99.25

                             DEFERRED FEE AGREEMENT

         THIS  AGREEMENT  is made this 9th day of October, 1996,  by and between
SAN JOAQUIN BANK (the "Company"), and LOUIS J. BARBICH (the "Director").


                                  INTRODUCTION

         To encourage the Director to remain a member of the-Company's  Board of
Directors,  the  Company is willing  to provide to the  Director a deferred  fee
opportunity. The Company will pay the benefits from its general assets.


                                   AGREEMENT

         The Director and the Company agree as follows:


                                    ARTICLE 1
                                   DEFINITIONS

         1.1 DEFINITIONS.  Whenever used in this Agreement,  the following words
and phrases shall have the meanings specified:

             1.1.1  "CHANGE OF CONTROL" means the transfer of fifty-one (51%) or
more of the Company's  outstanding  voting common stock  followed  within twelve
(12) months of termination of the Director's status as a member of the Company's
Board of Directors.

             1.1.2  "CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended.
References  to a Code  section  shall be deemed to be to that  section as it now
exists and to any successor provision.

             1.1.3  "DISABILITY"  means  the  Director's  inability  to  perform
substantially  all normal  duties of a director,  as determined by the Company's
Board of Directors in its sole discretion.  As a condition to any benefits,  the
Company  may  require  the  Director  to  submit  to  such  physical  or  mental
evaluations and tests as the Board of Directors deems appropriate.

             1.1.4  "ELECTION FORM" means the Form attached as Exhibit "1."

             1.1.5  "FEES"  means  the  total  directors  fees  payable  to  the
Director.


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             1.1.6  "NORMAL TERMINATION  DATE" means the Director  attaining age
seventy (70) and completing ten (10) Years of Service.

             1.1.7  "TERMINATION OF SERVICE"  means the Director's ceasing to be
a member of the Company's Board of Directors for any reason whatsoever.

                                   ARTICLE 2
                               DEFERRAL ELECTION

         2.1 INITIAL  ELECTION.  The  Director  shall  make an initial  deferral
election under this Agreement by filing with the Company a signed  Election Form
within  thirty (30) days after the date of this  Agreement.  The  Election  Form
shall set forth the amount of Fees to be deferred.  The  Election  Form shall be
effective to defer only Fees earned after the date the Election Form is received
by the Company.

         2.2 ELECTION CHANGES.

             2.2.1  GENERALLY.  The Director may modify the amount of Fees to be
deferred by filing a  subsequent  signed  Election  Form with the  Company.  The
modified  deferral shall not be effective  until the calendar year following the
year in which the subsequent Election Form is received by the Company.

             2.2.2  HARDSHIP. If an unforeseeable  financial  emergency  arising
from the death of a family member,  divorce,  sickness,  injury,  catastrophe or
similar  event  outside the control of the Director  occurs,  the  Director,  by
written  instructions to the Company may reduce or cease future  deferrals under
this Agreement.

                                   ARTICLE 3
                                DEFERRAL ACCOUNT

         3.1 ESTABLISHING AND CREDITING.  The Company shall establish a Deferral
Account on its books for the Director,  and shall credit to the Deferral Account
the following amounts:

             3.1.1  DEFERRALS. The  Fees deferred by the Director as of the time
the Fees would have otherwise been paid to the Director.

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             3.1.2  INTEREST. On each  anniversary of the date of this Agreement
and  immediately  prior to the payment of any benefits,  interest on the account
balance  since the  preceding  credit  under this Section  3.1.2,  if any, at an
annual  rate,  compounded  annually,  equal  to the  rate  being  paid  on  such
anniversary  date by Company on ninety (90) day jumbo  certificates  of deposit,
such rate to be used for the following twelve (12) month period.

         3.2 STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS.  The Company  shall provide to the Director,
within one hundred twenty (120) days after each anniversary of this Agreement, a
statement setting forth the Deferral Account balance.

         3.3 ACCOUNTING DEVICE ONLY. The Deferral Account is solely a device for
measuring amounts to be paid under this Agreement. The Deferral Account is not a
trust fund of any kind.  The  Director  is a general  unsecured  creditor of the
Company for the payment of  benefits.  The benefits  represent  the mere Company
promise to pay such  benefits.  The  Director's  rights  are not  subject in any
manner  to  anticipation,   alienation,  sale,  transfer,   assignment,  pledge,
encumbrance, attachment, or garnishment by the Director's creditors.

                                   ARTICLE 4
                               LIFETIME BENEFITS

         4.1 NORMAL TERMINATION  BENEFIT.  Upon  the  Director's  Termination of
Service,  the Company  shall pay to the Director  the benefit  described in this
Section 4.1.

             4.1.1  AMOUNT OF BENEFIT. The benefit under this Section 4.1 is the
Deferral Account balance at the Director's Termination of service.

             4.1.2  PAYMENT OF BENEFIT. The Company shall pay the benefit to the
Director in one hundred  twenty (120)  monthly  installments  commencing  on the
first day of the month  following the  Director's  Termination  of Service.  The
Company shall continue to credit interest under Section 3.1.2 at the annual rate
determined  as provided  therein on the  remaining  account  balance  during any
applicable  installment  period.  Such  payments  shall be calculated to provide


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equal  monthly  payments  based on the interest  rate in effect when the initial
payment is made and readjusted annually to take into account any fluctuations in
the rate of interest as determined under Section 3.1.2.

         4.2 DISABILITY  BENEFIT.  If  the  Director  terminates  service  as  a
director for Disability  prior to the Normal  Termination Date the Company shall
pay to the Director the benefit described in this Section 4.2.

             4.2.1  AMOUNT OF BENEFIT. The benefit under this Section 4.2 is the
Deferral Account balance at the Director's Termination of Service.

             4.2.2  PAYMENT OF BENEFIT. The Company shall pay the benefit to the
Director in one hundred  twenty (120)  monthly  installments  commencing  on the
first day of the month  following the  Director's  Termination  of Service.  The
Company shall continue to credit interest under Section 3.1.2  determined in the
same manner as provided  therein on the  remaining  account  balance  during any
applicable  installment  period.  Such  payments  shall be calculated to provide
equal  monthly  payments  based on the interest  rate in effect when the initial
payment is made and readjusted annually to take into account any fluctuations in
the rate of interest as determined under Section 3.1.2.

         4.3 CHANGE OF CONTROL  BENEFIT.  Upon a Change of Control,  the Company
shall pay to the Director  the benefit  described in this Section 4.3 in lieu of
any further benefit under this Agreement.

             4.3.1  AMOUNT OF BENEFIT. The benefit under this Section 4.3 is the
Deferral Account balance at the date of the Change of Control (as reduced by any
distributions made prior to the change of control).

             4.3.2  PAYMENT OF BENEFIT. The Company shall pay the benefit to the
Director  in a lump sum within  thirty (30) days after the date of the Change of
Control.

         4.4 HARDSHIP DISTRIBUTION.  Upon the Company's determination (following
petition by the  Director)  that the  Director  has  suffered  an  unforeseeable
financial  emergency as described in Section 2.2.2, the Company shall distribute
to the Director all or a portion of the Deferral  Account  balance as determined
by the  Company,  but in no event  shall the  distribution  be  greater  than is

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necessary to relieve the financial hardship.

                                    ARTICLE 5
                                 DEATH BENEFITS

         5.1 DEATH  DURING ACTIVE  SERVICE.  If the  Director  dies while in the
active  service  of the  Company,  the  Company  shall  pay  to  the  Director's
beneficiary the benefit described in this Section 5.1.

             5.1.1  AMOUNT OF  BENEFIT.  The  benefit  under  Section 5.1 is the
Deferral Account balance at the date of the Director's death.

             5.1.2  PAYMENT OF BENEFIT. The Company shall pay the benefit to the
beneficiary within thirty (30) days following the Director's death.

         5.2 DEATH DURING BENEFIT  PERIOD.  If the Director  dies after  benefit
payments  have  commenced  under this  Agreement  but before  receiving all such
payments,  the  Company  shall  pay the  remaining  benefits  to the  Director's
beneficiary  at the same time and in the same  amounts they would have been paid
to the Director had the Director survived.

                                   ARTICLE 6
                                 BENEFICIARIES

         6.1 BENEFICIARY   DESIGNATIONS.   The   Director   shall   designate  a
beneficiary by filing a written  designation with the Company.  The Director may
revoke  or  modify  the  designation  at any time by  filing a new  designation.
However,  designations  will only be  effective  if signed by the  Director  and
accepted  by  the  Company  during  the  Director's  lifetime.   The  Director's
beneficiary designation shall be deemed automatically revoked if the beneficiary
predeceases  the Director,  or if the Director names a spouse as beneficiary and
the marriage is  subsequently  dissolved.  If the Director  dies without a valid
beneficiary designation,  all payments shall be made to the Director's surviving
spouse,  if any,  and if none,  to the  Director's  surviving  children  and the
descendants of any deceased child by right of representation, and if no children
or descendants survive, to the Director's estate.


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         6.2 FACILITY  OF  PAYMENT.  If  a benefit is  payable to a minor,  to a
person  declared  incompetent,   or  to  a  person  incapable  of  handling  the
disposition  of his or her  property,  the Company  may pay such  benefit to the
guardian,  legal  representative  or person  having  the care or custody of such
minor,  incompetent person or incapable person. The Company may require proof of
incompetency,  minority  or  guardianship  as it may deem  appropriate  prior to
distribution of the benefit.  Such distribution  shall completely  discharge the
Company from all liability with respect to such benefit.

                                   ARTICLE 7
                          CLAIMS AND REVIEW PROCEDURES

         7.1 CLAIMS  PROCEDURE.   The  Company   shall  notify   the  Director's
beneficiary  in  writing,  within  ninety  (90)  days  of  his  or  her  written
application  for  benefits,  of his or her  eligibility  or  noneligibility  for
benefits under the Agreement.  If the Company determines that the beneficiary is
not eligible for benefits or full  benefits,  the notice shall set forth (1) the
specific reason for such denial,  (2) a specific  reference to the provisions of
the Agreement on which the denial is based,  (3) a description of any additional
information or material  necessary for the claimant to perfect his or her claim,
and a description of why it is needed, and (4) an explanation of the Agreement's
claims review procedure and other appropriate  information as to the steps to be
taken if the  beneficiary  wishes to have the  claim  reviewed.  If the  Company
determines  that there are special  circumstances  requiring  additional time to
make a  decision,  the  Company  shall  notify the  beneficiary  of the  special
circumstances  and the date by which a decision is expected to be made,  and may
extend the time for up to an additional ninety-day period.

         7.2 REVIEW PROCEDURE.  If the  beneficiary is determined by the Company
not to be eligible for benefits,  or if the beneficiary  believes that he or she
is entitled to greater or different  benefits,  the  beneficiary  shall have the
opportunity  to have such claim reviewed by the Company by filing a petition for
review  with the  Company  within  sixty (60) days  after  receipt of the notice


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issued by the Company.  Said petition shall state the specific  reason which the
beneficiary  believes  entitle him or her to benefits or to greater or different
benefits.  Within sixty (60) days after  receipt by the Company of the petition,
the Company shall afford the beneficiary (and counsel, if any) an opportunity to
present  his or her  position  to the  Company  orally  or in  writing,  and the
beneficiary (or counsel) shall have the right to review the pertinent documents.
The Company shall notify the  beneficiary  of its decision in writing within the
sixty-day period,  stating specifically the basis of its decision,  written in a
manner  calculated  to  be  understood  by  the  beneficiary  and  the  specific
provisions of the Agreement on which the decision is based.  If,  because of the
need for a hearing, the sixty-day period is not sufficient,  the decision may be
deferred for up to another  sixty-day period at the election of the Company, but
notice of this deferral shall be given to the beneficiary.

                                   ARTICLE 8
                           AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION

         This Agreement may be amended or terminated only by a written agreement
signed by the Company and the Director.

         The Company may amend or terminate  this Agreement at any time prior to
the Director's  Termination of Service by written notice to the Director.  In no
event shall this Agreement be terminated  without payment to the Director of the
Deferral Account balance  attributable to the Director's  deferrals and interest
credited on such amounts.

                                   ARTICLE 9
                                 MISCELLANEOUS

         9.1 BINDING  EFFECT.  This  Agreement  shall bind the  Director and the
Company,  and their  beneficiaries,  survivors,  executors,  administrators  and
transferees.

         9.2 NO GUARANTY  OF  SERVICE.  This  Agreement  is not a  contract  for
services.  It does not give the  Director  the right to remain a director of the
Company,  nor does it  interfere  with the  shareholders'  rights to replace the
Director.  It also  does not  require  the  Director  to remain a  director  nor

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interfere with the Director's right to terminate services at any time.

         9.3 NON-TRANSFERABILITY.  Benefits under this Agreement cannot be sold,
transferred, assigned, pledged, attached or encumbered in any manner.

         9.4 TAX  WITHHOLDING.  The Company  shall  withhold  any taxes that are
required to be withheld from the benefits provided under this Agreement.

         9.5 APPLICABLE  LAW. This Agreement and all rights  hereunder  shall be
governed by the laws of California,  except to the extent  preempted by the laws
of the United States of America.

         9.6 UNFUNDED  ARRANGEMENT.  The Director  and  beneficiary  are general
unsecured  creditors  of the  Company  for the  payment of  benefits  under this
Agreement.  The benefits  represent  the mere promise by the Company to pay such
benefits.  The rights to benefits are not subject in any manner to anticipation,
alienation,  sale, transfer,  assignment,  pledge,  encumbrance,  attachment, or
garnishment  by  creditors.  Any insurance on the  Director's  life is a general
asset of the Company to which the Director and beneficiary  have no preferred or
secured claim.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the Director and a duly authorized Company officer
have signed this Agreement.

DIRECTOR:                                    COMPANY:

                                             SAN JOAQUIN BANK,
/s/ Louis J. Barbich
- ----------------------------                 By  /s/ Bruce Maclin
LOUIS J. BARBICH                               ----------------------------
                                                 BRUCE MACLIN
                                                 Chairman of the Board



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                                    EXHIBIT I
                                       TO
                         DEFERRED COMPENSATION AGREEMENT

                                DEFERRAL ELECTION


I elect to defer compensation under my Deferred Compensation  Agreement with the
Company, as follows:


================================================================================

     Amount of Deferral           Frequency of Deferral            Duration
================================================================================

[Initial and Complete One]     [Initial One]                 [Initial One]

 X I elect to defer 100% of    __ Beginning of Year          __ This Year Only
   my Salary                   X  Each pay period            __ For __ [insert
                               __ Monthly                       Number] Years
__ I elect to defer $__        __ Quarterly                  __ Until the Early
   of my Salary                __ Semi-Annually                 Retirement Date
                               __ End of Year                X  Until the Normal
__ I elect not to defer                                         Retirement Date

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Initial and Complete One]     [Initial One]                 [Initial One]

 X I elect to defer 100% of    __ First Bonus Payment        __ This Year Only
   my Bonus                                                  __ For __ [insert
                               X  Each Bonus Payment            Number] Years
__ I elect to defer $__                                      __ Until the Early
   of my Bonus                 __ Last Bonus Payment            Retirement Date
                                                             X  Until the Normal
__ I elect not to defer                                         Retirement Date

================================================================================

I  understand  that I may  change  the  amount,  frequency  and  duration  of my
deferrals by filing a new election  form with the  Company;  provided,  however,
that any  subsequent  election  will not be effective  until the  calendar  year
following the year in which the new election is received by the Company.




                                 FORM OF BENEFIT

 I elect to receive benefits under the Agreement in the following form:


[Initial One]

 X      Lump sum
- ---
___     Equal monthly installments for _ [insert Number of Months] months

I understand that I may not change the form of benefit elected, even if I later
change the amount of my deferrals under the Agreement.


                             BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION

I  designate  the  following  as  beneficiary  of  benefits  under the  Deferred
Compensation Agreement payable following my death:


Primary: /s/ Sheryl Barbich
         -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Contingent: Estate of Louis J. Barbich
           ---------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE: TO NAME A TRUST AS BENEFICIARY, PLEASE PROVIDE THE NAME OF THE TRUSTEE AND
      THE EXACT NAME AND DATE OF THE TRUST AGREEMENT.

I understand  that I may change these  beneficiary  designations by filing a new
written designation with the Company. I further understand that the designations
will be automatically  revoked  if the beneficiary  predeceases me, or if I have
named by spouse as beneficiary in the event of the dissolution of our marriage.

Signature    /s/ Louis J. Barbich
         -----------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------

Date     10/29/96
     ---------------------------------------

Accepted by the Company this 12 day of November, 1996.

By    /s/ Bruce Maclin
   ------------------------------------------
Title  Chairman
     ----------------------------------------