A Calif. Thrift and Loan Switches to Bank Charter

First Republic Bank has completed conversion from a thrift and loan to a commercial bank.

Under its new charter, $2.2 billion-asset First Republic can now offer demand deposit checking accounts to its business customers, a service it previously could not provide.

First Republic dissolved its holding company, First Republic Bancorp, as part of the reorganization and merged the company into First Republic Bank. The move will eliminate a layer of administration and cut overhead, said Willis Newton, chief financial officer.

The 12-year-old First Republic has 13 branches in California and Nevada.

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