SAN FRANCISCO, April 1, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- City National Bank announced today that it has appointed Michael R. Walker to serve as executive vice president and regional executive of its growing Bay Area region.
Walker will be responsible for City National's commercial banking activities throughout the Bay Area. The company, which offers the resources, regional contacts, and industry expertise that midsize companies need to grow and enhance their competitive advantage, also provides a complete array of services that range from business and real estate lending to equipment leasing, cash management, and wealth management.
Walker will join the bank's 21-member Executive Committee. He succeeds Robert Brant, who retired from City National last year.
"We're delighted that Michael will lead the continued growth of our Northern California operations," said Christopher Warmuth, president of City National Bank. "City National is a leading lender to the Bay Area's business community, and Michael is committed to helping local companies succeed."
Walker's extensive experience includes positions of increasing responsibility in commercial and investment banking, as well as financing for entrepreneurs. He was president of U.S. Bancorp's Northern California region from 2005 until 2013 and was also head of the company's corporate banking business on the West Coast. He has worked in key roles at several banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Chemical Securities, and Manufacturers Hanover Trust. Walker spent two years as managing director of San Francisco-based GFP Advisors, a boutique middle-market advisory firm, where he was responsible for business development and transaction execution with a focus on corporate finance and capital raising.
Walker is affiliated with the California Chamber of Commerce and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, serves on the board of directors of the Bay Area Council and Jewish Vocational Service, and is on the board of trustees of the National Hispanic University Foundation in San Jose. He is a graduate of Georgetown University.
City National has been serving the Bay Area since 1999 and now has 12 offices, including two new offices in Pleasanton and the South of Market area. In addition, the bank's Palo Alto office was recently relocated to larger office space and now houses the bank's growing technology and venture capital banking group. City National now has more than 200 colleagues in the Bay Area.
For images of Walker go to: https://cnb.com/PublishingImages/Michael_Walker.jpg
About City National
City National has grown to nearly $30 billion in assets with more than 3,500 colleagues and 77 banking offices in five states. It is the 23rd largest American commercial bank, and has been profitable for 83 consecutive quarters. The bank and its wealth management affiliates oversee more than $64 billion in client investment assets. City National has been listed by Barron's as one of the nation's top 40 wealth management firms for the past 13 years.
For more information about City National, visit the company's Website at cnb.com.