Bridge Bank announced it has launched a new banking group -- Equity Fund Resources -- which will serve as a centralized resource to Venture Capital (VC) and Private Equity (PE) investment funds, their partners and portfolio companies. The new group will enhance Bridge Bank's robust technology banking practice by offering services to equity funds including capital call lines of credit, treasury management tools and management company flexibility lines.

"The Equity Fund Resources group (EFR) is a natural and complementary extension of Bridge Bank's technology banking practice, with its years of experience as a resource to emerging tech companies and the private equity eco-system," said Thomas A. Sa, executive vice president and head of Bridge Bank's business lines. "With the additional resources brought by Western Alliance Bank, Bridge Bank is well-positioned to build on that strong foundation and offer a superior banking platform to VC and PE funds," he added.

Michael David, who joined Bridge Bank in August, was hired to lead Equity Fund Resources from a new office in Menlo Park, CA. "As I assessed the opportunity to work with Bridge Bank in forming this new group, it was clear that Bridge Bank is committed to becoming a leading resource to the VC and PE community. The recent merger with Western Alliance Bank provides a larger platform upon which to build, and together we are committed to creating a premier industry practice," said David.

Prior to joining Bridge Bank, David was managing director and group head of Fifth Street Technology Partners and previously spent over a decade at ORIX Ventures, where he led the creation and expansion of a $1 billion venture debt practice. Prior to that, Mr. David was senior vice president and managing director and founder of Venture Capital Services for Imperial Bank, acquired by Comerica, where he built and managed a nationwide network of strategic relationships with the venture capital and private equity communities.

Bridge Bank is a division of Western Alliance Bank, the go-to-bank for business in its growing markets. Bridge Bank was founded in 2001 in Silicon Valley to offer a better way to bank for small-market and middle-market businesses from across many industries, as well as emerging technology companies and the private equity community. Geared to serving both venture-backed and non-venture-backed companies, Bridge Bank offers a broad scope of financial solutions including growth capital, equipment and working capital credit facilities, sustainable energy project finance, venture debt, treasury management, asset-based lending, SBA and commercial real estate loans, ESOP finance and a full line of international products and services.