James Daley

Executive Vice President,

Manager of Treasury Services

City National Bank, Beverly Hills

Appointed June 2008

Age: 64

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Concordia College; J.D., McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific; Pacific School of Banking; University of Washington

Previous Position: Executive vice president, chief product officer, Mellon 1st Business Bank, 1 year

Current Duties: Overseeing treasury management, specialty deposits and correspondent banking

What’s Wrong With Banking Now: Interest rate movement brought about by economic uncertainty.

What’s Right: City National remains strong, in part due to its traditional and prudent lending standards. We don’t have any subprime loans or credit card or auto loans. We continue to lend to creditworthy borrowers.

I Decided to Be a Banker Because: After law school graduation and passing the bar exam there were things in banking that intrigued me more than the practice of law.

What Surprised Me About Banking:

I have never been bored.

Best Decision of My Career: Joining City National Bank. It’s a safe haven.

Worst Decision: Taking a job as chief executive, president and chairman of a small commercial banking company in the early ’90s the most difficult real restate recession in California in decades. I learned a lot, but it was difficult.

If I Were Not a Banker I Would: Practice law.

My Colleagues Don’t Know: I bought a home some years ago near Queenstown, New Zealand.

Best Advice: Be careful how you treat people on the way up the corporate ladder because you will meet those same people on the way down.

What I Do for Fun: Travel; golf.