fanucchi’s retirement on the horizon, A.J. Antongiovanni was appointed president of Mission Bank.
New opportunity for growth presented itself in 2012 and Mission Bank merged with Mojave Desert Bank, expanding our presence into the Lancaster/Palmdale area. Our focus during the merger was One Bank, One Team, One Mission, and we successfully integrated team members and customers.
Under Mr. Antongiovanni’s leadership as CEO and president, we’ve continued to expand and grow. In 2014 we opened our Riverwalk office in southwest Bakersfield. Ag and SBA Divisions were formed to better serve our customer base – we are an Approved Lender with Farmer Mac and the USDA/FSA, and a Preferred Lender with the SBA. We've also moved into other areas of California. Now you can bank with us at our coastal offices in Ventura and San Luis Obispo, or our other valley locations in Stockton and Visalia.
None of these achievements could have been accomplished without our customers. We’d like to thank each of you for your loyalty and your business.
As we move into the future, we look forward to enhancing our existing relationships and developing new ones, both in our current markets and into new areas as opportunities arise.
Our guiding values have been, and will continue to be, Integrity, Drive, Ownership and Collaboration.
Mission Bank’s core purpose is To Fuel and Grow Vibrant and Prosperous Communities.
Join us as we see what the future brings!