At American Commercial Bank, Tradition Lives On

Since 1974, it has been a safe bet that anybody attending a board of directors meeting of Ventura’s American Commercial Bank, would find a Mr. Martin in attendance.

For most of that period, the Mr. Martin in question was Edward Martin, who served on the bank’s board for 22 years. These days, however, it is Tom Martin, Edward Martin’s son.

The younger Martin took his father’s place on the bank’s governing body when Edward Martin retired earlier this summer.

Their bank tenures spanning a generation, both men said the community bank role American Commercial fills is as important now as it was two decades ago.

“We have a lot of good banks in the area, especially the larger banks,” said Edward Martin, 82, who was bank chairman from 1980 to 1994. “But there seems to be a place for local banks, and American Commercial Bank has always had that role in mind.”

The senior Martin, of Ojai, joined the 23-year-old institution in its infancy. During his time on the board, he saw the bank’s assets grow from about $35 million in 1974 to nearly $120 million today, said Jim Beeninga, president of American Commercial.

Beeninga credited Edward Martin for much of that growth.

“It was under his direction that the bank really prospered,” Beeninga said. “The board controls the president and the CEO and the direction the bank is going to take, and the chairman is really the instrumental person on the board, the controlling influence.”

Tom Martin intends to have a similar impact.

The newest member of the board brings with him an extensive marketing and advertising background that, he said, he will call upon to increase American Commercial’s presence within the community.

“I’ll try to focus the marketing efforts of the bank,” said Martin, 53, who from 1966 to 1976 served as marketing director, chemist and toy inventor for Mattel Inc.

“With the bank mergers you see happening these days, so many customers are moving around,” he said. “Because there is going to be so much business out there, a lot depends on the strategic [marketing] offense we put together.”

Tom Martin is president of his family’s enterprises--Martin Brothers Winery and Martin Communications. His banking experience dates back 10 years, when he founded Citizen’s Bank of Paso Robles, which earlier this summer was acquired by the Bank of Santa Maria.

The acquisition, he said, freed him up to pursue banking in Ventura County.

“Community banking is alive and well in Ventura County, and there’s a wonderful window of opportunity for all locally based banks because of all the mergers,” he said. “There’s really a need now for community banks to serve small and medium-size businesses.”