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                                                                   Exhibit (10)f

                 1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN OF SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.:

                       NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT


SJNB Financial Corp., a California corporation (the "Company"), hereby grants an
option to purchase shares of its common stock to the optionee named below. The
terms and conditions of the option are set forth in this cover sheet, in the
attachment and in the 1996 Stock Option Plan of SJNB Financial Corp. (the
"Plan").



Date of Option Grant: ________ __, ____

Name of Optionee: ____________________________

Optionee's Social Security Number: ___-__-____

Number of Common Shares Covered by Option: 5,000

Exercise Price per Share: $__.___

Vesting Start Date: _________ __, ____



          BY SIGNING THIS COVER SHEET, YOU AGREE TO ALL OF THE TERMS
          AND CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN THE ATTACHMENT AND IN THE PLAN.




Optionee: _________________________________
                      (Signature)




Company: ______________________________________
                      (Signature)

         Title:  ______________________________




Attachment
----------

                                                              Outside Directors



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                 1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN OF SJNB FINANCIAL CORP.:

                       NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT


NONSTATUTORY        This option is not intended to be an incentive stock option 
STOCK OPTION        under section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code.

VESTING             Your right to exercise this option shall become exercisable
                    in four installments at 12-month intervals over the 48-month
                    period starting on the Vesting Start Date, as shown on the
                    cover sheet. The first installment consists of 40% of the
                    shares subject to this option, and each of the three
                    subsequent installments consists of 20% of the shares
                    subject to this option.

                    The entire option vests and will be exercisable in full if
                    any one of the following occurs:

                    o    Your service as a director, consultant, adviser or
                         employee of the Company terminates because of death,
                         total and permanent disability or retirement at or
                         after age 70, or

                    o    The Company is subject to a "Change in Control" (as
                         defined in the Plan) while you are a director,
                         consultant, adviser or employee of the Company.

                    No additional shares become exercisable after your service
                    as a director, consultant, adviser or employee of the
                    Company has terminated for any reason.

TERM                Your option will expire in any event at the close of
                    business at Company headquarters on the day before the 10th
                    anniversary of the Date of Option Grant, as shown on the
                    cover sheet. (It will expire earlier if your Company service
                    terminates, as described below.)

REGULAR             If your service as a director, consultant, adviser or
TERMINATION         employee of the Company terminates for any reason except
                    death or total and permanent disability, then your option
                    will expire at the close of business at Company headquarters
                    on the date three months after your termination date.


                                       -2-                     Outside Directors

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                    The Company determines when your service terminates for this
                    purpose.

DEATH               If you die as a director, consultant, adviser or employee of
                    the Company, then your option will expire at the close of
                    business at Company headquarters on the date 12 months after
                    the date of death.

DISABILITY          If your service as a director, consultant, adviser or
                    employee of the Company terminates because of your total and
                    permanent disability, then your option will expire at the
                    close of business at Company headquarters on the date 12
                    months after your termination date.

                    For all purposes under this Agreement, "total and permanent
                    disability" means that you are unable to engage in any
                    substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically
                    determinable physical or mental impairment which can be
                    expected to result in death or which has lasted, or can be
                    expected to last, for a continuous period of not less than
                    one year.

LEAVES OF           For purposes of this option, your service does not terminate
ABSENCE             when you go on a military leave, a sick leave or another
                    bona fide leave of absence, if the leave was approved by the
                    Company in writing. But your service terminates immediately
                    when the approved leave ends, unless you immediately return
                    to active work.

RESTRICTIONS        The Company will not permit you to exercise this option if
ON EXERCISE         the issuance of shares at that time would violate any law or
                    regulation.

NOTICE OF           When you wish to exercise this option, you must notify the
EXERCISE            Company by filing the proper "Notice of Exercise" form at
                    the address given on the form. Your notice must specify how
                    many shares you wish to purchase. Your notice must also
                    specify how your shares should be registered (in your name
                    only or in your and your spouse's names as community
                    property or as joint tenants with right of survivorship).
                    The notice will be effective when it is received by the
                    Company.


                                       -3-                     Outside Directors

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                    If someone else wants to exercise this option after your
                    death, that person must prove to the Company's satisfaction
                    that he or she is entitled to do so.

FORM OF             When you submit your notice of exercise, you must include
PAYMENT             payment of the option price for the shares you are
                    purchasing. Payment may be made in one (or a combination of
                    two or more) of the following forms:

                    o    Your personal check, a cashier's check or a money
                         order.

                    o    Certificates for Company stock that you have owned for
                         at least six months, along with any forms needed to
                         effect a transfer of the shares to the Company. The
                         value of the shares, determined as of the effective
                         date of the option exercise, will be applied to the
                         option price.

                    o    Irrevocable directions to a securities broker approved
                         by the Company to sell your option shares and to
                         deliver all or a portion of the sale proceeds to the
                         Company in payment of the option price. (The balance of
                         the sale proceeds, if any, will be delivered to you.)
                         The directions must be given by signing a special
                         "Notice of Exercise" form provided by the Company.

                    o    Irrevocable directions to a securities broker or lender
                         approved by the Company to pledge shares as security
                         for a loan and to deliver all or part of the loan
                         proceeds to the Com- pany in payment of the option
                         price. The directions must be given by signing a
                         special "Notice of Exercise" form provided by the
                         Company.

WITHHOLDING         You will not be allowed to exercise this option unless you
TAXES               make acceptable arrangements to pay any withholding taxes
                    that may be due as a result of the option exercise.

RESTRICTIONS        By signing this Agreement, you agree not to sell any option
ON RESALE           shares at a time when applicable laws or Company policies
                    prohibit a sale. This restriction will apply as long as you
                    are a director, consultant, adviser or employee of the
                    Company (or a subsidiary).

                                       -4-                     Outside Directors

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TRANSFER OF         Prior to your death, only you may exercise this option. You
OPTION              cannot transfer or assign this option. For instance, you may
                    not sell this option or use it as security for a loan. If
                    you attempt to do any of these things, this option will
                    immediately become invalid. You may, however, dispose of
                    this option in your will or a beneficiary designation.

                    Regardless of any marital property settlement agreement, the
                    Company is not obligated to honor a notice of exercise from
                    your former spouse, nor is the Company obligated to
                    recognize your former spouse's interest in your option in
                    any other way.

RETENTION           Your option or this Agreement do not give you the right to
RIGHTS              be retained by the Company (or any subsidiaries) in any
                    capacity. The Company (and any subsidiaries) reserve the
                    right to terminate your service at any time, with or without
                    cause.

SHAREHOLDER         You, or your estate or heirs, have no rights as a
RIGHTS              shareholder of the Company until a certificate for your
                    option shares has been issued. No adjustments are made for
                    dividends or other rights if the applicable record date
                    occurs before your stock certificate is issued, except as
                    described in the Plan.

ADJUSTMENTS         In the event of a stock split, a stock dividend or a similar
                    change in Company stock, the number of shares covered by
                    this option and the exercise price per share may be adjusted
                    pursuant to the Plan.

APPLICABLE LAW      This Agreement will be interpreted and enforced under the
                    laws of the State of California.

THE PLAN AND        The text of the Plan is incorporated in this Agreement by
OTHER AGREE-        reference.
MENTS
                    This Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire
                    understanding between you and the Company regarding this
                    option. Any prior agreements, commitments or negotiations
                    concerning this option are superseded. This Agreement may be
                    amended only by another written agreement, signed by both
                    parties.

BY SIGNING THE COVER SHEET OF THIS AGREEMENT, YOU AGREE TO ALL OF THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND IN THE PLAN.

                                       -5-                     Outside Directors