Branch Manager

The chairman and the vice president of Japan's Sumitomo Bank, the world's third-largest bank, have resigned to take responsibility for a former branch manager's alleged link to a stock speculation scandal. Chairman Ichio Isoda announced Oct. 7 that he would resign following the arrest of a former branch manager on suspicion of offering illegal loans to a stock speculator. But there had been no prior announcement that Vice President Teizaburo Nishi would resign.

Ventura County National Bank has announced changes in two of its management positions. Denis Weber has been named vice president and manager of the bank's Camarillo office. Pat Richards, Camarillo branch manager since 1992, has been named regional vice president for business development. Weber joined Ventura County National Bank earlier this year as vice president and business development officer.

My husband is a very patient man. So when David decided it was time to take charge of his ailing 92-year-old dad's finances, he was prepared for questions from Bank of America, where Jack has banked for many years. With financial rip-offs of the elderly commonplace, banks can't be too careful about who gets access to parents' personal identification numbers or safe deposit boxes. In fact, state law can hold banks liable if their negligence greases the skids for an elder scammer.

A Shearson Lehman Bros. branch manager who had been implicated in wrongdoing at his huge Manhattan brokerage office gave up his post Tuesday and will go back to being a broker, the firm said. Robert L. Tarlowe, head of Shearson's 55 Water St. office, was censured and fined $5,000 a year ago after settling New York Stock Exchange charges. The charges were part of a NYSE case that found widespread cheating of customers by brokers in the office. Tarlowe and the 55 Water St.

Thomas M. Shepherd has been appointed senior vice president and branch manager of California State Bank's Newport Beach office. He was formerly senior vice president and loan administrator for Commerce Bank. * Phillip L. Luecht Jr. has been appointed vice president in charge of sales and the Insurance Services division for the Costa Mesa office of Johnson & Higgins.