Bank of Marin Bancorp (BMRC) Business
This page reproduces the company's own Item 1 Business text from the linked SEC filing. It is filer text, not grepcent analysis, scoring, or investment advice.
Informational only - not investment advice. See Disclaimer.
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Bank of Marin (the “Bank”) was incorporated in August 1989, received its charter from the California Superintendent of Banks (now the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation or "DFPI") and commenced operations in January 1990. The Bank is an insured bank by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). Bank of Marin Bancorp ("Bancorp") was formed in 2007 and the Bank became its sole subsidiary when each share of Bank common stock was exchanged for one share of Bancorp common stock. Bancorp is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol BMRC. Upon formation of the holding company, Bancorp became subject to regulation under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and reporting and examination requirements by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("Federal Reserve"). Bancorp files periodic reports and proxy statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
References in this report to “Bancorp” or the "Company" mean Bank of Marin Bancorp, parent holding company for the Bank. References to “we,” “our,” “us” mean the holding company and the Bank that are consolidated for financial reporting purposes.
Virtually all of our business is conducted through Bancorp's subsidiary, Bank of Marin, which is headquartered in Novato, California. In addition to our headquarters and a regional office in the Greater Sacramento region, we operate 27 retail branches and 8 commercial banking offices across Northern California with a strong emphasis on supporting local communities. Our customer base is comprised of business, not-for-profit, and personal banking relationships within our Northern California footprint. Our business banking focus is on small to medium-sized businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and commercial real estate investors.
We offer a suite of business and personal financial products and services designed to meet the needs of our customers. Our lending categories include commercial real estate loans, commercial and industrial loans (including small business loans), construction financing, consumer loans, and home equity lines of credit. Through third-party vendors, we offer merchant and payroll services, a commercial equipment leasing program and credit cards. Other products and services include payment solutions (e.g., mobile deposit and Zelle®) and a wide array of treasury management services.
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We offer a variety of personal and business checking and savings accounts, and a number of time deposit alternatives, including time certificates of deposit, Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”), Health Savings Accounts ("HSA"), Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service® ("CDARS"), Insured Cash Sweep® ("ICS"), and Demand Deposit MarketplaceSM ("DDM Sweep") accounts. CDARS, ICS and DDM Sweep accounts are networks through which we offer full FDIC insurance coverage in excess of the regulatory maximum by placing deposits in multiple banks participating in the networks. We also offer deposit options including mobile deposit, remote deposit capture, Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) services, wire transfers, and image lockbox services.
Automated teller machines (“ATMs”) are available at most branch locations. Our ATMs are linked to PLUS, CIRRUS and NYCE, as well as MoneyPass® - a network of nation-wide, surcharge-free ATMs. We also offer our depositors 24-hour access to their accounts by telephone and through digital banking services available to personal and business account holders.
We offer wealth management and trust services, which include customized investment portfolio management, trust administration, estate settlement and custody services.
We make international banking services available to our customers indirectly through other financial institutions with whom we have correspondent banking relationships.
We hold no patents, licenses (other than licenses required by the appropriate banking regulatory agencies), franchises or concessions. The Bank has registered the service marks "The Spirit of Marin," the words “Bank of Marin,” the Bank of Marin logo, and the Bank of Marin tagline, “Committed to your business and our community” with the United States Patent & Trademark Office. In addition, Bancorp has registered the service marks for the words “Bank of Marin Bancorp” and for the Bank of Marin Bancorp logo with the United States Patent & Trademark Office. All service marks registered by Bancorp or the Bank are registered on the United States Patent & Trademark Office Principal Register.
Market Area
Our primary market area encompasses Alameda, Amador, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Sonoma counties. Our customer base is primarily made up of business, not-for-profit and personal banking relationships within these market areas. As of December 31, 2025, the majority of our deposits were in Marin, Napa, Alameda and southern Sonoma counties, and approximately 62% of our deposits were from businesses and 38% from consumers.
Competition
The banking business in California generally, and in our market area specifically, is highly competitive with respect to attracting both loan and deposit relationships. The increasingly competitive environment is affected by changes in regulation, interest rates, technology and product delivery systems, and consolidation among financial service providers. The banking industry is seeing strong competition for high quality loans, with larger banks expanding activities to attract businesses that are traditionally community bank customers. In all of our counties, we have significant competition from nationwide banks with much larger branch networks and greater financial resources, as well as credit unions and other local and regional banks. Nationwide banks have the competitive advantages of developing data analytics and artificial intelligence tools and other technological platforms. Large commercial banks also have substantially greater lending limits and the ability to offer certain services, which are not offered directly by us. Other competitors for depositors' funds are money market mutual funds and non-bank financial institutions such as brokerage firms and insurance companies.
We differentiate ourselves from the numerous, and often larger, financial institutions in our primary market area with a business model built on relationship banking, exemplary service, disciplined fundamentals, local decision making and commitment to the communities we serve. The Bank's experienced professionals deliver innovative and custom financing, with a deep local market knowledge and a personal understanding of each customer's unique needs.
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Human Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2025, we employed 311 full-time equivalent staff. The actual number of employees, including part-time employees, at year-end 2025 included seven executive officers, 152 other corporate officers and 152 staff. None of our employees are presently represented by a union or covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
We offer a competitive total compensation package including a comprehensive benefits program to our employees designed to attract, retain and motivate employees, as well as to align with our performance, including employee ownership through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan. We regularly compare compensation and benefits with peer companies and market data, making adjustments as needed to ensure compensation stays competitive. We are continually investing in our workforce through employee development, education and training.
We strive to attract, develop, retain and plan for succession of key talent and executives to achieve our strategic objectives. We pride ourselves on creating an open, diverse, and transparent culture that celebrates collaboration and recognizes employees at all levels. We believe that the wide array of perspectives that result from such diversity promotes Legendary Service and business success. We continue to learn and grow, and our current initiatives reflect our ongoing efforts around a more diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace.
In order to develop a workforce that aligns with our corporate values, we regularly sponsor local community events so that our employees can better integrate themselves in and support our communities. We believe that our employees’ well-being and personal and professional development is fostered by our outreach to the communities we serve. Our employees’ desire for active community involvement enables us to sponsor a number of local community events and initiatives, including funding and volunteering for youth mentorship and financial literacy programs to enhance educational opportunities and sponsoring local chambers of commerce and economic development corporations to foster economic vitality.
We recognize that employees who are engaged and committed to their work and workplace contribute meaningfully to our success. On a regular basis, we solicit employee feedback through a confidential, company-wide survey on culture, management, career opportunities, compensation, and benefits. The results of this survey are reviewed and used to update employee programs, initiatives, and communications. We believe that our employee relations are good. In 2025, we were named one of North Bay Business Journal's "Best Places to Work" and in 2024 were inducted into NorthBay Biz's "Best of" Hall of Fame.
SUPERVISION AND REGULATION
Bank holding companies and banks are extensively regulated under both federal and state law. The following discussion summarizes certain significant laws, rules and regulations affecting Bancorp and the Bank.
Bank Holding Company Regulation
Upon formation of the bank holding company on July 1, 2007, we became subject to regulation under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (“BHCA”) which subjects Bancorp to Federal Reserve reporting and examination requirements. Under the Federal Reserve law and regulations, a bank holding company is required to serve as a source of financial and managerial strength to its subsidiary banks. Under this requirement, Bancorp is expected to commit resources to support the Bank, including at times when Bancorp may not be in a financial position to provide such resources, and it may not be in Bancorp's, or Bancorp's shareholders’ or creditors’, best interests to do so. In addition, any capital loans Bancorp makes to the Bank are subordinate in right of payment to depositors and to certain other indebtedness of the Bank. The BHCA regulates the activities of holding companies including acquisitions, mergers and consolidations and, together with the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act of 1999, the scope of allowable banking activities. Bancorp is also a bank holding company within the meaning of the California Financial Code. As such, Bancorp and its subsidiaries are subject to examination by, and may be required to file reports with, the DFPI.
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Bank Regulation
Banking regulations are primarily intended to protect consumers, depositors' funds, federal deposit insurance funds and the banking system as a whole. These regulations affect our lending practices, consumer protections, capital structure, investment practices and dividend policy.
As a state chartered bank, we are subject to regulation, supervision and examination by the DFPI. We are also subject to regulation, supervision and periodic examination by the FDIC. If, as a result of an examination of the Bank, the FDIC or the DFPI should determine that the financial condition, capital resources, asset quality, earnings prospects, management, liquidity, or other aspects of our operations are unsatisfactory, or that we have violated any law or regulation, various remedies are available to those regulators including issuing a “cease and desist” order, monetary penalties, restitution, restricting our growth or removing officers and directors.
The Bank addresses the many state and federal regulations it is subject to through a comprehensive compliance program.
Safety and Soundness Standards (Risk Management)
The federal banking agencies have adopted guidelines that establish operational and managerial standards to promote the safety and soundness of federally insured depository institutions. The guidelines set forth standards for internal controls, information systems, internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure, asset growth, compensation, fees and benefits, asset quality and earnings.
During the past decade, the bank regulatory agencies have increasingly emphasized the importance of sound risk management processes and strong internal controls when evaluating the activities of the financial institutions they supervise. Properly managing risks has been identified as critical to the conduct of safe and sound banking activities and has become even more important as new technologies, product innovation, and the size and speed of financial transactions have changed the nature of banking markets. The agencies have identified a spectrum of risks facing a banking institution including, but not limited to, credit, market, liquidity, operational, legal, and reputational. In particular, recent regulatory pronouncements have focused on operational risk, which arises from the potential that inadequate information systems, operational problems, breaches in internal controls, fraud, or unforeseen catastrophes will result in unexpected losses. New products and services, third-party risk management and cybersecurity are critical sources of operational risk that financial institutions are expected to address in the current environment. The Board of Directors and various sub-committees oversee Bancorp's consolidated enterprise risk management program that ensures the adequacy of policies, procedures, tolerance levels, risk measurement systems, monitoring processes, management information systems and internal controls.
Dividends and Stock Repurchases
Bancorp's ability to pay dividends to its shareholders may be affected by both general corporate law considerations and the policies of the Federal Reserve applicable to bank holding companies. As a California corporation, Bancorp is subject to the limitations of California law, which allows a corporation to distribute cash or property to shareholders, including a dividend or repurchase or redemption of shares, if the corporation meets certain tests based on its performance and financial condition. Bancorp's primary source of cash is dividends received from the Bank. Prior to any distribution from the Bank to Bancorp, we ensure that the dividend computations comply with the provisions of the California Financial Code and regulations set forth by the DFPI and the FDIC. In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was enacted, which among other things, imposed a one percent excise tax on publicly traded U.S. corporations for the fair market value of stock repurchased after December 31, 2022. With certain exceptions, the value of stock repurchased is net of stock issued in the year, including those issued pursuant to share-based compensation programs. Refer to Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, under the heading “Dividends” in ITEM 8 of this report for more information.
FDIC Insurance Assessments
The FDIC insures our customers' deposits to the maximum amount permitted by law, which is currently $250,000 per depositor, based on the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”).
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FDIC insurance coverage is funded by the FDIC's assessment on insured depository institutions like us and FDIC's annual base assessment rates are currently between 2.5 and 42 basis points on the depository institution's quarterly average consolidated total assets minus average tangible equity. Base assessment rates for banks vary depending on whether a depository institution is small or large and highly complex per FDIC's definition. In deriving the base assessment rate, the FDIC applies financial ratios, scorecards, and other financial measures to determine a bank's ability to withstand financial stress.
In October 2022, the FDIC adopted a final rule to increase the initial base deposit insurance assessment rate schedules uniformly by 2 basis points beginning with the first quarterly assessment period of 2023. The increased assessment was expected to improve the likelihood that the deposit insurance fund ("DIF") reserve ratio would reach the statutory minimum of 1.35% by the statutory deadline prescribed under the FDIC's amended restoration plan. As of June 30, 2025, the reserve ratio exceeded the statutory minimum and, beginning with third quarter 2025, the FDIC no longer operated under a Restoration Plan.
Community Reinvestment Act
Congress enacted the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) in 1977 to encourage financial institutions to meet the credit needs of the communities in which they are located. All banks and thrifts have a continuing and affirmative obligation, consistent with safe and sound operations, to help meet the credit needs of their entire communities, including low and moderate income neighborhoods. Regulatory agencies rate each bank's performance in assessing and meeting these credit needs. The Bank is committed to serving the credit needs of the communities in which we do business, and it is our policy to respond to all creditworthy segments of our market. As part of its CRA commitment, the Bank maintains strong philanthropic ties to the community. We invest in affordable housing projects that help economically disadvantaged individuals and residents of low- and moderate-income census tracts, in each case consistent with our long-established prudent underwriting practices. We also donate to, invest in and volunteer with organizations that serve the communities in which we do business, especially low- and moderate-income individuals. These organizations offer educational and health programs to economically disadvantaged students and families, community development services and affordable housing programs. We offer CRA reportable small business, small farm and community development loans within our assessment areas. The CRA requires a depository institution's primary federal regulator, in connection with its examination of the institution, to assess the institution's record in meeting CRA requirements. The regulatory agency's assessment of the institution's record is made available to the public. This record is taken into consideration when the institution establishes a new branch that accepts deposits, relocates an office, applies to merge or consolidate, or expands into other activities. The FDIC assigned a “Satisfactory” rating to Bank of Marin's CRA performance examination based on their most recent examination completed in November 2023, which was performed under the large bank requirements.
In October 2023, the federal banking agencies issued a final rule to strengthen and modernize regulations implementing the CRA. The final rule, among other things, seeks to (i) expand access to credit, investment, and basic banking services in low- and moderate-income communities, (ii) adapt to changes in the banking industry, including internet and mobile banking, (iii) provide greater clarity, consistency, and transparency, (iv) tailor CRA evaluations and data collection to bank size and type, and (v) maintain a unified approach among the bank regulatory agencies. Since issuance, the effective date of the final rule has been delayed pending the outcome of litigation that challenged the statutory authority of federal regulators. On July 16, 2025, the federal banking agencies issued a joint notice of proposed rulemaking to rescind the 2023 CRA final rule. We will continue to evaluate the impact of any changes to the regulations implementing the CRA and their impact to our financial condition, results of operations, and/or liquidity, which cannot be predicted at this time.
Anti-Money-Laundering Regulations
A series of banking laws and regulations beginning with the Bank Secrecy Act in 1970 requires banks to prevent, detect, and report illicit or illegal financial activities to the federal government to prevent money laundering, international drug trafficking, and terrorism. Under the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, financial institutions are subject to prohibitions against specified financial transactions and account relationships, requirements regarding the Customer Identification Program, as well as enhanced due diligence and “know your customer” standards in their dealings with high risk customers, foreign financial institutions, and foreign individuals and entities. In 2016, Customer Due
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Diligence Rules under the Bank Secrecy Act clarified and strengthened customer due diligence requirements. These rules contained explicit customer due diligence requirements, which included a new requirement to identify and verify the identity of beneficial owners of legal entity customers. In 2020, the Anti-Money Laundering Act ("AMLA 2020") became law. Among its many provisions, AMLA 2020 provides for: 1) expanded whistleblower rewards and protections; 2) the establishment of a beneficial ownership registration database that will be implemented by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network ("FinCEN"); and 3) new Bank Secrecy Act violations and enhanced penalties for repeat and egregious violators.
Privacy, Data Protection, and Cybersecurity
The Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (“GLBA”) of 1999 imposes requirements on financial institutions with respect to consumer privacy and the disclosure of non-public personal information about individuals who apply for or obtain a financial product to be used for personal, family or household purposes. The GLBA generally prohibits disclosure of consumer information to most nonaffiliated third parties unless the consumer has been given the opportunity to object and has not objected to such disclosure. Financial institutions are further required to disclose their privacy policies to consumers and the conditions under which an institution may disclose non-public information about a consumer to a nonaffiliated third party. The GLBA also directs federal regulators, including the FDIC, to prescribe standards for the security of consumer information. We are subject to such standards, as well as standards for notifying consumers in the event of a security breach. We must disclose our privacy policy to consumers and permit consumers to "opt out" of having non-public customer information disclosed to third parties. We are required to have an information security program to safeguard the confidentiality and security of customer information and to ensure proper disposal of information that is no longer needed. We notify our customers when unauthorized disclosure involves sensitive customer information that may be misused. Effective January 2020, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) added required notice about personal information we collect, use, share, and disclose for business purposes. The CCPA provides California residents rights regarding their personal information specifically related to exercising access, data portability and deletion rights. There are also California breach notification and disclosure requirements.
In November 2021, the federal banking agencies issued a final rule requiring banking organizations that experience a computer-security incident to notify their primary Federal regulator of the occurrence of an event that rises to the level of a “notification incident.” Generally, a notification incident occurs when a banking organization has suffered a computer-security incident that has a reasonable likelihood of materially disrupting or degrading the banking organization or its operations. The rule requires an affected banking organization to notify its primary Federal regulator as soon as possible and no later than 36 hours after the banking organization has determined that a notification incident has occurred. The rule also requires bank service providers to notify each affected banking organization if that bank service provider experiences a computer-security incident that has caused, or is reasonably likely to cause, a material service disruption or degradation for four or more hours.
In July 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") adopted final rules that, among other things, require disclosures of material cybersecurity incidents, along with cybersecurity risk management, strategy and governance. The new rules require timely reporting of incidents determined to be material, and annual disclosure of the processes for assessing, identifying and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats including a description of board of directors' oversight and management's role in assessing and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats. The disclosures are required beginning with annual reports for fiscal years ending on or after December 15, 2023.
Consumer Protection Regulations
Our lending activities are subject to a variety of statutes and regulations designed to protect consumers, including the CRA, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Lending, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Flood Disaster Protection Act, eSign Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, Truth-in-Lending Act ("TILA"), the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act ("RESPA"), Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure, and the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act ("SAFE"). Our deposit operations are also subject to laws and regulations that protect consumer rights including Expedited Funds Availability, Truth in Savings Act ("TISA"), and Electronic Funds Transfers. Other regulatory requirements include the Unfair, Deceptive or Abusive Acts and Practices ("UDAAP"), Dodd-Frank Act, Right to Financial Privacy, Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Privacy
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of Consumer Financial Information. Additional rules govern check writing ability on certain interest earning accounts and prescribe procedures for complying with administrative subpoenas of financial records.
Restriction on Transactions between Bank's Affiliates
Transactions between Bancorp and the Bank are quantitatively and qualitatively restricted under Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and Federal Reserve Regulation W. Section 23A places restrictions on the Bank's “covered transactions” with Bancorp, including loans and other extensions of credit, investments in the securities of, and purchases of assets from Bancorp. Section 23B requires that certain transactions, including all covered transactions, be on market terms and conditions. Federal Reserve Regulation W combines statutory restrictions on transactions between the Bank and Bancorp with Federal Reserve interpretations in an effort to simplify compliance with Sections 23A and 23B.
Capital Requirements
The Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended (“FDIA”), requires federal banking agencies to take prompt corrective action (“PCA”) with respect to depository institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. The FDIA includes the following five capital tiers: “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized,” and “critically undercapitalized.” A depository institution’s capital tier will depend upon how its capital levels compare with various relevant capital measures and certain other factors, as established by regulation. Bancorp's ratios exceed the required minimum ratios for capital adequacy purposes and the Bank meets the definition for "well capitalized." Undercapitalized depository institutions may be subject to significant restrictions. Banks that are categorized as "critically undercapitalized" are subject to dividend and other restrictions.
Effective January 1, 2020, the federal banking agencies' jointly-issued final rule on the community bank leverage ratio ("CBLR") provides for an optional, simplified measure of capital adequacy for qualifying community banking organizations, consistent with Section 201 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (the "Economic Growth Act"). Qualifying community banking organizations are defined as having less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets that meet risk-based qualifying criteria, a CBLR of greater than 9 percent, off-balance sheet exposure of 25 percent or less of total consolidated assets, trading assets and liabilities of 5 percent or less of total consolidated assets, and cannot be an advanced approaches institution. Such a community banking organization would not be subject to other risk-based and leverage capital requirements (including the Basel III and Basel IV requirements) and would be considered to have met the "well capitalized" ratio requirements. Recently, federal bank regulators proposed lowering the CBLR to 8 percent with final action on such proposal expected in 2026. The CBLR is determined by dividing a financial institution’s tangible equity capital by its average total consolidated assets. The rule further describes what is included in tangible equity capital and average total consolidated assets. Qualifying banks may opt in and out of the CBLR framework at any time. While we are a qualifying community banking organization, we have not opted into the CBLR framework at this time. See below, for further discussion of the Economic Growth Act.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act
The Dodd-Frank Act, a landmark financial reform bill comprised of voluminous new rules and restrictions on bank operations, included provisions aimed at preventing a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis and a new process for winding down failing, systemically important institutions in a manner as close to a controlled bankruptcy as possible. Among other things, the Dodd-Frank Act established new government oversight responsibilities, enhanced capital adequacy requirements for certain institutions, established consumer protection laws and regulations, and placed limitations on certain banking activities.
In an attempt to reduce the regulatory burden on U.S. companies, including financial institutions, in May 2018, the Presidential Administration signed the Economic Growth Act, which repealed or modified certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act and eased regulations on all but the largest banks. The Economic Growth Act’s highlights included improving consumer access to mortgage credit, added certain protections for consumers, included veterans and active duty military personnel, expanded credit freezes and created an identity theft protection database.
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Notice and Approval Requirements Related to Control
Banking laws impose notice, approval and ongoing regulatory requirements on any shareholder or other party that seeks to acquire direct or indirect "control" of an FDIC-insured depository institution. These laws include the BHCA and the Change in Bank Control Act. Among other things, these laws require regulatory filings by a shareholder or other party that seeks to acquire direct or indirect "control" of an FDIC-insured depository institution or bank holding company. The determination whether an investor "controls" a depository institution is based on all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the investment. As a general matter, a party is deemed to control a depository institution or other company if the party owns or controls 25% or more of any class of voting stock. Subject to rebuttal, a party may be presumed to control a depository institution or other company if the investor owns or controls 10% or more of any class of voting stock. Ownership by family members, affiliated parties, or parties acting in concert, is typically aggregated for these purposes. If a party's ownership of the Company were to exceed certain thresholds, the investor could be deemed to "control" the Company for regulatory purposes. This could subject the investor to regulatory filings or other regulatory consequences.
In addition, except under limited circumstances, bank holding companies are prohibited from acquiring, without prior approval: 1) control of any other bank or bank holding company or all or substantially all the assets thereof; or 2) more than 5% of the voting shares of a bank or bank holding company that is not already a subsidiary.
Incentive Compensation
The Dodd-Frank Act required federal bank regulators and the SEC to establish joint regulations or guidelines prohibiting incentive-based payment arrangements that encourage inappropriate risks by providing an executive officer, employee, director or principal stockholder with excessive compensation, fees, or benefits or that could lead to material financial loss to the entity. These regulations apply to institutions having at least $1 billion in total assets. In addition, regulators must establish regulations or guidelines requiring enhanced disclosure to regulators of incentive-based compensation arrangements. The agencies have not finalized regulations proposed in April 2016. If adopted, the proposed regulations could place limits on the manner in which we structure our executive compensation.
The Federal Reserve reviews, as part of the regular, risk-focused examination process, the incentive compensation arrangements of banking organizations. The Federal Reserve tailors its reviews for each organization based on the scope and complexity of the organization’s activities and the prevalence of incentive compensation arrangements. The findings of the supervisory initiatives are included in reports of examination. Deficiencies, if any, are incorporated into the organization’s supervisory ratings, which can affect the organization’s ability to make acquisitions and take other actions. Enforcement actions may be taken against a banking organization if its incentive compensation arrangements, or related risk management control or governance processes, pose a risk to the organization’s safety and soundness and the organization is not taking prompt and effective measures to correct the deficiencies.
In October 2022, the SEC adopted a final rule directing national securities exchanges and associations, including the Nasdaq, to implement listing standards that require public companies to adopt policies mandating the recovery or “clawback” of excess incentive-based compensation earned by a current or former executive officer during the three fiscal years preceding the date the listed company is required to prepare an accounting restatement, including to correct an error that would result in a material misstatement if the error was either corrected or left uncorrected in the current period. The final rule required us to adopt a clawback policy within 60 days after such listing standard became effective and file the policy as an exhibit in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. Please see exhibit 97.1 for a copy of our policy.
Available Information
On our Internet website, www.bankofmarin.com, we post the following filings as soon as reasonably practical after they are filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission: Annual Report to Shareholders, Form 10-K, Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. All such materials on our website are available free of charge. This website
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address is for information only and is not intended to be an active link, or to incorporate any website information into this document. In addition, copies of our filings are available by requesting them in writing or by phone from:
Corporate Secretary
Bank of Marin Bancorp
504 Redwood Boulevard, Suite 100
Novato, CA 94947
415-763-4524
These materials are also available at the SEC’s internet website (https://www.sec.gov).