 With many of the banks in its network tracing their lineage to local businesses, Westamerica has continued to emphasize serving the local small business community.The individual banks have attempted to retain their local identity and their local bank managers have been given the authority to tailor and price their products and services for the needs of the individual and small businesses in the local community.In an official filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Westamerica said its individual banks emphasized "big bank resources with small bank resourcefulness."