Goleta-based Community West Bank has hired two new executives as the bank expands into San Luis Obispo County and maps out future growth.
The bank’s parent company, Community West Bancshares, announced on Feb. 1 that it hired Brian Schwabecher as its senior vice president and regional market manager and Elizabeth Crandall as the vice president and relationship manager for the Goleta and Santa Barbara area.
“We are very pleased to have Brian join our senior management team,” Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer Bill Filippin said in a news release. “His extensive business knowledge and over 12 years of local banking experience will serve our clients and the bank well as we develop our plans for future growth and expansion.”
Prior to joining Community West, Schwabecher was the regional manager of the business banking group at Union Bank in Santa Barbara and the regional manager of the commercial banking group at Santa Barbara Bank & Trust.
Crandall was the commercial loan officer at Wells Fargo in Santa Barbara.
Community West recently announced plans to capitalize on tri-county market exits and mergers by opening a branch in San Luis Obispo.
Community West’s sixth tri-county branch, pending approval from federal regulators, would open in the third or fourth quarter of 2016 at 4464 Broad St. Its first full-service branch in San Luis Obispo County would replace the loan production office it opened at 1977 Santa Barbara Ave. in September. The company plans to continue to grow in San Luis Obispo and the surrounding region.
• Contact Alex Kacik at akacik@pacbiztimes.com.