Mechanics Bank has appointed Kelly Johnston as executive vice president and director of wealth management. The industry veteran will lead the Bank?s longtime Wealth Management unit, with a focus on providing additional offerings in trust and estate services, retirement planning, employee benefit plans, specialty asset management and private banking. Johnston brings nearly three decades of experience in managing multigenerational family wealth, the administration of complex trusts and estates, and a host of family wealth services.

Before returning to Mechanics Bank, Johnston held leadership roles for nine years at First Republic Bank, where she most recently was president of First Republic Trust Company and executive vice president of Private Wealth Management. She began her career at Mechanics Bank in December 2008, overseeing numerous wealth management and trust services for approximately 14 years. Johnston is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) from the Institute of Certified Bankers and a Certified Wealth Strategist (CWS) from Cannon Financial Institute.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Saint Mary?s College and an MBA from Texas A&M University. Working closely with Johnston are private banking professionals Phil Donnici, managing director, and Lauren Goeppert, senior relationship manager. Donnici has worked extensively with entrepreneurial and established clients in many industries including legal, financial services, technology and real estate for 14 years.

Before joining Mechanics Bank, he was a managing director and district manager at First Republic Bank. With 13 years of industry experience, Goeppert specializes in providing banking and lending guidance to legal professionals through various phases of their careers. Previously, she was a senior relationship manager at First Republic Bank.