SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 9, 2011) - Heritage Bank of Commerce, the operating bank of Heritage Commerce Corp (NASDAQ: [ HTBK ]), today announced that Roxann Burns, senior vice president and SBA Manager has been named 2011 "Instructor of the Year" by the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL). Burns was selected as the recipient of this year's award for her outstanding work in creating and teaching SBA lending courses.

"This award recognizes an individual's depth of SBA lending knowledge coupled with an ability to share that knowledge in an instructional setting," stated Jane Palsgrove Butler, Executive Vice President of NAGGL. "Ms. Burns has distinguished herself as an outstanding instructor who is always willing to share her time and talents to make NAGGL's education program a success."

Burns was awarded this honor during the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders 27th annual convention in Huntington Beach, California, which took place October 25-27. She was also recognized for revamping an advanced course on the SOP 50 10 -- the SBA lender's core guidance manual on the SBA 7(a) business loan program.

"NAGGL has been instrumental in furthering the SBA Lending industry through its forward thinking leadership and education courses for 7(a) program lenders, and I am extremely honored to be a part of such an incredible organization and the recipient of this year's award," said Burns.

Burns has built a reputation as an innovator in the business lending field. Prior to joining Heritage Bank of Commerce, she was President of Greater Bay SBA Lending, where she built one of the best SBA lending departments in the region. She has a master's degree in public policy and administration and a bachelor's degree in economics and business administration from California State University, Sacramento.

Heritage Commerce Corp, a bank holding company established in February 1998, is the parent company of Heritage Bank of Commerce, established in 1994 and headquartered in San Jose with full-service branches in Danville, Fremont, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Pleasanton, and Walnut Creek. Heritage Bank of Commerce is an SBA Preferred Lender with an additional Loan Production Office in Santa Rosa, California. For more information, please visit [ www.heritagecommercecorp.com ].