N@N

IRVINE, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--CalWest Bancorp (OTCBB: CALW), the holding company for South County Bank, N.A. is pleased to announce the appointment of Rick Mandelbaum as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer. The Bank had been searching for a highly qualified EVP/CCO for over 17 months. Mr. Mandelbaum joins the Executive team that includes Mark Weld, EVP/Operations, Najam Saiduddin, EVP/CFO and H. Kent Falk, President/Director.

Most recently, Mr. Mandelbaum was the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Landmark National Bank headquartered in San Diego. Mr. Mandelbaum joined that bank in organization in 2002 as EVP, COO and CCO and within a year was named a director of the bank and was made the bankas President in November 2004.

Mr. Mandelbaum is a Past President and prior board member of Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego County. He is a past member of the board of directors for REINS (Riding Emphasizing Individual Needs and Strengths), an international organization devoted to therapeutic horsemanship for the handicapped. He is a past member of the Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee for the County of San Diego.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: [ http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50118108&lang=en ]