Bank of America plans to hire 21 new small business bankers in the San Fernando Valley as part of a larger hiring effort. The bank plans to hire more than 1,000 of the new small business bankers nationwide with 110 of those positions already being filled in the greater Los Angeles area. There will be an additional 70 hires throughout the year across Southern California. Of the local hires, nine will be in the North Valley and 12 will be in the West Valley. The decision is part of the bank’s effort to provide more personalized attention to small business owners. Small business bankers will consult with small business owners at their businesses and assess their companies’ deposit, credit and cash management needs. Los Angeles was among the first three markets to begin hiring, with Dallas and the Baltimore-Washington, DC areas serving as the other markets. Jessica Vernabe