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Paul Menzel looks to Double Biz by End of Year --- as Jim Merrilees Joins Santa Barbara Bank &
Trust-Vinsonhaler promoted to VP/Project Manager/Laura Poore joins in
marketing. “We are very excited to have Jim Merrilees and Laura Poore
join our leasing group,” Menzel declared. “
Along with Steve Reid, I feel we have
our own dream team to represent lessors and brokers with our
funding programs. Also, Devon
Vinsonhaler has been promoted to VP
- Project Manager and is working to soon automate our credit operations
so we can provide faster turnaround time. “Santa Barbara Bank and Trust has aggressive goals to grow
its leasing portfolio and we are positioning ourselves to be the funder
of choice as our economy emerges over the next six months. “
The press release stated: ### Press Release ########################################### The Leasing department of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust,
a division of Pacific Capital Bancorp (NASDAQ: PCBC) is pleased to make
the following announcements. Devon Vinsonhaler has been promoted to Vice President and Project Manager
for the bank-wide automated lending platform.
The new automated capability will initially be implemented for
the indirect leasing operation later in 2003. Jim Merrilees, CLP has joined the Leasing Division as Vice President.
Laura Poore has also joined the Leasing Division as Marketing Representative.
The division specializes in small-ticket leasing transactions originated
through equipment leasing companies and brokers nationwide. Mr. Merrilees has thirty years of professional
experience in the commercial leasing industry.
He has been a board member of Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors, president on the United Association of
Equipment Leaisng, and is currently a board member of Equipment Leaisng
Association, also serving on the Certified Leasing Professional Foundation Ms. Poore has represented
funding sources in the leasing industry for the past eight years. Laura and Jim will team with Steve Reid, Vice President,
in the growth and expansion of the bank’s lease funding programs. Mr.
Merrilees and Ms. Poore have established an office in Portland, Oregon. #### Press Release ######################################### In an exclusive interview, Paul Menzel, CLP, who is head of the department, among other titles*,
as he also is responsible for a $200M Auto line, plus also bank “assignments,”
told Leasing News the move is “ to double our business by the end of
the year.” “Yes, we want more business, “ he said, “ We want to grow.
Our problem is our turn around time.
Right now I am lining everything up for when our Experian project
comes fully on board, where it can process, price, and predict in a
responsible manner... “Jim fits our position to expand our business, plus get involved
in portfolio acquisitions. Companies that are warehousing leases and
selling them off in bulk with good credit scoring is our marketplace. “As we start this turn around, buying portfolio’s will take
the pressure off the turn around process here. We
had a misstep with ARM**, but learned a few things...I can’t say enough about Experian, the professionalism, and
the product itself. These are great people to
work with. “Merrilees is with us at the right time and the right place...The
key is your source of funds; that you are hooked up to the right horse.
Management of the bank has sensible expectations. It has been the expectations
and demands of other leasing management that has led to may leasing
company’s demise. We have the
right horse here. “We also have stability, people who work well with each other,
work with each other.” It is expected Merrilees and Poole will remain in Oregon,
with perhaps monthly visits to Santa Barbara, Menzel explained.***
Jim Merrilees, president, Colonial Pacific
Leasing Corp. Tualatin, Oregon *Paul J. Menzel, CLP, is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Santa Barbara Bank and Trust’s Leasing
Division. Paul has been in the
commercial equipment leasing industry, managing the same portfolio,
for over 27 years and arranged the acquisition of the Leasing Division
by SBB&T in 1996. Paul is a part board member of the Equipment Leasing
Association (ELA,) presently Chairs its Small-Ticket Business Council
and was formerly Chairman of the Fair Business Practices Committee.
He has also served as a board member of the United Association
of Equipment Leasing (UAEL). He
graduated form UC Berkeley and holds an MBA in Management.
Paul residents with his family in Santa Barbara, CA. ** We asked Mr. Menzel if his comments on ARM was for “our
readers,” and he stated he “meant it” for those who read Leasing News. ** Mr. Merrilees and Ms. Poore have established an office
in Portland, Oregon and can be reached today at (503) 684-0506 or (888)
684-0506. Steve Reid maintains
an office in Orange, California and can be reached at (800) 700-9858. (The telephones were not working at press time.)
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