Sierra Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Bank of the Sierra that provides retail and commercial banking services to communities in the central and southern sections of the San Joaquin Valley in California. It offers various deposit products for individuals and businesses, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market demand accounts, time deposits, retirement accounts, sweep accounts, demand deposit accounts, and NOW accounts. The company's lending activities comprise real estate or construction loans for residential and commercial development; permanent mortgage loans, land acquisition and development loans, and multifamily credit facilities; commercial and industrial loans, including small business administration (SBA) loans; consumer loans; direct finance leases; and agricultural production loans. It also provides automated teller machines; electronic point-of-sale payment alternatives through the Pulse electronic funds transactions network; and automated telephone banking system services. As of April 23, 2012, the company operated 25 branch offices, an online branch, an agricultural credit center, and an SBA center. Its customers have access to approximately 35,000 automated teller machines nationwide, via the Allpoint network. Sierra Bancorp has a strategic alliance with Investment Centers of America, Inc. to provide non-deposit investment options. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Porterville, California.