Bay View Moving Asset-Based Unit to L.A. Area

Bay View Capital Corp., one of the largest thrifts in California, will move its asset-based lending division from San Mateo, its hometown, to the Los Angeles area in the beginning of 1998.

David Heaberlin, Bay View's chief financial officer, said Los Angeles offers far more potential than the Bay Area for asset-based loans to small businesses. Most of the company's customers are in the Los Angeles area.

"The Los Angeles market is enormous," Mr. Heaberlin said.

Asset-based lending has been heating up, and Mr. Heaberlin said the move would help $3.3 billion-asset Bay View expand its portfolio of asset-based loans to $100 million outstanding nationwide in 18 months. The company had $40 million outstanding in April, when it acquired Concord Growth Capital, a specialized asset-based lender.

Bay View hired Bruce C. English, a senior vice president and western region executive for Fremont Financial Corp., as president of the asset- based group, which has 100 employees. It also hired Fremont's top salesperson, Robert J. Parks, as senior vice president and national sales manager; Mr. Parks generated $40 million in new loans in 1997.

Bay View will take a $1.1 million pretax charge against earnings to pay for recruiting costs, relocation expenses, and severance benefits for employees in the asset-based lending office in San Mateo.