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                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.0


                               POWERS OF ATTORNEY


                    DIRECTORS OF VALLEY NATIONAL CORPORATION

        Know all men by these presents that each person whose name is signed
below has made, constituted and appointed, and by this instrument does make,
constitute and appoint William V. Ehlen and C.K. Hill, or either one of them,
his true and lawful attorney with full power of substitution and resubstitution
to affix for him and in his name, place and stead, as attorney-in-fact, his
signature as director or officer, or both, of Valley National Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Holding Company"), to a Registration Statement on
Form S-4 registering under the Securities Act of 1933, common stock to be issued
in connection with the acquisition of Valle de Oro Bank, N.A., and to any and
all amendments, post effective amendments and exhibits to that Registration
Statement, and to any and all applications and other documents pertaining
thereto, giving and granting to such attorney-in-fact full power and authority
to do and perform every act and thing whatsoever necessary to be done in the
premises, as fully as he might or could do if personally present, and hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or any such substitute
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Power of Attorney has been signed at El Cajon,
California, this 5th day of November, 1998.



/s/ WILLIAM V. EHLEN                         /s/ C.K. HILL
- ---------------------------------            -----------------------------------
William V. Ehlen, Director                   C.K. Hill, O.D., Director


/s/ JAMES F. CARROLL                         /s/ PHILIP J. GELBER             
- ---------------------------------            -----------------------------------
James F. Carroll, Director                   Philip J. Gelber, M.D., Director


/s/ SAMUEL M. CICCATI                        /s/ OBERT D. "DALE" CONWAY       
- ---------------------------------            -----------------------------------
Samuel M. Ciccati, Ph.D., Director           Obert D. "Dale" Conway, Director


/s/ PAUL M. CABLE                           
- ---------------------------------           
Paul M. Cable, Treasurer and
        Chief Financial Officer