BANKING

New Chairman at Marine National Bank: Once a banker, always a banker.

A former Security Pacific National Bank executive who took early retirement in 1991 has been selected chairman of the board of Marine National Bank in Irvine.

James M. Brown was with Security Pacific for 27 years and most recently was first vice president of its Financial Institutions Group. He replaces Larry T. Smith, who chaired the bank board for nearly 14 years. Smith remains the bank’s primary shareholder and will stay on in the newly created position of chairman emeritus. He is leaving to serve as director of the board of the Family Research Council, a charity organization in Washington.

Marine National has expanded its Orange County operations in recent months. It acquired the two offices of American Interstate Bank in Newport Beach when it was closed by regulators in June. That added two branch locations, in Newport Beach and Orange.