Valley Republic Bancorp

Sierra Bancorp was formed in November 2000 and operates primarily through Bank of the Sierra, which it acquired in August 2001. The bank opened for business in January 1978 with one branch office in Porterville, Calif., and has grown into a multi-community financial institution that offers a range of banking services to individuals and businesses primarily in the central and southern sections of California s San Joaquin Valley. The Bank currently operates seventeen full service branch offices and engages in construction and real estate lending at several of those branches. It also maintains credit centers for agricultural lending and credit card loans. The company's only other subsidiary is Sierra Capital Trust I, which was formed in November 2001 solely to facilitate the issuance of capital trust pass-through securities. The company still maintains an operation in Porterville, Calif.