EXHIBIT 99.3

                     Press Release dated December 4, 1998

For Immediate Release                   For Information Contact
- ---------------------                   -----------------------

December 4, 1998                        David L. Kalkbrenner, President & CEO
                                        (650) 614-5767
                                        Steven C. Smith, EVP, COO & CFO
                                        (650) 813-8222

                   FRED BAILARD JOINS GREATER BAY BANCORP AS
                           SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF
                           CASH MANAGEMENT SERVICES

     PALO ALTO, CA - December 4, 1998  Greater Bay Bancorp (NASDAQ: GBBK)
announced today that Fred Bailard has joined the Company as Senior Vice
President of the newly created Cash Management Services Division.

     Mr. Bailard brings over 30 years of experience to Greater Bay Bancorp in
diversified management roles for business banking services, including extensive
experience in cash management services.  Most recently, Mr. Bailard was with
Bank of the West, as their Senior Vice President for Business Management
Services.

     According to David L. Kalkbrenner, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Greater Bay Bancorp, "Fred's many years of experience make him a welcome
addition to our team and provides us with the opportunity to expand cash
management product offerings to our clients."

     Greater Bay Bancorp and its financial services subsidiaries, Cupertino
National Bank, Mid-Peninsula Bank, Peninsula Bank of Commerce and Golden Gate
Bank, along with its operating divisions, Greater Bay Bank Santa Clara Valley
Commercial Banking Group, Greater Bay Corporate Finance Group, Greater Bay
International Banking Division, Greater Bay Trust Company, Pacific Business
Funding and Venture Banking Group, serve clients throughout Silicon Valley and
the San Francisco Peninsula with offices located in San Jose, Cupertino, Palo
Alto, Redwood City, San Mateo, Millbrae, San Bruno, San Francisco and Walnut
Creek.
 
     This document may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those projected.  For a discussion of factors that could cause actual
results to differ, please see the Company's publicly available Securities and
Exchange Commission filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 1997, and particularly the discussion of risk factors
within that document.



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