bank-black-white-adobe.jpg
The First National Bank Building in Independence Hall National Historic Park in black and white.

New wave of de novos

Numerous investor groups have submitted applications in recent months to open new banks. While far from a surge, the filings show that bankers are warming up to the idea of new charters. Here is a look at many of those efforts.
Molly Gallaher Flater, chairman of Blue Gate Bank.

Blue Gate Bank

Blue Gate Bank in Costa Mesa, Calif., opened on Jan. 23. Molly Gallaher Flater, the bank's chairman, began planning Blue Gate in 2015. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. approved the bank's application in October, requiring the founders to raise at least $30 million in capital.
raising-capital-adobe.jpg

Pacific Metro Bank

An investor group applied in October to form Pacific Metro Bank in Johns Creek, Ga., in hopes of tapping into Atlanta's fast-growing Chinese-American population. Jerry Lewis, the bank's proposed CEO, and other investors, many of them Chinese-Americans, want to raise up to $15 million in capital.
funding-tab-adobe.jpg
Funding

Endeavor Bank

Endeavor Bank would serve small and midsize businesses, business owners and professionals in California's San Diego County, according to an August application with the FDIC. No CEO was listed, but Christopher Woolley, a founder of Square 1 Bank, a North Carolina commercial bank that sold itself to PacWest Bancorp, is listed as a founder. Endeavor would have $25 million in initial capital.
bank-abstract-adobe.jpg
Glass facade with Bank inscription

Infinity Bank

The founders of Infinity Bank, which has also been referred to as SoCal Bank, applied in July 2016 to open in Santa Ana, Calif., and start with $30 million in shareholder equity. Karkutla Balkrishna is the proposed president and CEO.
deposit-slip-adobe.jpg
Macro shot of deposit slip with cash. Shallow DOF

TNB Corp.

TNB Corp. in Norwalk, Conn., has applied to become an insured bank that would offer low-risk deposit accounts to institutional investors. The founders said in an application that they plan to invest in "safe assets" such as securities. Jamie McAndres, TNB's proposed chairman and CEO, is a former head of the research and statistics group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he worked from to 2010 to 2016.
David Dotherow, CEO of the proposed Winter Park National Bank.

Winter Park National Bank

A group in Florida has applied to form Winter Park National Bank. The proposed bank's CEO, David Dotherow, founded New Traditions Bank, which was sold to Old Florida Bancshares in 2012 and is now part of Iberiabank. Winter Park aims to be the first bank to open with a national charter in about seven years.
shaking-hands-deal-adobe.jpg
Business people shaking hands in office

Bank of Austin

Organizers of Bank of Austin applied in December to open with at least $35 million of capital. It would have close ties to nearby Bank of San Antonio. Four Bank of Austin founders are on the board of Bank of San Antonio, including J. Bruce Bugg Jr., who will be chairman of both banks. Jon Eckert, who has been a commercial banker with Comerica, would be president and CEO.
combination-safe-adobe.jpg
Closeup of combination safe lock ~ blue duotone.

International Bank of Commerce/Tennessee Bank & Trust

Two other de novos are more directly tied to existing banks. International Bank of Commerce applied in January 2016 to turn its Oklahoma operations into a separately chartered bank. The application was approved in December; it opened a month later.

Tennessee Bank & Trust in Green Hills, which operates as part of Farmers Bancorp in Blytheville, Ark., applied in October for its own charter. Gaylon Lawrence Jr., who owns Farmers, would also own the proposed bank. The application is still pending.
cancelled-stamp-adobe.jpg
Seal cancelled stamped on paper planner

Core Commercial Bank

Core Commercial Bank applied in November 2015 to open in Newport Beach, Calif., with up to $27.5 million in shareholder equity and leaders from banks such as Commerce National, Newport Private Bank and Grandpoint Bank. The charter was approved, but founders scrapped plans for the bank when they were unable to raise enough capital.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER