Pacific Western Bank announced that Bill Black has been appointed as Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development. In this newly created role, Mr. Black will focus on sourcing and evaluating prospective strategic opportunities for the Bank with the goal of generating improved financial results and shareholder value over time. He will serve as a member of the Bank's executive management team and will maintain his primary office in the Bank's New York City location.

"With Bill's extensive track record of success in the investment management arena, he will bring a fresh perspective to our plans for organic and opportunistic growth", said Matt Wagner, President and CEO. "His ability to connect with our current and potential investors, while contributing to our long-term corporate goals are critical as we enter the next phase of our development."

Mr. Black has over 23 years of experience in the financial services industry, most recently serving as the Managing Partner of Consector Capital, LP, a successful hedge fund he founded in August 2008.  Prior to that he spent two years serving as Vice President of Castle Creek Capital, a private equity firm after several years in the investment management and equity research businesses.  Mr. Black is a Chartered Financial Analyst® and a member of the New York Society of Securities Analysts. He earned his Bachelors of Arts degree from The Johns Hopkins University where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

Pacific Western Bank is a commercial bank with over $26 billion in assets headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with executive offices in Denver, Colorado.