 The article noted that the meet-the-customer approach had helped Westamerica achieve a position as a super-community bank which could effectively compete with California banking giants such as First Interstate, Wells Fargo, and BankAmerica Corp.The bank also has created niche products and services for its individual customers, particularly affluent professionals and people over the age of 50 years.Payne described his strategy as "working my niches and working them well" in an article in the April 17, 1995 issue of the Business Journal for Sacramento, California.