Montecito Bank & Trust appoints two new members to Board of Directors

February 25, 2025

Montecito Bank & Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors, Dr. Igor Mezic, PhD. and Ms. Veronica Quintana. 

Dr. Mezic and Ms. Quintana each bring unique expertise to the Bank's leadership, complementing the diverse and comprehensive experience of the nine current Directors. Janet Garufis, Chairman and CEO, noted that "These appointments demonstrate the unwavering commitment of Montecito Bank & Trust's leadership to the future growth, innovation, safety, stability and longevity of our Bank. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are excited to welcome Igor and Veronica to the team and look forward to their contributions in stewarding the Central Coast's oldest and largest community bank, so that Montecito Bank & Trust may continue making the communities we serve better places to live and work."

Dr. Mezic is a Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UCSB, as well as co-Founder of AIMdyn, Inc., an AI company and Chief Scientist / Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of MixMode AI, a cybersecurity company, both based in Santa Barbara. Dr. Mezic works with the Department of Defense to create algorithms for autonomous AI systems, and he is a pioneer of the "Third-Wave" of Artificial Intelligence for autonomous decision making. He has received numerous awards and honors for his research work in fields of physics, mathematics and engineering and is best known for his contributions to operator theoretic approach to nonlinear dynamical systems theory. On joining the Board, Dr. Mezic commented, "Having lived in Santa Barbara for 30 years, I was always impressed by the community-oriented nature of MB&T, helping local businesses, organizations and people grow. My wife and I are strongly connected to the charitable work of local nonprofits, so I really appreciate the role the Bank plays in our communities. This Director position allows me to blend my professional expertise with my commitment to giving back to the community."

Based in Oxnard, Ms. Quintana is a Director at the national accounting firm, CBIZ Advisors, LLC. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), Ms. Quintana specializes in the agricultural, construction, manufacturing, restaurant, and professional service industries; she is also the leader of CBIZ’s Latino-Owned Business Service Team. Active in the Oxnard nonprofit community, Ms. Quintana lends her experience and guidance to several organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, Ventura County Community Foundation, and Health Care Foundation for Ventura County. Grateful for the opportunity to continue the legacy and vision of Michael Towbes, Ms. Quintana is honored to serve alongside her fellow esteemed board members, noting "MB&T's leadership and associates share a passion for helping the Central Coast communities thrive, and it is an honor to share this common goal. I have been a CPA for over 29 years, and it is rewarding to know that my tax and financial expertise will contribute to the continued growth and success of Montecito Bank & Trust."

Montecito Bank & Trust is the oldest and largest locally owned community bank in the Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Founded in 1975, the bank celebrated its 49th anniversary on March 17, 2024, and operates 13 branch offices in Santa Maria, Solvang, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo and Westlake Village. Montecito Bank & Trust has a history of unwavering corporate philanthropy in the local communities it serves. The Bank offers a variety of competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and consumers, including business loans and lines of credit; commercial real estate finance; SBA loans; mortgage loans, consumer loans; credit cards; merchant services; and online services, including mobile banking and cash management. Its Wealth Management Division provides comprehensive trust services and full investment management for all branch office markets. The Bank has earned 30 Best Bank awards in the last 12 years, in addition to numerous accolades for Best Mortgage and Best Financial Services Company in Santa Barbara, Best Investment Company in Santa Ynez Valley and the fourth Best Bank to Work For in the United States (American Banker Magazine).

For more information, please contact
Megan Orloff, EVP/Chief Strategy Officer
(805) 564-0236 or morloff@montecito.bank