California United Bank to Expand into Orange County

California United Bank announced plans to expand into the Orange County market and has hired Shirley Wentzel and Lisa Gorelick to help lead operations in that area. The announcement is the most recent of the Encino-based bank’s strategic growth initiatives. The bank announced plans to expand into the Glendale/San Gabriel and Santa Monica markets earlier this year and in 2009 added a regional manager to its Encino office and formed the South Bay Commercial Center. Wentzel, who will serve as Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager, joins California United Bank from American Security Bank in Newport Beach where she was a Senior Regional Vice President focusing on Commercial and Private Banking. Prior to that, she was a Senior Vice President at US Bank, and before that held positions at American Interstate Bank, Far Western Bank, Great American Bank, and California First Bank. Gorelick also joins from American Security Bank, where she worked alongside Wentzel since 2005 in the role of Vice President, Relationship Manager. She has had a variety of relationship and operational roles at US Bank, Southern California Bank, National Bank of Southern California, Marine National Bank, and the Bank of Newport, all located in Orange County. “Our expansion into Orange County with experienced, well-known bankers is a continuation of our strategy to seize opportunities, even in this difficult economy, and to make investments to build long term shareholder value,” said President and CEO David Rainer in a statement. “Each of these locations furthers our plan to locate teams in areas densely populated by small and medium sized businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals. Our capital strength allows us to make these strategic investments which continue to build our franchise and future, rather than sacrifice long term development for short term profits.”