Veteran community banker James W. Lokey has been appointed to the board of Community West Bancshares, bringing a veteran dealmaker into the Community West ranks and strengthening the Goleta-based bank’s push into San Luis Obispo County.

Lokey, a resident of SLO County, was the longtime CEO of Mid-State Bank & Trust and negotiated that bank’s sale to Rabobank at a pre-recession premium in 2007. From 2010-2014, he was chairman of Mission Community Bancorp. and he retired after that bank’s sale to Heritage Oaks Bancorp.

“James is exceedingly well known and highly respected,” Community West Chairman William Peeples said in a statement that cited Lokey’s 42-year career in community banking.

Lokey has been active in several blue-chip SLO County organizations, including Cal Poly Corp. and French Hospital Medical Center.

A month ago, Community West named William F. Flippin, a former Mission Community executive, as market area president for its newly opened loan office in SLO County. The bank, which operates throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, has indicated it could open several loan offices or branches as it builds out the northern part of its franchise.