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                                                                  EXHIBIT 4.4


                                   TRUST AGREEMENT



         This TRUST AGREEMENT, dated as of August 18, 1997 (this "Trust 
Agreement"), among Pacific Crest Capital, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the 
"Depositor"), (ii) Wilmington Trust Company a Delaware banking corporation, 
as trustee (the "Delaware Trustee"), and (iii) Gary L. Wehrle, Lyle C. 
Lodwick, and Robert J. Dennen, each an individual, as trustees (the 
"Administrative Trustees" and, together with the Delaware Trustee, the 
"Trustees"). The Depositor and the Trustees hereby agree as follows:

         1.   The trust created hereby (the "Trust") shall be known as "PCC
Trust I" in which name the Trustees, or the Depositor to the extent provided
herein, may engage in the transactions contemplated hereby, make and execute
contracts, and sue and be sued.

         2.   The Depositor hereby assigns, transfers, conveys and sets over to
the Trustees the sum of Ten Dollars ($10.00).  The Trustees hereby acknowledge
receipt of such amount in trust from the Depositor, which amount shall
constitute the initial trust estate.  The Trustees hereby declare that they will
hold the trust estate in trust for the Depositor.  It is the intention of the
parties hereto that the Trust created hereby constitute a business trust under
Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, 12 Del. C. Section 3801, ET SEQ.
(the "Business Trust Act"), and that this document constitutes the governing
instrument of the Trust. The parties hereto hereby ratify the Trustees' 
filing of a Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State under 
the name "PCC Trust I." The parties hereto also hereby authorize the 
Delaware Trustee to file a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of 
Trust to change the name of the Trust to PCC Capital I.

         3.   The Depositor and the Trustees will enter into an amended and
restated Trust Agreement, satisfactory to each such party and substantially in
the form included as an exhibit to the 1933 Act Registration Statement (as
defined below), to provide for the contemplated operation of the Trust created
hereby and the issuance of the Trust Preferred Securities and Common Securities
referred to therein.  Prior to the execution and delivery of such amended and
restated Trust Agreement, the Trustees shall not have any duty or obligation
hereunder or with respect to the trust estate, except as otherwise required by
applicable law or as may be necessary to obtain prior to such execution and
delivery any licenses, consents or approvals required by applicable law or
otherwise.

         4.   The Depositor and the Trustees hereby authorize and direct the 
Administrative Trustees, (i) to file with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (the "Commission") and execute, in each case on behalf of the 
Trust, (a) the Registration Statement on Form S-2 (the "1933 Act Registration 
Statement"), including any pre-effective or post-effective amendments to the 
1933 Act Registration Statement, relating to the registration under the 
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of the Trust Preferred Securities of the 
Trust and possibly

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certain other securities and (b) if required, a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A (the "1934 Act Registration Statement") (including all pre-effective
and post-effective amendments thereto) relating to the registration of the Trust
Preferred Securities of the Trust under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended; (ii) to file with the Nasdaq National Market or a national stock
exchange (each, an "Exchange") and execute on behalf of the Trust one or more
listing applications and all other applications, statements, certificates,
agreements and other instruments as shall be necessary or desirable to cause the
Trust Preferred Securities to be listed on any of the Exchanges; (iii) to file
and execute on behalf of the Trust such applications, reports, surety bonds,
irrevocable consents, appointments of attorney for service of process and other
papers and documents as shall be necessary or desirable to register the Trust
Preferred Securities under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions
as the Depositor, on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or desirable; and
(iv) to execute on behalf of the Trust that certain Underwriting Agreement
relating to the Trust Preferred Securities, among the Trust, the Depositor and
the Underwriter named therein, substantially in the form included as an exhibit
to the 1933 Act Registration Statement.  In the event that any filing referred
to in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above is required by the rules and regulations
of the Commission, an Exchange or state securities or blue sky laws to be
executed on behalf of the Trust by one or more of the Trustees, each of the
Trustees, in such Trustee's capacity as a trustee of the Trust, is hereby
authorized and, to the extent so required, directed to join in any such filing
and to execute on behalf of the Trust any and all of the foregoing, it being
understood that the Delaware Trustee in its capacity as a trustee of the
Trust shall not be required to join in any such filing or execute on behalf of
the Trust any such document unless required by the rules and regulations of the
Commission, the Exchange or state securities or blue sky laws.  In connection
with the filings referred to above, the Depositor and Gary L. Wehrle, Lyle C.
Lodwick and Robert J. Dennen, each as Trustees and not in their individual
capacities, hereby constitutes and appoints Gary L. Wehrle, Lyle C. Lodwick and
Robert J. Dennen, and each of them, as the Depositor's or such Trustee's true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for the Depositor or such Trustee or in the Depositor's or such
Trustee's name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to the 1933 Act Registration
Statement and the 1934 Act Registration Statement (if required) and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,
with the Commission, the Exchange and administrators of the state securities or
blue sky laws, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in connection therewith, as fully and to all intents and purposes as
the Depositor or such Trustee might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their
respective substitute or substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

         5.   This Trust Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts.

         6.   The number of Trustees initially shall be four (4) and thereafter
the number of Trustees shall be such number as shall be fixed from time to time
by a written instrument signed by the Depositor which may increase or decrease
the number of Trustees; provided, however, that


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to the extent required by the Business Trust Act, one Trustee shall either be a
natural person who is a resident of the State of Delaware or, if not a natural
person, an entity which has its principal place of business in the State of
Delaware and otherwise meets the requirements of applicable Delaware law.
Subject to the foregoing, the Depositor is entitled to appoint or remove without
cause any Trustee at any time.  The Trustees may resign upon thirty (30) days'
prior notice to the Depositor.

         7.   This Trust Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict
of laws of principles).

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Trust
Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

                             PACIFIC CREST CAPITAL, INC.
                             as Depositor


                             By: /s/ Robert J. Dennen
                                ---------------------------------------

                             Name: Robert J. Dennen
                             Title: Chief Financial Officer


                             WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
                             as Trustee


                             By: /s/ James P. Lawler
                                ---------------------------------------

                             Name: James P. Lawler
                             Title: Vice President


                             By: /s/ Gary L. Wehrle
                                ---------------------------------------
                             Gary L. Wehrle, as Administrative Trustee


                             By: /s/ Lyle C. Lodwick
                                ---------------------------------------
                             Lyle C. Lodwick, as Administrative Trustee


                             By: /s/ Robert J. Dennen
                                ---------------------------------------
                             Robert J. Dennen, as Administrative Trustee


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