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Maria Lazzarini

EVP, Regional Banking Group

Maria Lazzarini leads Bank of the West�s largest retail division, a territory that spans Northern California, Northern Nevada, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. Lazzarini oversees 1,400 employees, 25 area managers and more than 170 branches. In this role, she�s a key member of the leadership team transforming the entire bank�s retail network to better reflect the needs of today�s customers. The most striking example of this change in 2013 was the opening of three pilot de novo branches in the Bay Area featuring an open, queue-free floor plan, universal bankers, and interactive stations to acquaint customers with the bank�s award-winning digital channels.� Lazzarini�s long-time focus on customer service was rewarded with a Net Advocacy Rate of 70% in 2013, well above the 55% industry average. She also led the bank�s technology modernization efforts, resulting in the installation of new sales and servicing software that further improved the customer experience. She is based in San Francisco.Lazzarini joined Bank of the West nearly thirty years as a Management Program trainee in International Banking. She rose to become a commercial business development officer with a focus on importers and exporters and eventually worked as a Corporate Banking Officer for BNP Paribas, Bank of the West�s parent.�Lazzarini is one of the bank�s strongest and most vocal proponents of corporate responsibility.� A longtime board member of JVS, she encourages all of the employees within her region to give back and support their communities in tangible and meaningful ways. Lazzarini is a graduate of the University of Santa Clara.�