EXHIBIT 99.3

                       Press Release Dated July 26, 1999

For Information Contact
- -----------------------
At Greater Bay Bancorp           At Financial Relations Board
David L. Kalkbrenner             Christina Carrabino (general information)
President and CEO                Kristi Larson (analyst contact)
(650) 614-5767                   (415) 986-1591
Steven C. Smith
EVP, CAO and CFO
(650) 813-8222

                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                           ---------------------


   THE U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK GRANTS GREATER BAY BANCORP DELEGATED AUTHORITY
                                     STATUS


PALO ALTO, CA; July 26, 1999 - Greater Bay Bancorp (Nasdaq:GBBK), a financial
services holding company with over $2.1 billion in assets, announced today that
the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has granted the company
level "A" delegated authority status to provide foreign receivable financing to
local exporters.  Ex-Im Bank allows "A" level delegated authority lenders to
approve working capital loans up to an aggregate total of $3.5 million per
exporter, and to approve an aggregate total of up to $50 million in loans.

"With delegated authority under Ex-Im Bank's Working Capital Guarantee Program,
we can expand our international capabilities," stated Tony Oriti, senior vice
president and manager of Greater Bay's International Banking Division.  "Under
this program, we can commit Ex-Im Bank's guarantee on loans which meet
prescribed Ex-Im Bank guidelines and help companies with their export financing
needs on an expedited basis."

"Ex-Im Bank is looking forward to working with Greater Bay Bancorp and its
community bank subsidiaries to help more small and medium-sized businesses to
obtain the working capital they need to export their goods and services to
competitive foreign markets," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman James A. Harmon.

Ex-Im Bank offers lenders accelerated processing of requests through delegated
authority.  Ex-Im Bank has delegated to Greater Bay Bancorp authority under this
program to allow it to commit Ex-Im Bank's guarantee as soon as credit decisions
have been made.

David L. Kalkbrenner, president and chief executive officer of Greater Bay
Bancorp commented, "By the use of this program, we help our local economy grow
by assisting small- and medium-sized exporters to compete in the global markets.
We are very excited to be working with the Ex-Im Bank."


The International Banking Division of Greater Bay Bancorp provides importers and
exporters involved in international trade with the Pacific Rim, Europe and other
parts of the world with cost-effective ways to manage and minimize risk in
overseas transactions.  For more information on our International Services and
Ex-Im Bank, call Tony Oriti at (415) 782-8610.

Greater Bay Bancorp and its financial services subsidiaries, Cupertino National
Bank, Mid-Peninsula Bank, Peninsula Bank of Commerce, Golden Gate Bank and Bay
Area Bank, along with its operating divisions, Greater Bay Bank Santa Clara
Valley Commercial Banking Group, Greater Bay Corporate Finance Group, Greater
Bay Bank Contra Costa Region, Greater Bay International Banking Division,
Greater Bay Trust Company, Pacific Business Funding and Venture Banking Group,
serve clients throughout Silicon Valley, the San Francisco Peninsula and the
Contra Costa Tri-Valley Region, with offices located in San Jose, Cupertino,
Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Mateo, Millbrae, San Francisco and
Walnut Creek.

Safe Harbor

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, 1998, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within the
document.