California

Bay Commercial Bank in Walnut Creek, Calif., has agreed to buy First ULB in Oakland, Calif.

Pacific Premier Bancorp in Irvine, Calif., has agreed to buy Heritage Oaks Bancorp in Paso Robles, Calif.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco has bought Gradifi, a two-year old firm that works with small and large companies to help their employees pay down student debt.

A California bank is planning to add mortgages and home equity lines to its product set.

AltaPacific Bancorp in Santa Rosa, Calif., has promoted its chief operating officer an even bigger role.

The $3.5 billion-asset company submitted a shelf registration that lets it sell common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and warrants, among other things.

Banks and credit unions in California plan to participate in a new working group that will focus on the cannabis industry's lack of access to the mainstream financial system, according to state officials.

Pinnacle Bank in Gilroy, Calif., is looking to raise about $3 million through a rights offering.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., continues to bolster its credit ranks following a surprising third-quarter loss.

TriCo Bancshares in Chico, Calif., has hired a Wintrust Financial executive as its chief operating officer.

Heritage Oaks Bancorp in Paso Robles, Calif., has been freed from a consent order tied to Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money-laundering compliance.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., has hired a veteran risk manager to structure senior debt for commercial and specialty banking.

Sen. Jeff Sessions is one of the marijuana industry's staunchest foes. He could upend efforts by the Obama administration to persuade banks that it is safe to work with cannabis firms.

PacWest Bancorp in Los Angeles has agreed to sell four properties in California to a real estate firm.

The surprising outcome of last week's presidential election is already causing some banks to adjust interest rates on loans and rethink their technology spending.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco is looking to raise $287 million from a secondary offering.

Aaron Vermut has resigned as chief executive of Prosper Marketplace, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Vermut stepped down last week but will remain a director at the San Francisco-based online lender, according to the report, which cites unnamed sources.

The Trump transition team is said to have recommended that Steven Mnuchin be nominated Treasury secretary. A Goldman Sachs alum, he is known as a successful change agent for his roles in the transformation of the failed IndyMac into OneWest and the revamping of CIT, but some community reinvestment advocates remain critical of him.

Summit State Bank in Santa Rosa, Calif., has hired a rival’s chief credit officer.

Community banks in the Pacific Northwest and New England completed acquisitions late in the week, and the TIAA-EverBank deal has moved a step closer to reality.