Plumas Bank to open in Reno

Plumas Bancorp, a company headquartered at Quincy, Calif., said last week it wants to open a full-service commercial bank in Reno.

The company, parent of Plumas Bank, currently has a loan-production office in Reno, but that operation is limited to lending.

Plumas Bancorp said it will apply to state and federal regulatory authorities for permission to charter a commercial bank in Nevada.

If regulators give the OK, the bank could be open within 12 to 15 months, the company said.

Plumas Bancorp's existing 13 full-service locations are all in northern California.

Douglas Biddle, president and chief executive officer of Plumas Bank and Plumas Bancorp, said the company had been looking to widen its presence outside of northern California, and its experience with the loan production office convinced it to seek expansion in Reno.

He said the company believes northern Nevada provides "significant growth opportunities" for the publicly held bank holding company.

The bank opened its loan production office in Reno in October 2006. It has focused on commercial real estate lending.

The company didn't say whether it has a location in mind. The loan production office occupies a suite at 1895 Plumas St.

In regulatory filings, the company has said the lease on that space runs through October 2009.