Bank of the West to Expand Small-Business Lending Unit

Bank of the West plans to almost double the size of its small-business banking team during the next year.

The $59 billion-asset unit of BNP Paribas has increased the number of bankers on its small business team to 63 from 36 this year. It plans to add more than 50 in the next year in states such as California, Oregon, Utah and New Mexico and cities such as Denver, Minneapolis and Omaha, Neb.

Bank of the West was the 37th largest supplier of Small Business Administration 7(a) loans in 2011, up from 94th in 2010, the San Francisco company said in a press release Monday.

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