SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwire - Dec 10, 2012) - Heritage Bank of Commerce, the operating bank of Heritage Commerce Corp (NASDAQ: [ HTBK ]), today announced that Ruth Brown has been hired as the new SVP/SBA Department Manager, and will maintain an office at the Danville and San Jose branch locations.

"Ruth is a valuable addition to our team with more than 20 years of SBA experience in community banking, and 10 of those years in a senior management role," stated Walt Kazcmarek, President and CEO of Heritage Bank. "We are confident that her impressive qualifications will help us grow our SBA business more aggressively, and we're excited to welcome her to the team."

Prior to joining Heritage Bank, Ruth served as Senior Vice President at Summit Bank in Walnut Creek and Managing Director at First Republic Bank, where she oversaw the development of the small business and SBA commercial real estate group. She also worked at Bank of Walnut Creek, prior to its acquisition by First Republic Bank in 2006, as Senior Vice President/Manager of its SBA business. 

Ruth is a graduate of Saint Mary's College in Moraga, CA and Pacific Coast Banking School in Seattle, WA. She currently enjoys volunteering with the Special Olympics and spending time with her husband and two children.

About Heritage Bank of Commerce
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 ].