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                                                                     EXHIBIT 3.1

                           ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

   I.     NAME: The name of the corporation shall be Sun Community Bancorp
          Limited.

  II.     DURATION: The period of duration shall be perpetual.

III.      PURPOSE: Sun Community Bancorp, Limited is organized for the purpose
          of engaging in business as a bank holding company, and any lawful
          activity reasonably related or incidental to a bank holding company,
          including: (i) transacting any and all lawful business for which
          corporations may be incorporated under the laws of the State of
          Arizona, as they may be amended from time to time; (ii) except as
          prohibited by law, to exercise any power and engage in any activity
          which it could exercise or engage in if it were a national banking
          association with its principal place of business in the State of
          Arizona; (iii) except as prohibited by law, to directly or through a
          bank subsidiary engage in any lawful activity which is reasonably
          related or incidental to banking and general trust business; (iv) to
          do the acts necessary to obtain and maintain insurance of its deposits
          by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; (v) to do the acts
          necessary to acquire and hold membership in the Federal Reserve
          System; and (vi) to directly or through a bank subsidiary, make any
          loan or investment, offer accounts or engage in any business activity
          authorized for national banking associations, federal savings banks,
          or state or federally chartered or licensed savings and loan
          associations doing business in the State of Arizona, except as
          prohibited by law.

  IV.     INITIAL BUSINESS: Sun Community Bancorp, Limited is organized and
          intended to operate as a bank holding company under the supervision of
          the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

   V.     AUTHORIZED CAPITAL: The aggregate number of shares which the
          corporation shall have authority to issue is 10,000,000 shares of
          common stock consisting of one class only. There shall be no par
          value.

  VI.     PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS: There shall be no preemptive rights granted to the
          shareholders.

 VII.     DIRECTOR LIABILITY: The personal liability of any director of the
          corporation to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary
          damages for breach of fiduciary duties as a director, is hereby
          eliminated to the fullest extent allowed by the General Corporation
          Law of the State of Arizona, as it may be amended from time to time.

VIII.     DIRECTOR LIABILITY: No provision limiting or eliminating the liability
          of directors may eliminate or limit the liability of a director for
          any act or omission occurring before the effective date of the
          provision.

  IX.     STATUTORY AGENT: The name and address of the initial statutory agent
          for Sun Community Bancorp, Limited is Joseph D. Reid, 4400 East
          Broadway, Tucson, Arizona 85711.
  
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   X.     BOARD OF DIRECTORS: There shall be one director constituting the
          initial board of directors of Sun Community Bancorp, Limited who
          shall serve as a director until the first annual meeting of
          shareholders. The director's name is Joseph D. Reid, 4400 East
          Broadway, Tucson, Arizona 85711.

  XI.     INCORPORATORS: The incorporators are as follows:

               Joseph D. Reid
               Bank of Tucson Financial Center
               4400 East Broadway
               Tucson, Arizona 85711


               Michael F. Hannley
               Bank of Tucson Financial Center
               4400 East Broadway 
               Tucson, Arizona 85711

 XII.     INDEMNIFICATION: The corporation shall indemnify, to the fullest
          extent allowed by the General Corporation Law, any person who incurs
          liability or expense by reason of such person acting as an officer or
          director of the corporation. This indemnification shall be mandatory
          in all circumstances in which indemnification is permitted by the
          General Corporation Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of these
          Articles, no person shall be entitled to indemnification or
          advancement or expenses with respect to any action, suit or
          proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative
          ("Proceeding"), or any claim therein, brought or made by him or her
          against the corporation, unless such Proceeding or claim is approved
          by the board of directors of the corporation.

XIII.     DIVIDENDS: The board of directors of the corporation may from time to
          time distribute on a pro rata basis to its shareholders out of capital
          surplus of the corporation, a portion of its assets in cash or
          property.

We, the incorporators sign our names this 24th day of October, 1996.

                                             /s/ Joseph D. Reid
                                             ---------------------------------
                                                 Joseph D. Reid

                                             /s/ Michael F. Hannley
                                             ---------------------------------
                                                 Michael F. Hannley


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