[GRAPHIC OMITTED] NVB
                              North Valley Bancorp


             North Valley Bancorp Hires New Chief Financial Officer

REDDING, CA--(MARKET WIRE)-- March 8, 2006 -- North Valley Bancorp (NASDAQ:
NOVB), a multi-bank holding company with $918 million in assets, today announced
the hiring of Kevin R. Watson as Executive Vice President and effective March
17, 2006, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As CFO, Mr. Watson will oversee
financial matters of North Valley Bancorp and its subsidiary banks, North Valley
Bank and NVB Business Bank. Mr. Watson's responsibilities include financial and
regulatory reporting, financial analysis and planning, general ledger
management, budgeting, capital management, asset/liability management, fixed
assets and accounts payable. Mr. Watson previously served as CFO for Feather
River State Bank and Calnet Business Bank, which were acquired by larger
institutions.

"We are extremely pleased to bring Kevin on board," stated Michael Cushman,
President and Chief Executive Officer of North Valley Bancorp. "His depth of
experience in financial consulting, securities, accounting and budgeting will
provide us a new level of expertise. We are confident Kevin's presence will
enable us to continue to grow North Valley Bancorp and improve its financial
performance."

Mr. Watson, age 40, Chief Financial Officer, previously worked from January,
2004 through February, 2006 as Chief Financial Officer of Calnet Business Bank,
and from April, 2001, was employed by California Independent Bancorp and Feather
River State Bank, becoming their Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Watson is a
graduate of California State University, Chico and received his Bachelor of
Science Degree in Business Administration and his Master of Science Degree in
Accounting.

North Valley Bancorp is a multi-bank holding company headquartered in Redding,
California. North Valley Bank ("NVB") operates twenty-one commercial banking
offices in Shasta, Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino and Trinity Counties in
Northern California including two in-store supermarket branches and two Business
Banking Centers. NVB Business Bank operates five commercial banking offices in
Yolo, Solano, Sonoma, Placer and Mendocino Counties in Northern California.
North Valley Bancorp, through its subsidiary banks, offers a wide range of
consumer and business banking deposit products and services including internet
banking and cash management services. In addition to these depository services,
NVB engages in a full complement of lending activities including consumer,
commercial and real estate loans, with particular emphasis on short and medium
term commercial loans. NVB has SBA Preferred Lender status and provides
investment services to its customers through an affiliated relationship. For
additional information, please visit the NOVB website at www.nvbancorp.com and
see the NOVB periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


Cautionary Statement: This release contains certain forward-looking statements
that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those stated herein. Management's assumptions and
projections are based on their anticipation of future events and actual
performance may differ materially from those projected. Risks and uncertainties
which could impact future financial performance include, among others, (a)
competitive pressures in the banking industry; (b) changes in the interest rate
environment; (c) general economic conditions, either nationally or regionally or
locally, including fluctuations in real estate values; (d) changes in the
regulatory environment; (e) changes in business conditions or the securities
markets and inflation; (f) possible shortages of gas and electricity at utility
companies operating in the State of California, and (g) the effects of
terrorism, including the events of September 11, 2001, and thereafter, and the
conduct of war on terrorism by the United States and its allies. Therefore, the
information set forth herein, together with other information contained in the
periodic reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, should be carefully considered when evaluating the business
prospects of the Company. North Valley Bancorp undertakes no obligation to
update any forward-looking statements contained in this release.

For further information contact:

North Valley Bancorp
Michael J, Cushman, President and CEO
(530) 226-2900