SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
 
                  Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
            the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.    )
 
    Filed by the Registrant /X/
    Filed by a Party other than the Registrant / /
 
    Check the appropriate box:
    / /  Preliminary Proxy Statement
    / /  Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
         14a-6(e)(2))
    /X/  Definitive Proxy Statement
    / /  Definitive Additional Materials
    / /  Soliciting  Material  Pursuant  to  Section  240.14a-11(c)  or  Section
         240.14a-12

                            SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

                            SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
 
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    PROXY STATEMENT 1996
 
                                    [SJNB FINANCIAL CORP. LOGO]
 
                                         NOTICE OF
                               ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
 
                                -------------------------------
 
                                        MAY 22, 1996

                                  [SJNB LOGO]
 
                                                                  April 15, 1996
 
Dear Shareholder:
 
    You  are cordially invited to attend the 1996 Annual Meeting of Shareholders
of SJNB Financial Corp.  to be held on  May 22, 1996 at  10:00 a.m., at The  San
Jose Hilton, Santa Clara Room, 300 Almaden Boulevard, San Jose, California.
 
    IT  IS IMPORTANT THAT YOUR SHARES BE  REPRESENTED AT THE MEETING. WHETHER OR
NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND  THE MEETING, YOU ARE  REQUESTED TO COMPLETE, DATE,  SIGN
AND  RETURN THE  ENCLOSED PROXY  IN THE RETURN  ENVELOPE PROVIDED.  THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE "FOR" EACH OF THE PROPOSALS ON THE PROXY.
 
Sincerely yours,
 
/s/ Robert A. Archer
- -------------------------------------------
Robert A. Archer
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
 
/s/ James R. Kenny
- -------------------------------------------
James R. Kenny
 
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
 
                            One North Market Street
                           San Jose, California 95113
                             Phone: (408) 947-7562
                              Fax: (408) 947-0362

                              SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.
                            ONE NORTH MARKET STREET
                           SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95113
                                 (408) 947-7562
 
                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                           TO BE HELD ON MAY 22, 1996
 
To the Shareholders of SJNB Financial Corp.:
 
    NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the  Annual Meeting of the Shareholders of  SJNB
Financial  Corp. will  be held  at The  San Jose  Hilton, Santa  Clara Room, 300
Almaden Boulevard, San Jose, California on May  22, 1996 at 10:00 a.m., for  the
following purposes:
 
        1.   To  elect the  following thirteen  directors of  the Corporation to
    serve until  the  next  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  and  until  their
    respective successors shall be elected and qualified:
 
Ray Akamine
Robert A. Archer
Albert V. Bruno
Rod Diridon
Jack G. Fischer
F. Jack Gorry
James R. Kenny
Arthur K. Lund
Louis Oneal
Diane P. Rubino
Douglas L. Shen
Gary S. Vandeweghe
John W. Weinhardt
 
        2.    To approve  the adoption  of the  1996 Stock  Option Plan  of SJNB
    Financial Corp.
 
        3.  To ratify the appointment of KPMG Peat Marwick as the  Corporation's
    independent public accountants for the year ending December 31, 1996.
 
        4.   To consider and  transact such other business  as may properly come
    before the Annual Meeting.
 
    The close  of  business  on  April  5, 1996  is  the  record  date  for  the
determination  of shareholders entitled to  notice of and to  vote at the Annual
Meeting or any adjournments thereof.
 
    Whether or  not you  plan to  attend the  Annual Meeting,  YOU MAY  VOTE  BY
COMPLETING,  SIGNING AND RETURNING THE  ENCLOSED PROXY PROMPTLY. Any shareholder
present at the Annual Meeting may vote personally on all matters brought  before
the Annual Meeting, in which event your proxy will not be used.
 
By Order of the Board of Directors,
 
/s/ Robert A. Archer
- -------------------------------------------
Robert A. Archer
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
 
/s/ James R. Kenny
- -------------------------------------------
James R. Kenny
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
 
April 15, 1996
(Approximate mailing date of proxy materials)

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 


                                                                           PAGE
                                                                           ----
                                                                        
INTRODUCTION..........................................................       1
GENERAL INFORMATION...................................................       1
  Revocability of Proxies.............................................       1
  Solicitation of Proxies.............................................       1
  Outstanding Securities and Voting Rights............................       1
  Proposals of Shareholders...........................................       2
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS.................................................       3
  Nominees to the Board of Directors..................................       3
  Nominations for Directors...........................................       4
  Certain Committees of the Board of Directors........................       5
  Meetings of the Board of Directors..................................       6
  Executive Officers..................................................       6
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT........       7
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND TRANSACTIONS WITH DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS...       9
  Summary Compensation Table..........................................       9
  Stock Option Plans..................................................      10
  Employment Agreements...............................................      10
  Compensation of Directors...........................................      11
  Transactions with Directors and Officers............................      11
  Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
   1934...............................................................      11
APPROVAL OF THE ADOPTION OF THE 1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN................      12
INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS........................................      14
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-KSB..........................................      14
APPENDIX A-1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN OF SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.


                                PROXY STATEMENT
                                       OF
                              SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.
                            ONE NORTH MARKET STREET
                           SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95113
                                 (408) 947-7562
 
                         ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                                  MAY 22, 1996
 
                                  INTRODUCTION
 
    These  proxy materials are furnished in  connection with the solicitation of
proxies by the Board of Directors of SJNB Financial Corp. (the "Corporation"), a
California corporation, for use at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held
on May 22,  1996 at 10:00  a.m. at The  San Jose Hilton,  Santa Clara Room,  300
Almaden  Boulevard, San Jose, California,  and any postponements or adjournments
thereof (the "Meeting"). These proxy materials were mailed to shareholders on or
about April 15, 1996.
 
                              GENERAL INFORMATION
 
REVOCABILITY OF PROXIES
 
    A proxy for voting your shares  at the Meeting is enclosed. Any  shareholder
giving  the enclosed proxy has the  right to revoke it at  any time before it is
exercised by filing with the Corporation's Secretary, James R. Kenny, a  written
notice  of  revocation  or  a  duly  executed  proxy  bearing  a  later  date. A
shareholder may also revoke  a proxy by attending  the Meeting and advising  the
Chairman of his or her election to vote in person.
 
SOLICITATION OF PROXIES
 
    This proxy solicitation is made by the Board of Directors of the Corporation
and the cost of the solicitation is being borne by the Corporation. Solicitation
is  being made by this Proxy Statement and  may also be made by employees of the
Corporation who may  communicate with shareholders  or their representatives  in
person, by telephone or by additional mailings. The Corporation has retained the
services of Skinner & Company to assist in the solicitation of proxies at a cost
not to exceed $3,500 plus reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
 
OUTSTANDING SECURITIES AND VOTING RIGHTS
 
    The  Corporation  has  one  class  of  securities  issued  and  outstanding,
consisting of shares  of common stock,  no par  value. Such shares  are held  by
approximately 1,600 shareholders.
 
    Only  those shareholders of  record of the Corporation's  common stock as of
the record date, April  5, 1996, will be  entitled to notice of  and to vote  in
person  or by  proxy at  the Meeting  or any  adjournment thereof,  unless a new
record date is set for  an adjourned meeting. As  of the record date,  2,428,857
shares of the Corporation's common stock were outstanding.
 
    Each  share of common stock  is entitled to one  vote at the Meeting, except
that shareholders may have cumulative voting rights with respect to the election
of directors.  In  elections  for  directors, California  law  provides  that  a
shareholder,  or  his  or  her  proxy, may  cumulate  his  or  her  votes. Under
cumulative voting rules, each shareholder is entitled to a number of votes equal
to the  number of  shares owned  by  him or  her, multiplied  by the  number  of
directors  to  be  elected. A  shareholder  may  cast such  votes  for  a single
candidate, or distribute such votes among as many candidates as he or she  deems
appropriate.  However, a shareholder may cumulate  votes only for a candidate or
candidates whose names  have been  properly placed  in nomination  prior to  the
voting.  See "Nominations for  Directors" herein. Cumulative  voting may be used
only if a shareholder has given notice  at the Meeting, prior to the voting,  of
his  or her intention to  cumulate his or her votes.  If any one shareholder has
given such notice, all shareholders may cumulate their votes for the  candidates
in  nomination. The Board  of Directors does  not, at this  time, intend to give
such notice  or to  cumulate  the votes  it may  hold  pursuant to  the  proxies
solicited  herein unless the required notice by a shareholder is given, in which
event votes represented by proxies

delivered pursuant to this Proxy Statement may be cumulated in the discretion of
the proxy  holders, in  accordance  with the  recommendations  of the  Board  of
Directors. Therefore, discretionary authority to cumulate votes in such event is
solicited in this Proxy Statement.
 
    In  the election  of directors, the  thirteen (13)  candidates receiving the
highest number of votes will be elected whether or not votes are cumulated.
 
    If a shareholder withholds authority to  vote for directors on the  enclosed
proxy,  or attends  the Meeting,  elects to  vote in  person, but  abstains from
voting in  the election  of directors,  that shareholder's  shares will  not  be
counted in determining the candidates receiving the highest number of votes. For
shares  present at the Meeting in person or by proxy, an abstention with respect
to the approval of the Corporation's 1996 Stock Option Plan and the ratification
of the independent  public accountants  is treated the  same as  a vote  against
those  matters. Broker  non-votes (shares as  to which brokerage  firms have not
received voting instructions from  their clients and therefore  do not have  the
authority  to  vote  the  shares  at the  Meeting)  will  not  be  considered in
determining if a quorum is present at the  Meeting and will not be voted at  the
Meeting.
 
    If  the enclosed proxy is completed in the appropriate spaces, signed, dated
and returned,  the  proxy  will be  voted  as  specified in  the  proxy.  If  no
specification is made on an executed proxy, it will be voted FOR the election of
directors  nominated by the Board and FOR the approval of the Corporation's 1996
Stock Option  Plan  and  FOR  the  ratification of  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  as  the
Corporation's independent public accountants.
 
    The   proxy  also  confers  discretionary   authority  to  vote  the  shares
represented thereby on  any matter that  was not  known at the  time this  Proxy
Statement  was mailed which may properly be  presented for action at the Meeting
and may include: approval of minutes of the prior annual meeting which will  not
constitute  ratification  of  the actions  taken  at such  meeting;  action with
respect to procedural  matters pertaining  to the  conduct of  the Meeting;  and
election  of any  person to any  office for which  a bona fide  nominee is named
herein if such  nominee is unable  to serve or  for good cause  will not  serve.
Management  of the Corporation is not aware  of any other matters to come before
the Meeting. If, however, any other matters of which the Board is not now  aware
are  properly presented  for action,  it is the  intention of  the proxy holders
named in the enclosed  proxy to vote  such proxy on  such matters in  accordance
with their best business judgment.
 
    The  Board  of  Directors  recommends that  the  shareholders  vote  FOR the
election of the directors  nominated by the  Board and FOR  the approval of  the
Corporation's  1996 Stock Option Plan and  FOR the ratification of the selection
of KPMG Peat Marwick as the Corporation's independent public accountants.
 
PROPOSALS OF SHAREHOLDERS
 
    Under certain circumstances, shareholders are entitled to present  proposals
at shareholder meetings. For any such proposal to be considered for inclusion in
the  proxy statement prepared for next  year's Annual Meeting, the proposal must
be received at the Corporation's executive  offices at One North Market  Street,
San Jose, California, 95113 prior to December 10, 1996.
 
                                       2

                             ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
 
NOMINEES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
    The  Bylaws of the Corporation  provide that the number  of directors of the
Corporation shall be  no less than  nine and  no more than  seventeen, with  the
exact number within such range to be fixed by amendment of the Bylaws adopted by
the  shareholders  or by  the Board  of  Directors. The  number of  directors is
presently fixed at thirteen.
 
    The  persons  names  below,  all  of  whom  are  currently  members  of  the
Corporation's  Board of Directors, have been nominated for election as directors
to serve  until the  next Annual  Meeting and  until their  successors are  duly
elected  and  qualified. Votes  will be  cast in  such  a way  as to  effect the
election of  all nominees  or  as many  nominees as  possible  in the  event  of
cumulative  voting. If any nominee should become unable or unwilling to serve as
a director, the proxies will  be voted for such  substitute nominee as shall  be
designated  by the Board of  Directors. The Board of  Directors presently has no
knowledge that any of  the nominees will  be unable or  unwilling to serve.  The
thirteen  nominees receiving the highest number of votes at the Meeting shall be
elected.
 
    The following table  sets forth  certain information with  respect to  those
persons  nominated by  the Board of  Directors for election  as directors, which
information is based on data furnished by each such nominee. Each member of  the
Corporation's  Board of Directors also serves as a director of San Jose National
Bank ("SJNB").
 


                              FIRST
                            ELECTED A                          PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
          NAME             DIRECTOR (1)   AGE               DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS
- -------------------------  ------------   ---   --------------------------------------------------
                                       
Ray Akamine                    1994       50    Chief Financial Officer of Consolidated Factors in
                                                 Monterey, California, since November 1995.  Prior
                                                 to  that, he served as  Vice President of Finance
                                                 for Mariani  Packing Company,  a food  processing
                                                 company  located  in San  Jose,  California, from
                                                 June 1984 to November 1994.
Robert A. Archer               1982       62    Chairman  of  the  Board   of  Directors  of   the
                                                 Corporation  and SJNB since 1993. President and a
                                                 principal stockholder of Coast Counties Truck and
                                                 Equipment Company, a heavy duty truck  dealership
                                                 and  service facility  in San Jose,  which he has
                                                 owned and operated for more than 30 years.
Albert V. Bruno                1994       51    Professor of Marketing at Santa Clara  University,
                                                 where  he is  also Associate  Dean of  the Leavey
                                                 School of Business.  He has been  at Santa  Clara
                                                 University  since 1971 and has served as chairman
                                                 of the Marketing Department and Acting Dean.
Rod Diridon                    1994       55    Executive Director of the International  Institute
                                                 for  Surface Transportation Policy Studies at the
                                                 College of Business at San Jose State  University
                                                 since  1995.  Prior  to that,  he  served  as the
                                                 Supervisor of the 4th  District of the County  of
                                                 Santa Clara, to which he was elected in 1974.
Jack G. Fischer                1982       68    President   of  Darling  &   Fischer,  Inc.,  with
                                                 mortuaries in San Jose,  Campbell and Los  Gatos,
                                                 which  he  has  owned  and  operated  since 1955;
                                                 President of Los Gatos Memorial Park.

 
                                       3



                              FIRST
                            ELECTED A                          PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
          NAME             DIRECTOR (1)   AGE               DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS
- -------------------------  ------------   ---   --------------------------------------------------
                                       
F. Jack Gorry                  1988       62    Private   consultant    since   September    1992.
                                                 Previously  he  was  President,  Chief  Executive
                                                 Officer, director  and founder  of CXR  Corp.,  a
                                                 telecommunications company.
James R. Kenny                 1991       51    President,  Chief Executive  Officer and Secretary
                                                 of the Corporation and SJNB since September 1991;
                                                 previously he was a director, President and Chief
                                                 Operating Officer of  Pacific Western  Bancshares
                                                 and its subsidiary, Pacific Western Bank.
Arthur K. Lund                 1982       62    A  practicing  attorney  at law  and  a  member of
                                                 Rosenblum, Parish & Isaacs in San Jose. Mr.  Lund
                                                 was  previously the Chairman of  the Board of the
                                                 Corporation from 1983 through 1992.
Louis Oneal                    1982       63    A practicing attorney at law and a member of Oneal
                                                 and Oneal in San Jose.
Diane P. Rubino                1987       47    President of Hill View Packing Company since 1993.
                                                 Previous she was a partner of Valley View Packing
                                                 since 1977.
Douglas L. Shen                1994       57    A self employed dentist since 1966. His office  is
                                                 located in San Jose, California.
Gary S. Vandeweghe             1982       57    A  practicing attorney at law, specializing in tax
                                                 law; a  member  of the  Law  Offices of  Gary  S.
                                                 Vandeweghe since December 1995. Prior to that, he
                                                 was  a member  of Rankin,  Luckhardt, Vandeweghe,
                                                 Landess &  Lahde  in  San Jose  for  over  twelve
                                                 years.
John W. Weinhardt              1986       64    President  of San  Jose Water Company  for over 17
                                                 years.

 
- ------------------------
(1) Includes service as  a director of  SJNB prior to  the organization of  SJNB
    Financial Corp. Directors Akamine, Bruno, Diridon and Shen were directors of
    Business Bancorp and California Business Bank prior to the merger.
 
    There  is no  family relationship among  any of  the Corporation's executive
officers, directors or nominees for director.
 
NOMINATIONS FOR DIRECTORS
 
    The Corporation's Bylaws provide that nominations for a director may be made
by shareholders, provided that certain informational requirements concerning the
identities of the nominating  shareholder and the nominee  are complied with  in
advance  of the meeting. This provision is intended to provide advance notice to
management of any attempt to effect an  election contest or a change in  control
of  the Board of  Directors, and may  have the effect  of precluding third-party
nominations if not followed. Specifically,  the Bylaws provide that  nominations
for  directors, other than  those made by  or on behalf  of existing management,
must be  made  in writing  and  mailed or  delivered  to the  President  of  the
Corporation,  no less  than 14  nor more than  50 days  prior to  any meeting of
shareholders called for the election of  directors, except that if less than  21
days notice of the meeting is given, such nomination must be mailed or delivered
to  the President by the close of business on the seventh day following the date
on which  the  notice  was  mailed. The  written  nomination  must  include  the
following  information, to the  extent known by  the nominating shareholder: (a)
the  name   and  address   of   each  proposed   nominee;  (b)   the   principal
 
                                       4

occupation  of each proposed nominee;  (c) the total number  of shares of common
stock of the Corporation that will be  voted for each proposed nominee; (d)  the
name  and residence address of the nominating shareholder; and (e) the number of
shares of common stock of the Corporation owned by the nominating shareholder.
 
    The Bylaws provide that  nominations not made in  accordance with the  above
procedure  may, in his discretion, be disregarded by the Chairman of the Meeting
and, upon his instructions, the inspectors of election shall disregard all votes
cast for each such nominee.
 
CERTAIN COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
    The Board of  Directors of the  Corporation and its  subsidiary, SJNB,  each
have  standing Audit, Compensation and Loan and Investment Committees. The Audit
Committee of the Corporation and the Bank is chaired by Diane P. Rubino and  the
members  are Ray Akamine, Rod Diridon, F. Jack Gorry, and John W. Weinhardt. The
Audit Committee met four times in 1995 for the purpose of reviewing the scope of
and planning  for  the annual  audit,  and  reviewing the  results  of  internal
operations  audits of  the Bank  and the  Bank's compliance  with consumer laws,
regulatory agency reports and securities reports.
 
    The Compensation Committee is chaired by  John W. Weinhardt and the  members
are  Robert A. Archer, Jack G. Fischer, F. Jack Gorry, Douglas L. Shen, and Gary
S. Vandeweghe.  The Compensation  Committee  met three  times  in 1995  for  the
purpose  of setting compensation levels of senior officers and directors, review
and approval of bonus  plans and payments, and  review and approval of  employee
benefit  plans,  including  stock  option, insurance  and  retirement  plans. In
addition, the  Committee reviews  and  approves the  Corporation's  Compensation
Policy.
 
    The  Loan and  Investment Committee  is chaired by  Ray S.  Akamine, and the
members are Robert A. Archer,  James R. Kenny, Arthur  K. Lund, Louis Oneal  and
Gary  S. Vandeweghe. The Loan and Investment Committee met twelve times in 1995.
It is  responsible for  reviewing  the Corporation's  and  the Bank's  loan  and
investment policy, approval of loans which are greater than $1.5 million, review
of the allowance for loan losses, and the review of criticized and nonperforming
loans.
 
    The  Corporation does not have a standing nominating committee. The Board of
Directors  of  the  Corporation  performs  the  functions  of  such   committee.
Nominations by shareholders can be made only by complying with the Corporation's
Bylaws  and  the  notice provisions  discussed  above. This  Bylaw  provision is
designed to give the Board of Directors advance notice of competing nominations,
if any,  and  the  qualifications  of  nominees, and  may  have  the  effect  of
precluding third-party nominations if not followed.
 
                                       5

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
    The  Corporation's Board of Directors  held a total of  11 meetings in 1995,
including regular and special meetings. The Board of Directors of the Bank  held
a  total of  11 meetings  in 1995,  including regular  and special  meetings. No
nominee for director of the Corporation,  while serving as a director,  attended
fewer  than 75% of the total number of meetings of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation and of  the committees  thereof of  which he  or she  was a  member,
except Mr. Vandeweghe.
 
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
    The  executive officers of the Corporation  and SJNB include James R. Kenny,
President and Chief Executive Officer, about whom information is provided above,
and the following persons:
 


                                                                 PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
           NAME AND POSITION(S)             AGE               DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS
- ------------------------------------------  ---   --------------------------------------------------
                                            
Eugene E. Blakeslee                         50    Executive  Vice  President  and  Chief   Financial
 Executive Vice President and Chief                Officer   of  the  Corporation   and  SJNB  since
 Financial Officer of the Corporation and          September 1991; prior thereto, was Executive Vice
 SJNB.                                             President and Chief Financial Officer of  Pacific
                                                   Western  Bancshares  and its  subsidiary, Pacific
                                                   Western Bank.
Frederic H. Charpiot                        48    Senior Vice President of SJNB since October  1991;
 Senior Vice President and Chief Credit            prior thereto, was Vice President of SJNB.
 Officer of SJNB
Judith Doering-Nielsen                      50    Senior  Vice President and  Senior Lending Officer
 Senior Vice President and Senior Lending          of SJNB since  October 1991;  prior thereto,  was
 Officer of SJNB                                   Senior  Vice President  and Manager  of Corporate
                                                   Funding Group of Pacific Western Bank from August
                                                   1989 to October 1991.
Robert T. Remedios                          56    Senior Vice President  and Cashier  of SJNB  since
 Senior Vice President and Cashier of SJNB         October  1991;  prior  thereto,  was  Senior Vice
                                                   President/Operations of Pacific Western Bank.
Margo A. Culcasi                            48    Senior Vice President of SJNB since February 1992;
 Senior Vice President/Liability                   prior  thereto,  was  Senior  Vice  President  of
 Management of SJNB                                Cupertino National Bank since 1990.

 
                                       6

         SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
 
    The  following  table  sets  forth  information  as  of  February  29,  1996
pertaining to beneficial  ownership of  the Corporation's common  stock by  each
current  director of the Corporation, each nominee to be elected to the Board of
Directors, the Chief Executive Officer,  the four other most highly  compensated
executive officers and all directors and officers(1) of the Corporation and SJNB
as  a group. To the best  knowledge of the Corporation, as  of April 5, 1996, no
person or entity was the beneficial owner  of more than 5% of the  Corporation's
outstanding  common stock.  The information  contained herein  has been obtained
from the  Corporation's  records, from  information  furnished directly  by  the
individual  or entity to  the Corporation, or  from various filings  made by the
named individuals with the Securities and Exchange Committee (the "SEC").
 
    The table should be  read with the understanding  that more than one  person
may  be  the  beneficial  owner  or  possess  certain  attributes  of beneficial
ownership with  respect to  the same  securities. Therefore,  careful  attention
should  be given to the footnote references  set forth in the column "Amount and
Nature of Beneficial Ownership." In addition, shares usable pursuant to  options
which  may be exercised within 60 days of  April 5, 1996 are deemed to be issued
and outstanding  and  have  been  treated  as  outstanding  in  calculating  the
percentage  ownership of those individuals possessing such interest, but not for
any other  individuals.  Thus, the  total  number  of shares  considered  to  be
outstanding  for  the  purposes  of  this  table  may  vary  depending  upon the
individual's particular circumstance.
 


                                                  AMOUNT AND         PERCENT OF
                                                  NATURE OF          OUTSTANDING
          NAME AND ADDRESS OF                     BENEFICIAL           COMMON
          BENEFICIAL OWNER (2)                  OWNERSHIP (3)           STOCK
          --------------------------------     ----------------      -----------
                                                               
          Ray S. Akamine                         9,477                  *
          Robert A. Archer                      50,031(4)               2.05%
          Albert V. Bruno                       15,165                  *
          Rod Diridon                              699                  *
          Jack G. Fischer                       19,472                  *
          F. Jack Gorry                          9,248                  *
          James R. Kenny                       102,221(5)               4.10%
          Arthur K. Lund                        78,422(6)(7)(8)         3.22%
          Louis Oneal                           78,843(6)(9)            3.23%
          Diane P. Rubino                       12,137                  *
          Douglas L. Shen                       63,860(10)              2.62%
          Gary S. Vandeweghe                    33,503(9)               1.37%
          John W. Weinhardt                      5,420                  *
          Eugene E. Blakeslee                   49,866(11)              2.00%
          Frederic H. Charpiot                  11,547(12)              *
          Margo A. Culcasi                       5,468(13)              *
          Judith Doering-Nielsen                20,611(14)              *
          Directors and Executive Officers     527,675(15)             21.63%
           as a group (18 persons)

 
- ------------------------
 * Less than 1% of the outstanding common stock.
 
(1) As used throughout this Proxy Statement, the terms "officer" and  "executive
    officer"  refer to the Corporation and  SJNB's President and Chief Executive
    Officer and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and SJNB's
    Chief Credit  Officer,  Senior  Lending Officer,  Cashier  and  Senior  Vice
    President/Liability Management.
 
(2) The address for all persons is c/o the Corporation, One North Market Street,
    San Jose, California 95113.
 
                                       7

(3)  Includes shares beneficially owned,  directly and indirectly, together with
    associates. Subject to applicable community property laws and shared  voting
    or  investment power with a spouse, the  persons listed have sole voting and
    investment power with respect to such shares unless otherwise noted.
 
(4) Including 4,167 shares owned of record by  a trust of which Mr. Archer is  a
    trustee and beneficiary.
 
(5) Including 50,000 shares underlying stock options.
 
(6) Including 51,884 shares owned of record by a trust of which Mr. Lund and Mr.
    Oneal are trustees.
 
(7)  Including 3,782 shares owned of record by  a trust of which Mr. Lund is the
    trustee and beneficiary.
 
(8) Including 7,615 shares underlying stock options.
 
(9) Including 4,400 shares underlying stock options.
 
(10) Including 30,816 shares owned of record by  a trust of which Dr. Shen is  a
    trustee and beneficiary.
 
(11) Including 25,000 shares underlying stock options.
 
(12) Including 9,088 shares underlying stock options.
 
(13) Including 4,000 shares underlying stock options.
 
(14) Including 10,000 shares underlying stock options.
 
(15) Including 124,503 shares underlying stock options.
 
                                       8

      EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND TRANSACTIONS WITH DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
    SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
 
    The  following table sets  forth the cash compensation  paid to or allocated
for the Chief  Executive Officer of  the Corporation and  those other  executive
officers  whose cash compensation exceeded $100,000 for services rendered in all
capacities to the Corporation and SJNB in 1995.
 
                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
 


                                                             ANNUAL COMPENSATION    SECURITIES
                                                            ---------------------   UNDERLYING       ALL OTHER
                PRINCIPAL POSITION                   YEAR   SALARY (1)     BONUS     OPTIONS      COMPENSATION (2)
- --------------------------------------------------   ----   ----------    -------   ----------    ----------------
                                                                                   
James R. Kenny                                       1995    $ 160,000    $90,000     25,000           $6,046
  President, Chief Executive Officer                 1994    $ 150,000    $53,350      0               $6,046
  and Secretary of the Corporation                   1993    $ 150,000    $33,000      0               $5,923
  and SJNB
Eugene E. Blakeslee                                  1995    $ 107,000    $70,000     20,000           $4,620
  Executive Vice President and                       1994    $ 100,000    $38,000      0               $4,620
  Chief Financial Officer of the                     1993    $ 100,000    $25,000      0               $4,497
  Corporation and SJNB
Frederic H. Charpiot                                 1995    $  80,000    $50,000     10,000           $4,166
  Senior Vice President and Chief                    1994    $  72,000    $28,000      0               $3,670
  Credit Officer of SJNB                             1993    $  72,000    $18,000      0               $2,845
Judith Doering-Nielsen                               1995    $  85,000    $40,000     10,000           $4,197
  Senior Vice President and Senior                   1994    $  80,000    $28,000      0               $4,620
  Lending Officer of SJNB                            1993    $  82,000    $20,000      0               $3,894
Margo A. Culcasi                                     1995    $  75,000    $27,710     15,000           $4,365
  Senior Vice President/                             1994    $  75,000    $34,224      0               $2,106
   Liability Management of SJNB

 
- ------------------------
(1) The executive officers received perquisites  in addition to their  salaries.
    The  value of such perquisites did not  exceed 10% of their salaries. Salary
    amounts include compensation deferred  at the election  of the executive  in
    the year earned.
 
(2) Consists of SJNB's contributions to vested and unvested defined contribution
    plans.  Mr. Kenny's total  also includes a life  insurance premium of $1,426
    paid by SJNB each year.
 
                                       9

    STOCK OPTION PLANS
 
    The following table provides certain information concerning the options held
by the executive officers  named in the Summary  Compensation Table at  December
31,  1995 pursuant to the SJNB Financial  Corp. Plan (which expired in 1992) and
the 1992 Employee Stock Option Plan:
 
                         FISCAL YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
 


                                             NUMBER OF SECURITIES
                                                  UNDERLYING               VALUE OF IN-THE-MONEY
                                              UNEXERCISED OPTIONS         UNEXERCISED OPTIONS (1)
                                          ---------------------------   ---------------------------
                       NAME               EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE   EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE
          ------------------------------  -----------   -------------   -----------   -------------
                                                                          
          James R. Kenny                    50,000         25,000        $418,750       $101,550
          Eugene E. Blakeslee               25,000         20,000        $206,250       $ 81,250
          Frederic H. Charpiot               8,088         10,000        $ 78,004       $ 47,916
          Margo A. Culcasi                   4,000         16,000        $ 30,500       $ 58,555
          Judith Doering-Nielsen            10,000         10,000        $ 82,450       $ 40,620

 
- ------------------------
(1) Fair market value of the Corporation's common stock on December 31, 1995 was
    $13.375.
 
    The following table provides certain information concerning options  granted
to the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table:
 
                       OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
 


                                                       PERCENT OF TOTAL
                                      NUMBER OF         OPTIONS GRANTED
                                      SECURITIES              TO                            EXPIRATION
                   NAME           UNDERLYING OPTIONS   EMPLOYEES IN 1995   EXERCISE PRICE      DATE
          ----------------------  ------------------   -----------------   --------------   ----------
                                                                                
          James R. Kenny                25,000                18%             $9.3125        7/25/05
          Eugene E. Blakeslee           20,000                14%             $9.3125        7/25/05
          Frederic H. Charpiot          10,000                 7%             $9.3125        7/25/05
          Margo A. Culcasi              10,000                 7%             $9.3125        7/25/05
          Judith Doering-Nielsen        10,000                 7%             $9.3125        7/25/05

 
    There were no options exercised by the above executive officers during 1995.
 
    EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS
 
    Mr.  Kenny is employed by the Corporation and SJNB pursuant to an employment
agreement dated March 27, 1996 which provides an annual salary of $160,000.  The
term  of the agreement is three years, with annual one year extensions each year
thereafter. In addition, Mr. Kenny is to  receive an incentive bonus of 1.5%  of
the  Corporation's pre-tax,  pre-bonus net earnings  before extraordinary items,
provided that SJNB's net earnings before extraordinary items in any year  during
the term of the Agreement is equal to or exceeds 1% of average assets. Mr. Kenny
may  also  receive stock  options. Pursuant  to  the Agreement,  the Corporation
provides an automobile for Mr. Kenny,  as well as public liability and  property
damage  insurance.  Mr.  Kenny also  receives  $250,000 in  term  life insurance
coverage. In the event  that Mr. Kenny is  involuntarily terminated for  reasons
other  than dishonesty  or malfeasance,  he is  entitled to  receive a  lump sum
payment equal to twenty-four  months' salary (plus  incentive or bonus  payments
accrued,  if any). In the event of a "change in control", Mr. Kenny will receive
a lump  sum  payment  in  an  amount equal  to  two  times  his  average  annual
compensation  for the  five years  immediately preceding  the change  in control
(plus incentive or bonus payments accrued, if any).
 
    Mr. Kenny's previous employment agreement provided that he receive an annual
salary of $150,000 and  15% of an  officer bonus pool,  equaling 10% of  pre-tax
earnings   to  be   established  if   the  Corporation's   net  earnings  before
extraordinary items equaled  or exceeded  1% of average  assets. That  agreement
also  provided a $250,000 term life insurance  policy and severance pay equal to
$75,000 in the event of involuntary termination.
 
                                       10

    Mr. Blakeslee  is  employed by  the  Corporation  and SJNB  pursuant  to  an
employment  agreement dated  March 27, 1996  which provides an  annual salary of
$107,000. The term of the agreement is one year, with automatic extensions  each
year  thereafter. In addition,  Mr. Blakeslee is entitled  to participate in the
Corporation's  bonus  plan,  pool,  stock  option  plan  or  other  arrangements
authorized  and approved  by the Board  of Directors.  Mr. Blakeslee's agreement
also states that the  Corporation provides an automobile  for Mr. Blakeslee,  as
well  as public liability and  property damage insurance. In  the event that Mr.
Blakeslee is  involuntarily  terminated for  reasons  other than  dishonesty  or
malfeasance,  he  is entitled  to receive  a  lump sum  payment equal  to twelve
months' salary (plus incentive or bonus payments accrued, if any). In the  event
of  a "change in control", Mr. Blakeslee will receive severance pay in an amount
equal  to  one  times  his  average  annual  compensation  for  the  five  years
immediately  preceding the change  in control (plus  incentive or bonus payments
accrued, if any).
 
    COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS
 
    In 1995, the outside directors of SJNB, except Chairman Archer, were paid an
annual retainer of $12,000. Mr. Archer  was paid an annual retainer of  $15,000.
In addition, directors were paid $250 for attendance at each meeting of standing
committees  of SJNB of which they are  a member. Directors of the Corporation do
not now  receive  additional fees  for  attendance at  the  Corporation's  Board
meetings.
 
    The  Corporation  has  adopted  the 1992  Director  Stock  Option  Plan (the
"Director Plan"), which  provides for  the grant of  options for  up to  255,000
shares of stock to directors of the Corporation. No options have been granted to
date under the Director Plan.
 
    The  new 1996 Stock Option Plan  provides for automatic annual option grants
of 5,000  options on  June 1,  1996 and  March 1  each year  thereafter to  each
non-employee  director, compared  to 2,000  options annually  under the Director
Plan. Assuming the 1996 Stock Option Plan is approved by the shareholders at the
Meeting, non-employee  directors  will  receive  no  further  grants  under  the
Director Plan.
 
    TRANSACTIONS WITH DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
    SJNB  has had in the ordinary course of business, and expects to have in the
future, banking transactions  with directors, officers,  shareholders and  their
associates,  including transactions with corporations  of which such persons are
directors, officers or controlling shareholders. In the opinion of management of
SJNB, all loans and commitments to lend included in such transactions have  been
and  will be entered into with such  persons in the ordinary course of business,
on substantially the  same terms,  including interest rates  and collateral,  as
those  prevailing at the time for  comparable transactions with other persons of
similar creditworthiness, and on terms not involving more than a normal risk  of
collectibility or presenting other unfavorable features.
 
    COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
    Under the securities laws of the United States, the Corporation's directors,
executive  officers  and  any  persons  holding more  than  ten  percent  of the
Corporation's common stock are required to report their initial ownership of the
Corporation's stock and  any subsequent changes  in that ownership  to the  SEC.
Specific  due dates for these reports  have been established and the Corporation
is required to disclose  in this Proxy  Statement any failure  to file by  these
dates  during 1995.  To the  Corporation's knowledge, based  on a  review of the
copies of such reports furnished to the Corporation and written  representations
that  no other reports were required, during  the fiscal year ended December 31,
1995 all such filing requirements applicable to its officers, directors and  ten
percent shareholders were met.
 
                                       11

             APPROVAL OF THE ADOPTION OF THE 1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
 
INTRODUCTION
 
    On  March 27,  1996, the Board  of Directors adopted  the Corporation's 1996
Stock Option Plan  (the "Plan"), subject  to the approval  of the  Corporation's
shareholders.  A copy of the Plan appears as Appendix A to this Proxy Statement.
Shareholders are urged to read the Plan  in its entirety. The Plan provides  for
awards  in the form of options (which  may constitute incentive stock options or
non-statutory stock options) to key employees and outside directors.
 
    The Board believes that the Plan will enable the Corporation to continue  to
attract  and  retain highly  qualified individuals  capable of  implementing the
Corporation's long-term  strategic  goals  and  objectives.  The  Board  further
believes  that the Plan will provide the  Corporation with the means to motivate
high levels of  performance by key  employees in order  to increase  shareholder
value.
 
    The  Plan is  intended to  replace the Director  Plan and  the 1992 Employee
Stock Option Plan (the "Employee Plan"), under which plans approximately 310,000
shares of Common Stock currently remain available for grant.
 
    The Compensation  Committee  of the  Board  of Directors  (the  "Committee")
expects  to use option awards under the  Plan as its primary method of providing
stock-based incentive compensation to key  employees and outside directors  over
the  next few years.  The Plan provides that  options under the  Plan may not be
granted at less than 100% of fair market value of the Common Stock on the  grant
date,  which means  that participants  receive nothing  unless the Corporation's
stock price increases  over the option  term. The Board  believes that the  Plan
directly ties management's and director's interests to those of the shareholders
and that approval of the Plan is in the shareholders' best interests.
 
PURPOSE
 
    The  purpose  of  the  Plan  is to  promote  the  long-term  success  of the
Corporation and  the  creation  of  shareholder value  by  (a)  encouraging  key
employees  and outside directors to focus on critical long-range objectives, (b)
encouraging the attraction and retention of key employees and outside  directors
with   strong  qualifications,  including  key  executives  that  may  join  the
Corporation in  the future  as a  result of  acquisitions, and  (c) linking  key
employees  and  outside  directors  directly  to  shareholder  interests through
increased stock ownership.
 
ADMINISTRATION
 
    The Plan will be administered by  the Committee, which consists entirely  of
outside directors. The Committee selects the key employees of the Corporation or
any  subsidiary who will  receive awards, determines  the size of  any award and
establishes any  vesting  or other  conditions.  Grants of  options  to  outside
directors will be subject to the restrictions in the Plan.
 
ELIGIBILITY
 
    Key  employees  of the  Corporation and  outside  directors are  eligible to
receive  awards  under  the  Plan.  Directors  who  are  not  employees  of  the
Corporation  or any  of its subsidiaries  ("Outside Directors")  are eligible to
receive automatic  grants under  the  Plan. The  Committee  may also  choose  to
implement  a program whereby Outside Directors may elect to receive awards under
the Plan in lieu of annual retainer and meeting fees. As of March 31, 1996, none
of the executive officers or Outside Directors were participants in the Plan. As
of April  1,  1996,  approximately  eighty-five  employees  and  twelve  Outside
Directors were eligible to participate in the Plan.
 
OPTIONS
 
    Options may include nonstatutory stock options ("NSOs") as well as incentive
stock  options  ("ISOs")  intended to  qualify  for special  tax  treatment. The
exercise price of  options must be  equal to or  greater than 100%  of the  fair
market  value of the  Common Stock on the  date of grant. On  April 1, 1996, the
Corporation's Common Stock closed at $14.00 per share. The term of an ISO cannot
exceed 10 years,  and all options  are nontransferable prior  to the  optionee's
death.
 
                                       12

    The  exercise price of an option may be paid in any lawful form permitted by
the Committee, including cash or the surrender of shares of Common Stock of  the
Corporation already owned by the optionee.
 
VESTING CONDITIONS
 
    With  respect  to  all employees,  the  Committee determines  the  number of
options in  the award  as well  as the  vesting and  all other  conditions.  The
vesting conditions may be based on the employee's service, his or her individual
performance,  the Corporation's  performance or  other appropriate  criteria. In
general, the vesting conditions  will be based on  the employee's service  after
the  date of grant.  Vesting may be  accelerated in the  event of the employee's
death, disability or  retirement or in  the event  of a change  of control.  The
events  which constitute  a change of  control for  purposes of the  Plan are as
defined in Article 14 of the Plan.
 
AUTOMATIC GRANTS TO OUTSIDE DIRECTORS
 
    The Plan provides that Outside  Directors will automatically receive an  NSO
covering  5,000 shares annually at an exercise price equal to 100% of the market
price of  the  Common Stock  on  the date  of  grant. NSOs  granted  to  Outside
Directors  become exercisable 40% one year after  grant and 20% annually for the
next three years, or earlier in the event of a change of control with respect to
the Corporation. The NSOs expire 10  years after grant, except that they  expire
ninety days after the Outside Director's service terminates.
 
OTHER PROVISIONS
 
    The Committee is authorized, within the provisions of the Plan, to modify or
extend  outstanding options or to exchange  new options for outstanding options,
including outstanding options with a higher exercise price than the new options.
 
NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SHARES
 
    The total number of shares available for grant under the Plan is 310,000. In
addition, if awards under the Employee  Plan are forfeited or terminated  before
being  exercised  or  vested,  the  corresponding  common  shares  shall  become
available  for  awards  under  the  Plan.  If  the  Plan  is  approved  by   the
shareholders,  no further awards will be made under the Director Plan. The total
number of  shares  available  for grant  under  the  Plan shall  be  subject  to
adjustment  in  the event  of stock  splits, stock  dividends and  other similar
recapitalization transactions.  No individual  may receive  option grants  in  a
single  year covering more than 100,000 shares. If any options are forfeited, or
if options terminate  for any other  reason prior to  exercise, then they  again
become available for awards.
 
NEW PLAN BENEFITS
 
    The  Committee has full discretion to determine  the number of options to be
granted to employees under the Plan;  provided, however, that no individual  may
receive  option  grants in  a single  calendar year  covering more  than 100,000
shares. Therefore, the aggregate benefits and  amounts that will be received  by
each  of the  officers named  in the  Summary Compensation  Table, the executive
officers as a  group and  all other employees  are not  determinable. Until  the
Board  directs otherwise or an  Outside Director ceases to  serve as a director,
each director will receive an annual automatic grant of 5,000 options.
 
TERM OF THE PLAN, AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
 
    The Board of Directors may at any time amend, modify or terminate the  Plan.
An  amendment of the Plan shall be  subject to the approval of the Corporation's
shareholders only  to the  extent required  by applicable  law. The  Plan  shall
remain in effect until it is terminated except that no ISOs may be granted after
May 21, 2006.
 
FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
 
    Neither  the  optionee  nor  the  Corporation  will  incur  any  federal tax
consequences as a result of  the grant of an option.  The optionee will have  no
taxable  income upon exercising an ISO  (except that the alternative minimum tax
may apply),  and  the Corporation  will  receive no  deduction  when an  ISO  is
exercised.  Upon  exercising  an  NSO,  the  optionee  generally  must recognize
ordinary income equal to the
 
                                       13

"spread" between the  exercise price  and the fair  market value  of the  Common
Stock  on the date of exercise; the Corporation ordinarily will be entitled to a
deduction for the same amount. In the case of an employee, the option spread  at
the  time an  NSO is  exercised is  subject to  income tax  withholding, but the
optionee generally may elect to satisfy the withholding tax obligation by having
shares of Common  Stock withheld  from those purchased  under the  NSO. The  tax
treatment  of a disposition of option shares  acquired under the Plan depends on
how long the shares have been held  and on whether such shares were acquired  by
exercising  an ISO or by exercising a  NSO. The Corporation will not be entitled
to a deduction in connection with a disposition of option shares, except in  the
case  of a disposition of shares acquired under an ISO before the applicable ISO
holding periods have been satisfied.
 
    The adoption of the Plan  requires the affirmative vote  of not less than  a
majority  of the  shares of  Common Stock present  in person  or represented and
voting at the Meeting. The Board  of Directors recommends that the  shareholders
vote FOR the adoption of the Corporation's 1996 Stock Option Plan.
 
                         INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
    The  Board  of  Directors  has  selected  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  to  serve  as
independent public accountants for  the Corporation and  its subsidiary for  the
year  ending  December  31,  1996.  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  examined  the financial
statements of the Corporation and its subsidiary for the year ended December 31,
1995. KPMG  Peat  Marwick  has informed  the  Corporation  that it  has  had  no
connection during the past three years with the Corporation or its subsidiary in
the capacity of promoter, underwriter, voting trustee, director or employee.
 
    In  recognition of the important role of the independent public accountants,
the Board of  Directors has  determined that  its selection  of the  independent
public  accountants  should  be submitted  to  the shareholders  for  review and
ratification on an annual basis.
 
    In the  event the  appointment  is not  ratified  by the  shareholders,  the
adverse  vote will be deemed to be an  indication to the Board of Directors that
it should  consider selecting  other independent  public accountants  for  1997.
Because  of the difficulty and expense  of making any substitution of accounting
firms after the beginning of the current year, it is the intention of the  Board
of  Directors that the appointment  of KPMG Peat Marwick  for the year 1996 will
stand unless for  other reasons  the Board of  Directors deems  it necessary  or
appropriate  to make a change. The Board  of Directors also retains the power to
appoint another independent public accounting firm to replace an accounting firm
ratified by the shareholders in the event the Board of Directors determines that
the interests of the Corporation require such a change.
 
    It is anticipated that one or more representatives of KPMG Peat Marwick will
be present at the Meeting  and will have an opportunity  to make a statement  if
they desire to do so, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
 
    The  affirmative vote of a majority of  the shares represented and voting at
the  Meeting  is  required  for  ratification  of  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  as   the
Corporation's  independent public accountants. The Board of Directors recommends
that the shareholders vote  FOR the ratification of  the selection of KPMG  Peat
Marwick to serve as independent public accountants.
 
                          ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-KSB
 
    A  copy of the Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended
December  31,  1995  is   included  in  the   Corporation's  Annual  Report   to
Shareholders.
 
                                       14

                                                                      APPENDIX A
 
                           1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN OF
                              SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.
                        (Adopted Effective May 22, 1996)

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 

                                                                      
  ARTICLE 1.  INTRODUCTION................................................    1
  ARTICLE 2.  ADMINISTRATION..............................................    1
         2.1  Committee Composition.......................................    1
         2.2  Committee Responsibilities..................................    1
  ARTICLE 3.  SHARES AVAILABLE FOR GRANTS.................................    1
         3.1  Basic Limitation............................................    1
         3.2  Additional Shares...........................................    1
  ARTICLE 4.  ELIGIBILITY.................................................    1
         4.1  General Rules...............................................    1
         4.2  Outside Directors...........................................    2
         4.3  Incentive Stock Options.....................................    2
  ARTICLE 5.  OPTION GRANTS...............................................    2
         5.1  Stock Option Agreement......................................    2
         5.2  Number of Shares............................................    3
         5.3  Exercise Price..............................................    3
         5.4  Exercisability and Term.....................................    3
         5.5  Effect of Change in Control.................................    3
         5.6  Modification or Assumption of Options.......................    3
  ARTICLE 6.  PAYMENT FOR OPTION SHARES...................................    3
         6.1  General Rule................................................    3
         6.2  Surrender of Stock..........................................    3
         6.3  Exercise/Sale...............................................    3
         6.4  Exercise/Pledge.............................................    3
         6.5  Promissory Note.............................................    3
         6.6  Other Forms of Payment......................................    4
  ARTICLE 7.  PROTECTION AGAINST DILUTION.................................    4
         7.1  Adjustments.................................................    4
         7.2  Reorganizations.............................................    4
  ARTICLE 8.  PAYMENT OF DIRECTOR'S FEES IN OPTIONS.......................    4
         8.1  Effective Date..............................................    4
         8.2  Elections to Receive NSOs...................................    4
         8.3  Number and Terms of NSOs....................................    4
  ARTICLE 9.  LIMITATION ON RIGHTS........................................    4
         9.1  Retention Rights............................................    4
         9.2  Shareholders' Rights........................................    4
         9.3  Regulatory Requirements.....................................    4
 ARTICLE 10.  LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS......................................    5
        10.1  Basic Rule..................................................    5
        10.2  Reduction of Payments.......................................    5
        10.3  Overpayments and Underpayments..............................    5
        10.4  Related Corporations........................................    5
 ARTICLE 11.  WITHHOLDING TAXES...........................................    6
        11.1  General.....................................................    6
        11.2  Share Withholding...........................................    6
 ARTICLE 12.  ASSIGNMENT OR TRANSFER OF OPTIONS...........................    6
 ARTICLE 13.  FUTURE OF THE PLAN..........................................    6
        13.1  Term of the Plan............................................    6
        13.2  Amendment or Termination....................................    6
 ARTICLE 14.  DEFINITIONS.................................................    6
 ARTICLE 15.  EXECUTION...................................................    8

 
                                       i

                           1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN OF
                              SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.
 
    ARTICLE 1.  INTRODUCTION.
 
    The Plan was adopted by the Board on March 27, 1996, effective as of May 22,
1996. The Plan replaces the SJNB Financial Corp. 1992 Employee Stock Option Plan
and the SJNB Financial Corp. 1992 Director Stock Option Plan.
 
    The  purpose of the Plan is to  promote the long-term success of the Company
and the creation of shareholder value by (a) encouraging Key Employees to  focus
on  critical long-range objectives, (b) encouraging the attraction and retention
of Key Employees with exceptional  qualifications and (c) linking Key  Employees
directly  to shareholder interests  through increased stock  ownership. The Plan
seeks to  achieve this  purpose with  grants of  Options, which  may  constitute
incentive stock options or nonstatutory stock options.
 
    The Plan shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of
the State of California (except their choice-of-law provisions).
 
    ARTICLE 2.  ADMINISTRATION.
 
    2.1    COMMITTEE  COMPOSITION.    The  Plan  shall  be  administered  by the
Committee. The Committee shall consist exclusively  of two or more directors  of
the  Company, who shall be appointed by  the Board. In addition, the composition
of the Committee shall satisfy:
 
        (a) Such  requirements as  the Securities  and Exchange  Commission  may
    establish  for  administrators acting  under plans  intended to  qualify for
    exemption under Rule 16b-3 (or its successor) under the Exchange Act; and
 
        (b) Such requirements as the Internal Revenue Service may establish  for
    outside directors acting under plans intended to qualify for exemption under
    section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.
 
The  Board may also appoint  one or more separate  committees of the Board, each
consisting of two  or more directors  of the  Company who need  not satisfy  the
foregoing  requirements. Such committees may administer the Plan with respect to
Key Employees who are not subject to  section 16 of the Exchange Act or  section
162(m)  of the Code, may grant Options under  the Plan to such Key Employees and
may determine all terms of such Options.
 
    2.2  COMMITTEE  RESPONSIBILITIES.  The  Committee shall (a)  select the  Key
Employees  who are to  receive Options under  the Plan, (b)  determine the type,
number, vesting requirements and other features and conditions of such  Options,
(c)  interpret  the  Plan and  (d)  make  all other  decisions  relating  to the
operation of the Plan. The  Committee may adopt such  rules or guidelines as  it
deems  appropriate to implement  the Plan. The  Committee's determinations under
the Plan shall be final and binding on all persons.
 
    ARTICLE 3.  SHARES AVAILABLE FOR GRANTS.
 
    3.1  BASIC LIMITATION.   The aggregate number  of Options awarded under  the
Plan  shall not exceed 310,000, subject to  Section 3.2. No grants shall be made
under the Predecessor Plan  after May 22, 1996.  The limitation of this  Section
3.1 shall be subject to adjustment pursuant to Article 7.
 
    3.2    ADDITIONAL SHARES.    If an  Option granted  under  this Plan  or the
Predecessor Plan is forfeited  or terminates for any  other reason before  being
exercised  in  full, then  the Common  Shares  corresponding to  the unexercised
portion of such Option shall become available for new grants under this Plan.
 
    ARTICLE 4.  ELIGIBILITY.
 
    4.1  GENERAL RULES.  Only Key Employees shall be eligible for designation as
Optionees by the Committee. Key Employees  who are Outside Directors shall  only
be eligible for the grant of the NSOs described in Section 4.2 and for making an
election described in Article 8.
 
                                       1

    4.2   OUTSIDE DIRECTORS.   Any other provision  of the Plan notwithstanding,
the participation  of Outside  Directors in  the Plan  shall be  subject to  the
following conditions:
 
        (a)  Outside Directors shall  receive no Options  except as described in
    this Section 4.2 and Article 8.
 
        (b) Each Outside Director who serves as a member of the Board on June 1,
    1996, shall receive a one-time grant of an NSO covering 5,000 Common  Shares
    (subject  to adjustment under Article 7). Such  NSO shall be granted on June
    1, 1996.
 
        (c) Each Outside Director who serves as a member of the Board on March 1
    of any year after 1996 shall  receive an NSO covering 5,000 Shares  (subject
    to adjustment under Article 7).
 
        (d) Each NSO granted to an Outside Director under this Section 4.2 shall
    become  exercisable  in four  installments  at 12-month  intervals  over the
    48-month period following  the date  of grant. The  first installment  shall
    consist  of 40% of  the Common Shares subject  to such NSO,  and each of the
    three subsequent  installments shall  consist of  20% of  the Common  Shares
    subject  to such  NSO. All  NSOs granted to  an Outside  Director under this
    Section 4.2 shall become exercisable in full in the event of:
 
            (i) The termination  of such Outside  Director's service because  of
       death,  total and permanent disability or  retirement at or after age 70;
       or
 
           (ii) A Change in Control with respect to the Company.
 
        (e) The Exercise  Price under all  NSOs granted to  an Outside  Director
    under  this Section 4.2 shall be equal to 100% of the Fair Market Value of a
    Common Share on the date of grant, payable in one of the forms described  in
    Sections 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.4.
 
        (f)   All  NSOs granted  to an Outside  Director under  this Section 4.2
    shall terminate on the earliest of:
 
            (i) The 10th anniversary of the date of grant;
 
           (ii) The  date three  months after  the termination  of such  Outside
       Director's service for any reason other than death or total and permanent
       disability; or
 
           (iii)  The  date  12 months  after  the termination  of  such Outside
       Director's service because of death or total and permanent disability.
 
    4.3  INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS.  A Key Employee who owns more than 10% of  the
total  combined voting power of all classes  of outstanding stock of the Company
or any of its Parents or Subsidiaries shall not be eligible for the grant of  an
ISO  unless the  requirements set  forth in  Section 422(c)(6)  of the  Code are
satisfied.
 
    ARTICLE 5.  OPTION GRANTS.
 
    5.1  STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT.  Each  grant of an Option under the Plan  shall
be  evidenced by a Stock Option Agreement  between the Optionee and the Company.
Such Option shall  be subject to  all applicable terms  of the Plan  and may  be
subject  to any other terms  that are not inconsistent  with the Plan. The Stock
Option Agreement shall  specify whether  the Option  is an  ISO or  an NSO.  The
provisions  of the various  Stock Option Agreements entered  into under the Plan
need not be identical. Options may be granted in consideration of a cash payment
or in consideration of a reduction in the Optionee's other compensation. A Stock
Option Agreement may provide that new  Options will be granted automatically  to
the  Optionee when he or  she exercises the prior  Options and pays the exercise
price in the form described in Section 6.2.
 
                                       2

    5.2  NUMBER OF SHARES.  Each Stock Option Agreement shall specify the number
of Common Shares subject to the Option  and shall provide for the adjustment  of
such  number in accordance with Article 7.  Options granted to any Optionee in a
single calendar year shall  in no event cover  more than 100,000 Common  Shares,
subject to adjustment in accordance with Article 7.
 
    5.3  EXERCISE PRICE.  Each Stock Option Agreement shall specify the Exercise
Price;  provided that the Exercise Price under an  ISO shall in no event be less
than 100% of the Fair Market  Value of a Common Share  on the date of grant.  In
the  case of an NSO, a Stock Option Agreement may specify an Exercise Price that
varies in accordance with a predetermined formula while the NSO is outstanding.
 
    5.4  EXERCISABILITY AND TERM.  Each Stock Option Agreement shall specify the
date when all or  any installment of  the Option is  to become exercisable.  The
Stock  Option Agreement shall also specify the term of the Option; provided that
the term of an ISO shall in no event  exceed 10 years from the date of grant.  A
Stock  Option Agreement may provide for  accelerated exercisability in the event
of the  Optionee's death,  disability  or retirement  or  other events  and  may
provide  for  expiration prior  to  the end  of  its term  in  the event  of the
termination of the Optionee's service.
 
    5.5  EFFECT OF CHANGE IN CONTROL.  The Committee may determine, at the  time
of  granting  an  Option or  thereafter,  that  such Option  shall  become fully
exercisable as to all Common Shares subject  to such Option in the event that  a
Change in Control occurs with respect to the Company.
 
    5.6   MODIFICATION OR ASSUMPTION OF OPTIONS.   Within the limitations of the
Plan, the Committee  may modify,  extend or  assume outstanding  options or  may
accept  the cancellation of outstanding options  (whether granted by the Company
or by another issuer) in return for the  grant of new options for the same or  a
different  number of shares and  at the same or  a different exercise price. The
foregoing notwithstanding,  no  modification of  an  Option shall,  without  the
consent  of the Optionee, alter or impair his or her rights or obligations under
such Option.
 
    ARTICLE 6.  PAYMENT FOR OPTION SHARES.
 
    6.1  GENERAL RULE.  The entire  Exercise Price of Common Shares issued  upon
exercise of Options shall be payable in cash at the time when such Common Shares
are purchased, except as follows:
 
        (a)  In the case of an ISO granted under the Plan, payment shall be made
    only pursuant  to the  express  provisions of  the applicable  Stock  Option
    Agreement.  The Stock Option Agreement may  specify that payment may be made
    in any form(s) described in this Article 6.
 
        (b) In the case of an NSO, the Committee may at any time accept  payment
    in any form(s) described in this Article 6.
 
    6.2  SURRENDER OF STOCK.  To the extent that this Section 6.2 is applicable,
payment for all or any part of the Exercise Price may be made with Common Shares
which  have already been  owned by the  Optionee for more  than six months. Such
Common Shares shall be valued  at their Fair Market Value  on the date when  the
new Common Shares are purchased under the Plan.
 
    6.3   EXERCISE/SALE.   To  the extent that  this Section  6.3 is applicable,
payment may be made by the delivery (on a form prescribed by the Company) of  an
irrevocable  direction to  a securities broker  approved by the  Company to sell
Common Shares and to deliver all or part of the sales proceeds to the Company in
payment of all or part of the Exercise Price and any withholding taxes.
 
    6.4  EXERCISE/PLEDGE.   To the extent that  this Section 6.4 is  applicable,
payment  may be made by the delivery (on a form prescribed by the Company) of an
irrevocable direction to pledge Common Shares  to a securities broker or  lender
approved  by the Company, as security for a  loan, and to deliver all or part of
the loan proceeds to the Company in payment of all or part of the Exercise Price
and any withholding taxes.
 
    6.5  PROMISSORY NOTE.   To the extent that  this Section 6.5 is  applicable,
payment may be made with a full-recourse promissory note.
 
                                       3

    6.6    OTHER FORMS  OF PAYMENT.   To  the  extent that  this Section  6.6 is
applicable, payment  may be  made in  any  other form  that is  consistent  with
applicable laws, regulations and rules.
 
    ARTICLE 7.  PROTECTION AGAINST DILUTION.
 
    7.1   ADJUSTMENTS.  In the event  of a subdivision of the outstanding Common
Shares, a declaration of a dividend payable in Common Shares, a declaration of a
dividend payable in  a form other  than Common Shares  in an amount  that has  a
material effect on the price of Common Shares, a combination or consolidation of
the  outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification  or otherwise) into a lesser
number of Common Shares, a recapitalization, a spinoff or a similar  occurrence,
the  Committee shall make such adjustments as  it, in its sole discretion, deems
appropriate in one or  more of (a)  the number of  Options available for  future
grants  under Article 3,  (b) the limitation  set forth in  Section 5.2, (c) the
number of NSOs to  be granted to  Outside Directors under  Section 4.2, (d)  the
number  of Common Shares covered by each  outstanding Option or (e) the Exercise
Price under each outstanding  Option. Except as provided  in this Article 7,  an
Optionee  shall have no rights by reason of any issue by the Company of stock of
any class or securities convertible into stock of any class, any subdivision  or
consolidation of shares of stock of any class, the payment of any stock dividend
or any other increase or decrease in the number of shares of stock of any class.
 
    7.2   REORGANIZATIONS.  In the event that the Company is a party to a merger
or other reorganization, outstanding Options  shall be subject to the  agreement
of merger or reorganization. Such agreement may provide, without limitation, for
the  assumption  of  outstanding Options  by  the surviving  corporation  or its
parent, for their  continuation by the  Company (if the  Company is a  surviving
corporation),  for  accelerated  vesting  and  accelerated  expiration,  or  for
settlement in cash.
 
    ARTICLE 8.  PAYMENT OF DIRECTOR'S FEES IN OPTIONS.
 
    8.1  EFFECTIVE  DATE.  No  provision of  this Article 8  shall be  effective
unless and until the Board has determined to implement such provision.
 
    8.2   ELECTIONS TO RECEIVE  NSOS.  An Outside  Director may elect to receive
his or her annual  retainer payments and  meeting fees from  the Company in  the
form of cash or NSOs, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Board. Such
NSOs  shall be issued under the Plan. An  election under this Article 8 shall be
filed with the Company on the prescribed form.
 
    8.3  NUMBER AND TERMS OF NSOS.  The number of NSOs to be granted to  Outside
Directors  in lieu of annual retainers and  meeting fees that would otherwise be
paid in cash shall be calculated in a manner determined by the Board. The  terms
of such NSOs shall also be determined by the Board.
 
    ARTICLE 9.  LIMITATION ON RIGHTS.
 
    9.1   RETENTION RIGHTS.   Neither the Plan nor  any Option granted under the
Plan shall be deemed  to give any  individual a right to  remain an employee  or
director  of the Company, a Parent or  a Subsidiary. The Company and its Parents
and Subsidiaries reserve the right to  terminate the service of any employee  or
director  at any time,  with or without  cause, subject to  applicable laws, the
Company's certificate  of incorporation  and by-laws  and a  written  employment
agreement (if any).
 
    9.2    SHAREHOLDERS' RIGHTS.   An  Optionee shall  have no  dividend rights,
voting rights or other rights as a shareholder with respect to any Common Shares
covered by his or her  Option prior to the issuance  of a stock certificate  for
such  Common Shares.  No adjustment  shall be made  for cash  dividends or other
rights for which the record date is  prior to the date when such certificate  is
issued, except as expressly provided in Article 7.
 
    9.3     REGULATORY   REQUIREMENTS.    Any   other  provision   of  the  Plan
notwithstanding, the obligation of the Company to issue Common Shares under  the
Plan  shall be subject  to all applicable  laws, rules and  regulations and such
approval by any  regulatory body as  may be required.  The Company reserves  the
right  to restrict, in whole or in  part, the delivery of Common Shares pursuant
to any Option prior  to the satisfaction of  all legal requirements relating  to
the  issuance of  such Common  Shares, to  their registration,  qualification or
listing or to an exemption from registration, qualification or listing.
 
                                       4

    ARTICLE 10.  LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS.
 
    10.1    BASIC   RULE.    Any   provision  of  the   Plan  to  the   contrary
notwithstanding,  in  the  event  that the  independent  auditors  most recently
selected by the Board (the "Auditors") determine that any payment or transfer by
the Company under the Plan  to or for the benefit  of an Optionee (a  "Payment")
would be nondeductible by the Company for federal income tax purposes because of
the  provisions concerning  "excess parachute payments"  in section  280G of the
Code, then the aggregate present value of all Payments shall be reduced (but not
below zero) to the Reduced Amount; provided  that the Committee, at the time  of
granting  an Option or at any time  thereafter, may specify in writing that such
Option shall not be so reduced and shall not be subject to this Article 10.  For
purposes of this Article 10, the "Reduced Amount" shall be the amount, expressed
as  a present value, which maximizes the aggregate present value of the Payments
without causing  any Payment  to  be nondeductible  by  the Company  because  of
Section 280G of the Code.
 
    10.2   REDUCTION OF  PAYMENTS.  If  the Auditors determine  that any Payment
would be nondeductible by the Company because of Section 280G of the Code,  then
the Company shall promptly give the Optionee notice to that effect and a copy of
the detailed calculation thereof and of the Reduced Amount, and the Optionee may
then  elect, in his or  her sole discretion, which and  how much of the Payments
shall be eliminated  or reduced (as  long as after  such election the  aggregate
present  value of the Payments  equals the Reduced Amount)  and shall advise the
Company in writing of his or her  election within 10 days of receipt of  notice.
If  no such election is made by the Optionee within such 10-day period, then the
Company may elect  which and how  much of  the Payments shall  be eliminated  or
reduced  (as long  as after  such election  the aggregate  present value  of the
Payments equals the Reduced  Amount) and shall notify  the Optionee promptly  of
such  election. For  purposes of  this Article  10, the  present value  shall be
determined in accordance with Section 280G(d)(4) of the Code. All determinations
made by the Auditors under this Article 10 shall be binding upon the Company and
the Optionee and shall be made within 60 days of the date when a Payment becomes
payable or transferable. As promptly as practicable following such determination
and the elections hereunder,  the Company shall  pay or transfer  to or for  the
benefit  of the Optionee  such amounts as are  then due to him  or her under the
Plan and shall promptly pay or transfer to or for the benefit of the Optionee in
the future such amounts as become due to him or her under the Plan.
 
    10.3  OVERPAYMENTS  AND UNDERPAYMENTS.   As a result  of uncertainty in  the
application  of Section 280G of the Code at the time of an initial determination
by the Auditors hereunder, it is possible  that Payments will have been made  by
the  Company  which  should  not  have  been  made  (an  "Overpayment")  or that
additional Payments which will not have been made by the Company could have been
made (an "Underpayment"), consistent  in each case with  the calculation of  the
Reduced  Amount  hereunder.  In the  event  that  the Auditors,  based  upon the
assertion of a deficiency by the Internal Revenue Service against the Company or
the Optionee  which the  Auditors believe  has a  high probability  of  success,
determine  that an Overpayment has been  made, such Overpayment shall be treated
for all purposes as a loan  to the Optionee which he  or she shall repay to  the
Company,  together  with interest  at the  applicable  federal rate  provided in
Section 7872(f)(2)  of the  Code; provided,  however, that  no amount  shall  be
payable  by the Optionee to  the Company if and to  the extent that such payment
would not reduce the amount which is  subject to taxation under Section 4999  of
the  Code. In  the event  that the Auditors  determine that  an Underpayment has
occurred, such Underpayment shall promptly be paid or transferred by the Company
to or for the benefit of the Optionee, together with interest at the  applicable
federal rate provided in Section 7872(f)(2) of the Code.
 
    10.4   RELATED  CORPORATIONS.   For purposes  of this  Article 10,  the term
"Company" shall include affiliated corporations to the extent determined by  the
Auditors in accordance with Section 280G(d)(5) of the Code.
 
                                       5

    ARTICLE 11.  WITHHOLDING TAXES.
 
    11.1   GENERAL.  To the extent  required by applicable federal, state, local
or foreign law,  an Optionee  or his or  her successor  shall make  arrangements
satisfactory  to  the  Company  for  the  satisfaction  of  any  withholding tax
obligations that arise  in connection with  the Plan. The  Company shall not  be
required to issue any Common Shares until such obligations are satisfied.
 
    11.2   SHARE WITHHOLDING.   The Committee may permit  an Optionee to satisfy
all or part of his  or her withholding or income  tax obligations by having  the
Company  withhold all or a portion of  any Common Shares that otherwise would be
issued to him or her  or by surrendering all or  a portion of any Common  Shares
that  he or she previously acquired. Such Common Shares shall be valued at their
Fair Market Value on the  date when taxes otherwise  would be withheld in  cash.
Any payment of taxes by assigning Common Shares to the Company may be subject to
restrictions, including any restrictions required by rules of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
 
    ARTICLE 12.  ASSIGNMENT OR TRANSFER OF OPTIONS.
 
    Except as provided in Article 11, an Option granted under the Plan shall not
be  anticipated, assigned,  attached, garnished,  optioned, transferred  or made
subject to  any creditor's  process, whether  voluntarily, involuntarily  or  by
operation of law. An Option may be exercised during the lifetime of the Optionee
only by him or her or by his or her guardian or legal representative. Any act in
violation  of this Article 12 shall be  void. However, this Article 12 shall not
preclude an  Optionee  from  designating  a beneficiary  who  will  receive  any
outstanding  Options in the event of the Optionee's death, nor shall it preclude
a transfer of Options by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.
 
    ARTICLE 13.  FUTURE OF THE PLAN.
 
    13.1  TERM OF THE PLAN.  The Plan, as set forth herein, was adopted on March
27, 1996, subject  to the  approval of the  Company's shareholders  at the  1996
annual  meeting. The Plan shall become effective on May 22, 1996. The Plan shall
remain in effect until it is terminated under Section 13.2, except that no  ISOs
shall be granted after May 21, 2006.
 
    13.2   AMENDMENT  OR TERMINATION.   The Board may,  at any time  and for any
reason, amend or terminate the Plan,  except that the provisions of Section  4.2
relating  to the amount, price and timing  of Option grants to Outside Directors
shall not be amended more often than permitted by Rule 16b-3 under the  Exchange
Act.  An amendment of the Plan shall be subject to the approval of the Company's
shareholders only  to the  extent required  by applicable  laws, regulations  or
rules. No Options shall be granted under the Plan after the termination thereof.
The  termination of  the Plan,  or any amendment  thereof, shall  not affect any
Option previously granted under the Plan.
 
    ARTICLE 14.  DEFINITIONS.
 
    14.1  "BOARD"  means the  Company's Board of Directors, as constituted  from
time to time.
 
    14.2  "CHANGE IN CONTROL"  shall mean the occurrence of any of the following
events:
 
        (a)  Approval  by  the  shareholders  of  the  Company  of  a  merger or
    consolidation of  the Company  with  or into  another  entity or  any  other
    corporate reorganization, if either:
 
           (A) The Company is not the continuing or surviving entity; or
 
           (B)  More  than 50%  of the  combined voting  power of  the Company's
       securities outstanding immediately  after such  merger, consolidation  or
       other reorganization is owned by persons who were not shareholders of the
       Company   immediately  prior  to  such  merger,  consolidation  or  other
       reorganization;
 
        (b) A change in the composition of the Board, as a result of which fewer
    than one-half of the incumbent directors are directors who either:
 
           (A) Had been directors of the Company 24 months prior to such change;
       or
 
                                       6

           (B) Were elected, or  nominated for election, to  the Board with  the
       affirmative  votes of at least  a majority of the  directors who had been
       directors of the  Company 24  months prior to  such change  and who  were
       still in office at the time of the election or nomination; or
 
        (c)  Any "person" (as such  term is used in  sections 13(d) and 14(d) of
    the Exchange Act)  by the  acquisition or  aggregation of  securities is  or
    becomes  the beneficial owner, directly or  indirectly, of securities of the
    Company representing  25%  or more  of  the  combined voting  power  of  the
    Company's  then  outstanding securities  ordinarily  (and apart  from rights
    accruing under special circumstances) having the right to vote at  elections
    of  directors  (the "Base  Capital Stock");  except that  any change  in the
    relative beneficial  ownership of  the Company's  securities by  any  person
    resulting  solely from  a reduction in  the aggregate  number of outstanding
    shares of Base Capital Stock, and  any decrease thereafter in such  person's
    ownership of securities, shall be disregarded until such person increases in
    any  manner, directly or  indirectly, such person's  beneficial ownership of
    any securities of the Company.
 
    14.3  "CODE"  means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
 
    14.4  "COMMITTEE"  means a committee  of the Board, as described in  Article
2.
 
    14.5  "COMMON SHARE"  means one share of the common stock of the Company.
 
    14.6  "COMPANY"  means SJNB Financial Corp., a California corporation.
 
    14.7  "EXCHANGE ACT"  means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
 
    14.8   "EXERCISE PRICE"  means the amount  for which one Common Share may be
purchased upon  exercise of  an Option,  as specified  in the  applicable  Stock
Option Agreement.
 
    14.9    "FAIR  MARKET VALUE"    means  the market  price  of  Common Shares,
determined by the Committee as follows:
 
        (a) If the  Common Shares  are traded  over-the-counter on  the date  in
    question  but are not classified  as a national market  issue, then the Fair
    Market  Value  shall  be  equal  to  the  mean  between  the  last  reported
    representative  bid and  asked prices quoted  by the Nasdaq  system for such
    date;
 
        (b) If the  Common Shares  are traded  over-the-counter on  the date  in
    question and are classified as a national market issue, then the Fair Market
    Value  shall be  equal to  the last-transaction  price quoted  by the Nasdaq
    system for such date;
 
        (c) If the Common Shares are traded  on a stock exchange on the date  in
    question,  then the Fair  Market Value shall  be equal to  the closing price
    reported by the applicable composite transactions report for such date; and
 
        (d) If none  of the foregoing  provisions is applicable,  then the  Fair
    Market  Value shall  be determined  by the Committee  in good  faith on such
    basis as it deems appropriate.
 
Whenever possible, the determination of Fair Market Value by the Committee shall
be based  on the  prices reported  in the  Western Edition  of THE  WALL  STREET
JOURNAL. Such determination shall be conclusive and binding on all persons.
 
    14.10  "ISO"  means an incentive stock option described in Section 422(b) of
the Code.
 
    14.11   "KEY EMPLOYEE"   means (a)  a common-law employee  of the Company, a
Parent or  a  Subsidiary or  (b)  an Outside  Director.  Service as  an  Outside
Director  shall be considered employment for all purposes of the Plan, except as
provided in Sections 4.2 and 4.3.
 
    14.12  "NSO"  means a stock option  not described in sections 422 or 423  of
the Code.
 
    14.13   "OPTION"  means  an ISO or NSO granted  under the Plan and entitling
the holder to purchase one Common Share.
 
    14.14  "OPTIONEE"  means an individual or estate who holds an Option.
 
                                       7

    14.15  "OUTSIDE DIRECTOR"   shall mean a  member of the Board  who is not  a
common-law employee of the Company, a Parent or a Subsidiary.
 
    14.16    "PARENT"   means any  corporation  (other than  the Company)  in an
unbroken chain  of  corporations  ending  with  the  Company,  if  each  of  the
corporations  other than the  Company owns stock  possessing 50% or  more of the
total combined  voting  power of  all  classes of  stock  in one  of  the  other
corporations in such chain. A corporation that attains the status of a Parent on
a date after the adoption of the Plan shall be considered a Parent commencing as
of such date.
 
    14.17  "PLAN"  means this 1996 Stock Option Plan of SJNB Financial Corp., as
amended from time to time.
 
    14.18   "PREDECESSOR  PLAN"   means the  SJNB Financial  Corp. 1992 Employee
Stock Option Plan and 1992 Director Stock Option Plan.
 
    14.19  "STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT"  means the agreement between the Company and
an Optionee which contains the terms, conditions and restrictions pertaining  to
his or her Option.
 
    14.20   "SUBSIDIARY"  means  any corporation (other than  the Company) in an
unbroken chain  of corporations  beginning  with the  Company,  if each  of  the
corporations  other than the  last corporation in the  unbroken chain owns stock
possessing 50% or  more of the  total combined  voting power of  all classes  of
stock in one of the other corporations in such chain. A corporation that attains
the  status of a  Subsidiary on a date  after the adoption of  the Plan shall be
considered a Subsidiary commencing as of such date.
 
    ARTICLE 15.  EXECUTION.
 
    To record the adoption of the Plan by the Board, the Company has caused  its
duly authorized officer to affix the corporate name and seal hereto.
 
                                          SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.
 
                                          By
                                          --------------------------------------
 
                                       8


                              SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.
                  PROXY FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                             TO BE HELD MAY 22, 1996

           THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     The undersigned holder of common stock acknowledges receipt of the Notice
of Annual Meeting of Shareholders of SJNB Financial Corp., a California
corporation (the "Company"), dated April 15, 1996, and revoking any proxy
heretofore given, hereby constitutes and appoints John W. Weinhardt, Diane P. 
Rubio and F. Jack Gorry, or any of them, with full power of substitution, as
attorney and proxy to appear and vote all of the shares of common stock of the
Company standing in the name of the undersigned which the undersigned could vote
if personally present and acting at the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders of
the Company to be held at San Jose, California, on May 22, 1996 at 10:00 a.m.
local time or at any adjournments thereof, upon the following items as set forth
in the Notice of Meeting and more fully described in the Proxy Statement.


ADDRESS CHANGE/COMMENTS

                                 IMPORTANT: PLEASE DATE AND SIGN ON REVERSE SIDE

                                                              /See Reverse Side/



                                           /X/PLEASE MARK YOUR CHOICES LIKE THIS

                                   -----------
                                     COMMON


1.   Election of Directors. To vote for the election of the following persons as
     directors of the Company, to serve until the next annual meeting:

     Ray S. Akamine           Arthur K. Lund           Louis Oneal
     Rod Diridon              Gary S. Vandeweghe       John W. Weinhardt
     James R. Kenny           Albert V. Bruno          F. Jack Gorry
     Douglas L. Shen          Jack G. Fischer          Diane P. Rubino
     Robert A. Archer

(INSTRUCTIONS: TO WITHHOLD A VOTE FOR ONE OR MORE NOMINEES, STRIKE A LINE
THROUGH THAT NOMINEE'S NAME. TO VOTE FOR ALL NOMINEES EXCEPT ONE WHOSE NAME IS
STRUCK, CHECK "FOR." TO VOTE AGAINST ALL NOMINEES NAMED ABOVE, CHECK
"AGAINST.")

          FOR       AGAINST        ABSTAIN
          / /         / /            / /


2.   Approval of 1996 Stock Option Plan. Approval of the adoption of the 1996
     Stock Option Plan of SJNB Financial Corp.

          FOR       AGAINST        ABSTAIN
          / /         / /            / /

3.   Ratification of Accountants. To ratify the selection of KPMG Peat Marwick
     as independent certified public accountants for the Company for 1996.

          FOR       AGAINST        ABSTAIN
          / /         / /            / /

4.   Other Business. The proxies are authorized to vote in their discretion on
     such other matters as may properly come before the meeting or any
     adjournment thereof.


     THE PROXY IS SOLICITED BY, AND ON BEHALF OF, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MAY
BE REVOKED PRIOR TO ITS EXERCISE.

     THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE ELECTION AS DIRECTORS OF
THE NOMINEES NAMED ABOVE AND FOR PROPOSALS 2 AND 3. THE PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY
EXECUTED AND RETURNED TO  SJNB FINANCIAL CORP., WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER
DIRECTED. IF  NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION AS
DIRECTORS OF THE NOMINEES NAMED ABOVE AND FOR PROPOSALS 2 AND 3. IF OTHER
BUSINESS IS PRESENTED, THIS PROXY SHALL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BEST
JUDGMENT OF THE PROXIES.


- ------------------------------------------------------------
(Signature)


- ------------------------------------------------------------
(Signature)


Date: ____________________, 1996

I/We do ____ or do not ____ expect to attend this meeting.

Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s). When signing as attorney,
executor, administrator, trustee, officer, partner, or guardian, please give
full title. If more than one trustee, all should sign. Whether or not you plan
to attend this meeting, please sign and return this proxy promptly in the
enclosed postage-paid envelope.

To assure a quorum, you are urged to date and sign the Proxy and mail it
promptly in the enclosed envelope, which requires no additional postage if
mailed in the United States or Canada.


PLEASE COMPLETE, SIGN AND DATE THIS PROXY AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE.