IRVINE, California, September 1, 2011 – McDermott & Bull, a Southern California-based retained executive search firm, announced today the successful appointment of Mr. Kirk Walters as Program Management Senior Leader at Santa Barbara Bank & Trust in Santa Barbara, California.

“Kirk has extensive program management experience in banking IT environments and a proven track record of accomplishment in management of complex technology projects. We look forward to Kirk bringing his valued expertise to Santa Barbara Bank & Trust,” said Rod McDermott, Managing Director at McDermott & Bull.

Before joining Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Mr. Walters was Account Manager for Harris Bank (a Fidelity National Information Services bank client) in Chicago, Illinois for over three years. Prior to serving as Account Manager, Mr. Walters served as the Business Strategy Manager with Harris Bank for two years, as a FNIS employee.

Mr. Walters has his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Marketing, and Communication from the University of Tulsa. He also has a Masters Degree in Finance, Management and Strategy, and Accounting from the Kellogg School of Management.

About Santa Barbara Bank & Trust

Santa Barbara Bank and Trust , (www.sbbt.com)headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, is best known in the local area for their quality customer service. Whether saving, investing, or borrowing, fully established or just starting out, they offer all the personal and business services needed with a local, knowledgeable staff eager to provide a unique brand of personal attention. Santa Barbara Bank & Trust is also a very convenient place to bank with a network of full service neighborhood offices throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, plus around-the-clock access to accounts through AllTime Banker ATMs, touch-tone telephone, and online banking services.

About McDermott & Bull

McDermott & Bull, Inc. (www.mbsearch.net) is a retained executive search firm headquartered in Irvine, California. The firm serves both public and privately held clients in a variety of industries and functional areas. McDermott & Bull has developed expertise in fields including Technology, Financial Services, Energy, Manufacturing, Bio-Tech and Life Science, Retail, the Building Industry, Professional Services, and others. Founded by Rodney McDermott and Christopher Bull, the firm specializes in recruiting difficult-to-find and critical senior level talent for its clients. McDermott & Bull works with a large number of prestigious clients including Allergan, Advanced Medical Optics, Black & Decker, Harbor Freight Tools, Boeing, Aramark, Cisco Systems, Western Digital, Conexant, Google, Invitrogen, Meggitt PLC, J.F. Shea, Comerica Bank, and Union Bank.