Short Takes: Crestar Financial Hires Private Banking Exec

Crestar Financial Corp. has hired R. Lanse Offen 3d to run its private banking office in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Offen joined the Richmond, Va.-based banking company from First National Bank of Maryland, where he oversaw private banking for the greater Washington area.

At Crestar, Mr. Offen oversees a staff of 16 that covers the greater Washington area, Baltimore and Annapolis. He replaces Georganne Ramage and reports to Crestar's head of private banking, executive vice president Herb E. Marth Jr.

First National, meanwhile has abandoned its efforts to provide credit products to private clients in Washington, said Walter R. Fatzinger Jr., president of the bank's Washington subsidiary.

Its money management subsidiary, Allied Investment Advisors, remains active in the area, he added.

Prior to working at First National Bank of Maryland, Mr. Offen spent five years at Riggs National Corp. as a senior vice president in charge of private banking. Before that, he worked at Bank of Boston Corp. for 19 years in trust and private banking, both internationally and domestically.

- Compiled by Howard Kapiloff and Katharine Fraser