PORTERVILLE, Calif., July 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sierra Bancorp (Nasdaq: BSRR) parent of Bank of the Sierra today announced that it is included in the new NASDAQ Global Select Market. The NASDAQ Global Select Market has the highest initial listing standards of any exchange in the world based on financial and liquidity requirements. Prior to the change, the company had been listed on the NASDAQ National Market.

Beginning July 3, NASDAQ-listed companies will be classified under three listing tiers -- NASDAQ Global Select Market, NASDAQ Global Market, and NASDAQ Capital Market. NASDAQ also plans to launch indexes based on these new tiers.

"Sierra Bancorp is an example of an industry leader that has achieved superior listing standards, which clearly defines the essence of the NASDAQ Global Select Market," said Bruce Aust, Executive Vice President, of NASDAQ. "NASDAQ is focused on leading a race to the top in terms of listing qualifications. In recognizing these companies, we are highlighting their achievement in meeting the requirements to be included in the market with the highest listing standards in the world," added Mr. Aust.

NASDAQ announced the new three tier listing classification in February 2006. All three market tiers will maintain rigorous listing and corporate governance standards. For additional information about the NASDAQ Global Select Market, please go to: www.nasdaq.com/GlobalSelect.

About Sierra Bancorp

Sierra Bancorp is the holding company for Bank of the Sierra (www.bankofthesierra.com), which is in its 29th year of operations and is the largest independent bank headquartered in the South San Joaquin Valley. The Company has over $1.1 billion in total assets and currently maintains twenty branch offices, an agricultural credit center, and an SBA center. In June 2005, Sierra Bancorp was added to the Russell 2000 index based on relative growth in market capitalization. In its July 2005 edition, US Banker magazine ranked Sierra Bancorp as the nation's 8th best performing publicly-traded community bank based on three-year average return on equity.

About NASDAQ

NASDAQ is the largest U.S. electronic stock market. With approximately 3,200 companies, it lists more companies and, on average, trades more shares per day than any other U.S. market. It is home to companies that are leaders across all areas of business including technology, retail, communications, financial services, transportation, media and biotechnology. NASDAQ is the primary market for trading NASDAQ-listed stocks. For more information about NASDAQ, visit www.nasdaq.com or the NASDAQ Newsroom at http://www.nasdaq.com/newsroom/.

The statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. Readers are cautioned not to unduly rely on forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ from those projected. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including but not limited to the health of the national and California economies, the Company's ability to attract and retain skilled employees, customers' service expectations, the Company's ability to successfully de ploy new technology and gain efficiencies there from, the success of branch expansion, changes in interest rates, loan portfolio performance, the Company's ability to secure buyers for foreclosed properties, and other factors detailed in the Company's SEC filings.

SOURCE Sierra Bancorp