North Bay Business Journal

First Community leaps to No. 1 on SBA list as lending overall rises

NORTH BAY — Santa Rosa-based First Community Bank loaned the greatest amount of dollars to small businesses in the North Bay through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 7(a) program in the 2011 fiscal year, jumping 10 places ahead to No. 1 and joining a wave of lending both locally and across the country.

Sonoma Bank opens home mortgage centers

SANTA ROSA — Sonoma Bank announced it is opening home mortgage lending centers that will be overseen by Robb Kenyon, who will serve as regional director for parent company Sterling Financial Corporation.

Video: Tony Magee tells the story of Lagunitas Brewing Co.

This video introduced a panel discussion July 14 led by Lagunitas Brewing Co. founder Tony Magee on tips for entrepreneurs in branding, management and finance. Mr. Magee took Lagunitas from a second-job dream in 1993 to a $40 million-a-year company. Guiding him were Ken Dansie, now with Burr Pilger Mayer, and the commercial bankers now with Sonoma Bank.

Q & A: Sterling Financial CEO Greg Seibly reflects on a bank’s turnaround

SANTA ROSA/SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane, Wash.-based Sterling Financial Corporation, parent company of Sonoma Bank, successfully navigated its way through an October 2009 order by regulators to repair its balance sheet.

Banking & Finance: In sharp turnaround, Sonoma Bank owner Sterling reports profit

Washington-based Sterling Financial, the owner of Sonoma Bank and whose future was uncertain just a year ago, has quickly returned to profitability. … Julie Stears has been appointed vice president and manager of Rabobank’s Napa branch. … Summit State Bank has been awarded the honor of being one of California’s “Premier” Performing Banks for 2010 by The Findley Report.

Spotlight: Leaders in Commercial Banking in 2011

Following are many of the leading professionals in commercial lending across the North Bay. (Listed alphabetically by institution name)

Business Journal Q&A: Top lenders give their outlook, tips for getting financing

NORTH BAY — The economy is still challenged, and businesses are still struggling. But there are some positive things happening, according to leading SBA lenders in the North Bay.

Banking & Finance: Veteran banker Williams joins Sonoma Bank

Veteran North Bay banker Jamie Williams has joined Sonoma Bank as commercial banking regional director. … Wells Fargo’s San Francisco-based economist Gary Schlossberg noted Sonoma County has about 200 food processors, an industry posting 3 percent growth. … Bingham, Osborn and Scarborough LLC, a wealth management firm with offices in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, has opened a new office in Healdsburg. … Umpqua Bank officially announced its first Santa Rosa location.

Regulators lift Sterling order

SPOKANE, Wash. — Sterling Financial Corporation, parent company of Sonoma Bank, today announced that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Washington Department of Financial Institutions lifted a cease and desist order put in place in October 2009 with Sterling Savings Bank.

Sonoma Bank parent Sterling closes $730 million cash infusion

NORTH BAY — Sterling Financial Corp., parent company of Sonoma Bank in Santa Rosa and Sterling Savings Bank, last week completed a transaction raising $730 million, bringing the bank to the required capital ratios set by regulators and leading the institution on the road to recovery.

Banking & Finance: Are regulators stifling local bank lending?

‘David suffering for Goliath’s sins;’ also, 2 in top Bauer rank There are two fewer locally based banks in the North Bay than there were at this time last year. Tamalpais Bank was shut down by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and purchased by Union Bank. Napa Community Bank, previously under the parent company of Capitol Bancorp [...]

Women in Business 2010: 10 years of honoring women business leaders

Savvy women business leaders have been beating the odds for decades in the North Bay, rising past glass ceilings and making their mark in all segments of the business community.

Sonoma Bank parent receives $134.7 million

SPOKANE, Wash. — Sonoma Bank parent company Sterling Financial Corporation announced a capital infusion of $134.7 million from a private equity firm, helping Sterling meet the requirements of a federal regulatory order in October of last year.

Banking & Finance: Union Bank opening Sonoma branch; Circle sets new headquarters

Union Bank is opening its first full-service branch in Sonoma in May. It will be the San Francisco-headquartered bank’s fourth North Bay location.

Spotlight: Leaders in Commercial Banking

(Listed alphabetically by name)

Treasury says Sonoma Bank owner must raise $650 million

SPOKANE, WASH. — Sterling Financial Corp., owner of Sonoma Bank in Santa Rosa, today said it is in active negotiations with several private equity investors, its major creditors and its regulators about various strategic alternatives designed to put Sterling on a sound financial footing and to allow it to recapitalize and grow its business.

Banking: Of FDIC orders impacting 219 banks, most meet agreements

In a year when Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. intervention in banks has skyrocketed, odds are favorable that two North Bay institutions receiving cease and desist orders can be successful in meeting FDIC requirements.

Sterling Savings, owner of Sonoma Bank, under FDIC order

UPDATED 2:45 P.M. SPOKANE, Wash. — Sterling Financial Corp., owner of Sonoma Bank in Santa Rosa, today announced that its subsidiary, Sterling Savings Bank, has entered into agreements with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. requiring it to strengthen its financial position.

Banking column: Officials say banks likely to take losses on $19.2 million in Carinalli loans

Banks will likely end up taking losses on a large portion or all of the $19.2 million in unsecured and under-secured loans made to long-time Sonoma County real estate investor Clem Carinalli.

Nine of the 14 financial institutions named in the recent U.S. Bankruptcy Court filings have unsecured loans and three are headquartered locally.

BANKING: Banking veterans in SBA, lending make moves

Also: Ex-Prudential executive joining Redwood Trust Inc.