March 2025 Business Magazine by Los Angeles Times, The Envelope

RAUL ANAYA

BANK OF AMERICA’SBUSINESS

BANKING PRESIDENT TAKES ON ANEW ROLE -L.A.’S RECOVERY

ENTREPRENEURSHELPING TRANSFORM EL SEGUNDO INTO AN ENTERTAINMENT MECCA

THE TOPBANKS, CREDIT UNIONS ANDMBA PROGRAMS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIATHISYEAR

BANKING AND FINANCE VISIONARIES

U.S. Bank salutesthe LA Times Studios banking &finance industry2025 Visionaries Francine Flores,BrianHernandez and Spencer Smith. Thankyou for yourleadership at U.S. Bank and for your commitment to the Los Angeles community!

Alwaysopenat usbank.com or with the U.S. Bank MobileApp.

FrancineFlores

CO NGR AT ULATIO NS

Helloreaders, andwelcometothe Business by LA Times Studios Magazine

For2025,we’ve updated and upgradedthis publication, drawing from themostimportant need-to-know insights in Southern Californiaand beyond, to create an encompassing and fascinating look at howbusinesses of allkinds shape themselves andour everyday lives

In addition to adding new departments focusing on sectors likecapital, innovation, entrepreneurship,AIand tech, and commercial realestate,we’ll go beyond the quarterlies and charts to focus on the peoplecreating them

In this issue, we speak withBank of America’s newly appointed lead forwildfire recovery Raul Anaya.We’ll also delve into financial trends for 2025 and takealook at howthe cityofElSegundo is rapidly becoming a work/entertainment mecca.You’llalsofind the list of the region’s top banks, credit unions and MBA programs.

And, of course,wewillfeature 2025’s Banking and Finance Visionaries.These major players in theﬁnancial sector arethe reason SouthernCalifornia holdsits place as abanking powerhouse.

Finally, I’mexcited to announcethat the Business by LA Times Studios will now be amonthlypublication –every 30 daysyou can expect more insights about the rapidly changing business world.

We will be promoting these stories online as well, and we inviteyou to follow us:

@latimesstudiosbusiness

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Anna Magzanyan

annamagzanyan @magzanyan

AnnaMagzanyan President of LA TimesStudios

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jack Needham

Contributing Writer

David Nusbaum

Contributing Writer & Research Consultant

Paul Williams

Contributing Writer

PROJECT &PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

Helen Chang Director,ProgramManagement

Karren Adamyan Manager,Projects

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MikeKechichian EVP,Client Solutions

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Roundup

This month’stop deals from around Southern California

Inthe dynamic mergers & acquisitions environment of Southern California,companies expand, acquire others and reorganize themselves every day.Here are some of thebiggest splashes companies have made since the beginning of 2025.

HuntingtonBeach-based KabanaSoft Acquired by New York-based Yext Inc. for$20.3M KabanaSoft, aHuntingtonBeach-based software companydoingbusiness as Places Scout, was acquired by New York-based Yext Inc. for $20.3 million on February7.The company’ssearch engine optimization software targets online business marketing and visibility reporting, such as brand audits, ranktracking, reputation monitoring, listing audits, competitive analysisand lead generation. KabanaSoft wasfounded in 2011.

“Bringing Places Scout’sdatainto Yext immediatelyenhances our competitive intelligence capabilities, helping brands not just see where theystand but know exactly what steps to take to outperform their competition,”saidMichael Walrath, chief executive of Yext, in astatement.

Bidna&Keys servedaslegal advisor to Places Scout, andWilson Sonsini Goodrich &Rosati served as legal advisor to Yext.

Encore Fire Protection Sold to Permira for $1.8B

Encore FireProtection, acompanybacked by LosAngeles private equityﬁrm Levine LeichtmanCapital Partners, wassold to Permira,aLondon-based investment ﬁrm, for $1.8 billion, including debt.

The companyspecializes in ﬁre safety services such as inspection, installation and maintenance of ﬁre alarms andequipment.

In January,Encore Fire Protection recently acquired Fireline Corp., aMid-Atlantic provider of ﬁre and lifesafety equipment.

Encore wasfounded in 1983 andprimarilyworks with businesses from VirginiatoNorthern Maine Commercial customers include commercial real estate,education, healthcare,hospitals and apartment buildings, among others.

[Continues on page 61]

RevolveGroup, Inc. Reports Strong Fourth Quarter

The fashion retailer showed strong YoYgrowth,plans retail location in The Grovein2025

Revolve Group, Inc. (NYSE: RVLV), aleading nextgeneration fashion retailer catering to Millennial and Generation Zconsumers, announced impressive ﬁnancial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December31, 2024. Thecompany demonstrated strong growth, with substantial year-over-year increases in revenue,net income and adjusted EBITDA.

In addition, its limited-time Revolve retail location at LosAngeles’The Grove will transitioninto apermanent space.Spanning 8,450squarefeet, the two-story storewill featurea handpicked collection of customer-favorite Revolve brands, acurated selection from FWRDand exclusive vintage andrarehandbagsfromFWRDRenew

FinancialPerformance Highlights

“Weﬁnished the year with an outstanding fourth quarter,highlighted by double-digit topline growth year-over-year andamore than

doubling of net income andadjustedEBITDA year-over-year,” saidco-founder andco-CEO MikeKaranikolas. “Notably, our business was strong across theboard, with net salesincreasing at adouble-digit rate across Revolve, FWRD,domestic and international markets.”

Co-founder and co-CEO Michael Mente added, “Our teamperformed exceptionally well this year, optimizing marketing and logistics, reducing return rates, enhancing merchandising and product assortment, and improving site navigation for better product discovery. Importantly, we achieved these strong ﬁnancialresults while continuing to invest in strategic initiatives such as expanding our owned brands, integrating AI technologyand exploring physical retailexpansion.”

Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Summary

• Net Sales: $293.7million (14% YoYgrowth)

• Gross Proﬁt:$154.3 million (15% YoYgrowth)

• Gross Margin: 52.5% (up from 52.0% in Q4 2023)

• Net Income: $11.8 million (237% YoYincrease)

• Adjusted EBITDA: $18.3 million (114% YoYincrease)

• Operating Cash Flow: $3.9 million (compared to -$3.9 million in Q4 2023)

• Free Cash Flow: $1.8 million (compared to -$5.0 million in Q4 2023)

Operational Metrics

• Active Customers: 2.67 million (5% YoYincrease)

• TotalOrders Placed: 2.17 million (7% YoYincrease)

• Average Order Value (AOV): $301 (slightly down 1% from $303 in Q4 2023)

KeyBusiness Insights andTrends

•Revolve Group’s fourth-quarter performance was driven by double-digit sales growthacross all segments and geographies.

• REVOLVE SegmentSales: $252.0million (15% YoYincrease)

• FWRD Segment Sales: $41.8 million (11% YoYincrease)

• Domestic Sales: $236.6million (11% YoYincrease)

• InternationalSales: $57.1 million (29% YoYincrease)

The companyalsorealized notable cost efficiencies, particularly in marketing, fulﬁllment, and selling anddistribution expenses. These efficiencies, combined with gross margin expansion and strong revenue growth, resulted in asigniﬁcant boost in net income andadjusted EBITDA.

2025 Business Outlook

Looking ahead,Revolve Group expects continued proﬁtabilityand strategic investments to drive growth.

Full-Year 2025 Guidance

• Gross Margin: 52.4% to 52.9%

• Fulﬁllment Expenses: 3.0% to 3.2% of net sales

• Selling &Distribution Expenses: 17.0% to 17.2% of net sales

• Marketing Expenses: 14.9% to 15.1% of net sales

• General& Administrative Expenses: $155 million to $158 million

• Effective TaxRate: 24% to 26%

Q1 2025 Guidance

• Gross Margin: 52.2% to 52.7%

• Fulﬁllment Expenses: 3.2% of net sales

• Selling &Distribution Expenses: 17.4% of net sales

• Marketing Expenses: 14.9% of net sales

• General& Administrative Expenses: $39.5 million

Continued Momentum in Early 2025 During the ﬁrst seven weeksof2025 (January 1-February 18), Revolve Group reported net salesgrowth in the high single digits year-over-year,signaling strong momentum heading into the newyear. ▐

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SPUDS POWELL managing director DARNEL BENTZ senior wealth advisor

Kayne Anderson Rudnick WealthAdvisors congratulates Spuds Powell, Darnel Bentz, andDustin Gale forbeing recognized as a2025 Banking andFinancial Visionaries by LA TimesStudios.

KAR WEALTH ADVISORS (800) 231-7414 info@kayne.com kayne.com los angeles newport beach westlakevillage

Yourfinancial partners in comprehensive wealth advisoryand investment managementservices. For 40 years, we’ve beenhelping clients meet their financial goalsatevery stageoflifewith personalized solutions.

KayneAnderson Rudnick WealthAdvisorsisadivision of Kayne AndersonRudnickInvestmentManagement, LLC ("KAR"), aregistered investmentadviser underthe Investment Advisers Actof1940and awhollyowned subsidiary of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. Registration ofaninvestment adviser doesnot implyany level of skill or training Information in this materialisnot intended by KARtobeinterpreted.as investment advice,arecommendation or solicitation to purchase securities, or arecommendation of aparticular course of action. KARdoes notprovide insurance, legal, or tax advice. Additionalinformation about KAR's services and fees may be found in KAR'sPart 2A of Form ADV, which is available upon request or canbefound at https://kayne.com/wp-content/uploads/ADV-Part-2A.pdf. The 2025 Bankingand Financial Visionaries honorwas given in March2025 and covers theyear 2025. KARhas notpaid feestothe sponsortoobtain thehonorand does not anticipate that it will payfeesfor re-licensing

Predictions Point to aGangbusterYear for M&ADeals –AttorneysSay It’s More Complicated Than That

Surging private equity capital andeasinginterest rates point to strongM&A activity in 2025,but warn that dealmakers face acomplex mix of regulatory changes

DDespite expectations of amore permissive approach to mergersand acquisitions under new leadership at keyregulatory agencies,dealmaking activity in 2025 will be shaped by multiple factors beyondregulatory shifts, according to legalexperts.

Changes at theFederal TradeCommission and Department of Justice have sparked optimism about potentialeasingofregulatory pressures, and banksincluding JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley have predicted an uptick in deals following amuted2024.

“Thegeneral sentiment is thatthe regulatory climate and economic conditions, including strong capitalmarkets and high levelsof private equity 'dry powder'in2025 will support asustained increase in M&A,”said Sonia

K. Nijjar,apartner in Skadden's mergers and acquisitionspractice based in Palo Alto.

Jamie Leigh, chairofCooleyLLP's globalmergers andacquisitions group in SanFrancisco, saidher team was“deﬁnitelygearing up and excited for ahigher volume deal year.”

There was plenty of talk that the SPAC,or Special Purpose Acquisition Company,was back andthere were “some good reversemerger candidates on the market,”Leigh said. However,she added that the rush of artiﬁcial intelligence company acquisitions andacqui-hires, the acquisition of companies with the primaryaim of gaining access to personnel, waslikely over

The Role of Regulation

The appointment of Andrew Ferguson as FTC chairman andnominationofGailSlatertolead the DOJmarksashift from their predecessors. Slater’sappointmentisstill subject to Senate conﬁrmation. Ferguson'spredecessor,Lina Khan,and theprevious Assistant Attorney General for theAntitrustDivision,Jonathan Kanter, hadfaced criticism from thebusiness community fortheir interventionist approach.

“In recent years, M&Atransactions have faced aheightened levelofregulatory scrutiny, making them more challengingto

completeand often extending the timeline from signing to closing,”Nijjarexplained.

However,D.DanielSokol,a business and law professor at the UniversityofSouthern California, arguesthatenforcement activity under theBiden administration wasconsistent with prior administrations. “Inspite of the narrative,antitrust enforcement hasbeen signiﬁcant in prior administrations,” he noted.

Whileadded scrutinyhas inﬂuenced dealmaking, other factors play crucial roles.

“I think we over rotatealittlebit on the dampening effectofregulatoryoversight,”Leigh observed. While regulators “obviously did play alarge part in how buyers prioritized targets and ultimately, whether abuyer wanted to sign up to aﬁghtwith aregulator,” she said that investors, management teams,buyers andboards were “folkswho are going to ﬁgure out how to do dealmaking, kind of no matter what the environment, so long as it workswell for them.”

Valuationspreads,interest rates and accessto capital significantly influence activity, along with sector-specific factors likepatent cliffsinlife sciences, Leighsaid. Many of thesefactors are showing signs of improvement. “A number of key factorsimpacting dealmaking hadcertainly been improving heading into 2025 –wesaw interest

ratesgodown, inﬂation cooling andgenerally more optimisminboardrooms,” Nijjar said.

Trump's Antitrust Approach Still Taking Shape

Despite expectationsofchange,the exact nature ofantitrust enforcement under the new administration remains unclear

“Manydealmakersbelievethatthe Trump administration will relaxantitrust enforcement compared to the Biden administration, which mayprovide morecertaintythat transactions will be completed,but early executiveorders have yettospeciﬁcally address antitrust enforcement,”Nijjar said.

Sokol suggests enforcement could differ significantly from the first Trump administration.“How overtlypolitical antitrust becomes under Trump remains unclear,” he said. “For the most part, antitrustwas spared direct intervention in the first administrationbut that was becauseantitrustwas atechnocratic exercise. Now that the neo-Brandeisianshave pushed forantitrust tobemore political,this opens the door foranovertly politicalized Trump administration to exert direct influence.”

Justice Louis Brandeis, who satthe U.S. Supreme Courtfrom 1916 to 1939,was astrong advocate

forbreaking up large corporate monopolies and ensuring economic democracy by limiting concentrated power in both businessand ﬁnance

Whileitremainedunclear if Ferguson's FTC would addressmerger guidelinesorrevisit recent changes topremergernotiﬁcationrequirements, there was'pressure'for both to occur,Sokol said

Another major unknownwas whether Humphrey's Executor –a precedent which allowsCongress to require presidents to showcause before dismissing boardmembers overseeing independent agencies –would surviveunder thenew administration. PresidentTrump'srecent ﬁring of aslew of agency staff presents akey test of that rule.

What seems certainisthat theFTC's “attack” on private equity“will become more muted” while “healthcareenforcement,which has been consistently strong sincethe George W. Bush administration willcontinue to be apriority,”according to Sokol

Global Considerations

Evenifdomestic regulatoryapproaches change substantially,deals won'tnecessarily sail through approval. International scrutinyremains signiﬁcant, particularlyfrom regulators in the U.K. andEurope,Nijjar said.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States willalsocontinue to scrutinize foreign investments in U.S. companies

“Globally,we're still seeing increasedscrutiny from regulators in theU.K. andinEurope,and geopoliticaltensions cancreate uncertaintyand makeinvestors more averse to risk,”saidNijjar.

Additionally,new administration policies could reshape deal landscapes.Potentialtariffsand protectionistpolicies couldincentivize U.S. companies to divest non-U.S.operationsor prompt foreign companies to considerU.S acquisitions or manufacturing relocations.

-JackNeedham,Daily JournalAssociate Editor

The LosAngeles/San Francisco Daily Journalis apublicationfor lawyerspracticing in California, featuring updates on the courts, regulatory changes, the StateBar andthe legalcommunity at large

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TopgolfCallawayBrands Delivers Strong Q4 2024 Performance

The sporting/entertainment company outpaced expectations, with a27% surge

Carlsbad-based TopgolfCallaway Brands Corp.(NYSE: MODG) capped off 2024 with asolid fourth quarter, reporting 3% consolidatednet revenue growth and aremarkable 45% increase in adjusted EBITDAto$101.4 million.The companyalso delivered a27% surge in adjusted free cash ﬂow, reaching $203 million. These results exceeded expectations,reinforcingthe brand's leadership in golf equipment andlifestyle apparel whilehighlighting strong operational performance acrossits diverse portfolio.

“Weare pleasedwith our strong finish to the year,” said Chip Brewer,President and CEO. “Our Q4 results reflect continued strength in ourGolf Equipment business, arobust finishfor Topgolf, andsuccessful operational efficiencies at Travis Mathew andJack Wolfskin. As we move into 2025,our focus remainsonimproving same

venue sales at Topgolf, launching innovative products and driving operational excellence While we face some short-term headwinds, we are conﬁdent in our long-term strategyand abilitytodeliver signiﬁcant shareholder value.”

Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

• Consolidated Net Revenue Growth: 3%

• Adjusted EBITDA: $101.4 million (45% YoYincrease)

• Operating CashFlow: $382 million (5%YoY increase)

• Adjusted Free CashFlow: $203 million (27% YoYincrease)

However,the company'sGAAP net results includeda $1.5 million non-cash impairment chargerelatedtoTopgolf's goodwill and intangible assets, leading to aGAAP netloss of $1.5 million.

Segment Performance Overview

Topgolf

• Revenue: $439 million (ﬂat YoY)

• SameVenue Sales: -8%(better than expecteddue to improving traffic trends)

• Segment Operating Income: $26.9 million (16.5% increase)

• AdjustedEBITDA: $83.5 million (14.1%increase)

• New VenuesOpened: 2 (compared to 9inQ42023)

• KeyDriver: Revenue growth from additional venues and record-high Q4 venue-level margins

GolfEquipment

• Revenue: $224.8 million ($25.4 million YoYincrease)

• KeyGrowthAreas: Success of Callaway golf clubs and Chrome family golf balls

• New Product Impact: Ai-ONE Square 2 Square Odysseyputters launched in Q4

• Operating Loss Reduction: Improved by $17.2 million, reducing seasonal Q4 loss to $2.7million

Active Lifestyle

• Revenue: $260.6 million (0.7%YoY increase)

• KeyBrands Driving Growth: TravisMathew

• Operating Income: Increased $3.4 million due to revenue growth and cost savings fromJack Wolfskin's reorganization

Market Leadership&Strategic Priorities for 2025

• CallawayMaintains U.S. Market Leadership: No.1intotal golf clubs for the third consecutive year and 9th time in the last 10 years

• Record U.S. Market Share in GolfBalls

• Focus on Same Venue Sales Growth at Topgolf: Implementing initiatives to boost traffic and engagement

• ExpandingProduct Innovation: New launches expected across golf equipment and lifestyle apparel

• Navigating Short-TermChallenges: Addressing foreign currency ﬂuctuations and cost pressures

Looking Ahead: Despite some macroeconomic challenges, Topgolf CallawayBrands remains conﬁdentinits market-leading position, operational strength and ability to drive long-term growth. By leveraging brand strength, strategic investments and operational efficiencies,the companyaims to enhance shareholder valueand sustain momentum into 2025. ▐

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Social Media NowLeads as the TopPurchase Motivator at 43%

MichaelVi -stock.adobe.com

DISQO's latestConsumer Trends Report reveals how consumers are thinking aboutpurchases,advertising andthe world in 2025

Los Angeles-based DISQO recently released its second annual Consumer Trends Report, revealing newinsights into consumer attitudes and behaviors for 2025. This year’s report includes revelationsabout consumers’ economic outlook, spendingplans, media preferences and advertising perceptions.

“In 2025, marketers will increasingly seekto align brands with performancebyquantifying theincrementality lift of their ad campaigns acrosschannels and throughout thefullfunnel,” said Stephen Jepson, president of media effectivenessatDISQO. “This year’sreport underlines the importance of this connection as people shift their purchase journeys, embracing new capabilities offered across platforms. It’sanimportant tool for marketers lookingtokeep and win consumers in2025.”

Here are some of the keytrends from DISQO’s 2025 Consumer Trends Report:

•The power of abrand to drive consumers to purchase

ɕ Sixty percent (60%)ofconsumers rank personal experience with abrand as the top factor shaping their brand perception.

ɕ Gen Xand Boomersespeciallyvalue brand experience,with these groups 12% and 23%morelikely, respectively, than Gen Ztoconsider brandexperience in their purchases.Thispoints to

the lasting impression brands leave duringthe customer lifecycle

•Fragmentedproduct discovery journey

ɕ Product researchisincreasingly conducted across various channels, with 50%ofconsumers using search engines, 32%relying on retailer websites and 28% on social media

•Socialmediasurpasses TV as apurchase driver

ɕ Social media has overtaken TV as the top purchasedriver, with43% of people citingsocial media and41% citingTVasapurchasemotivator

ɕ Millennials (+2pps)and Gen X(+3pps) have both increased their responsiveness to social ads over last yearwhile GenZ remains steady year-over-year at 62%.

•Growingoptimism balancedwith economicconcerns

ɕ Consumers are cautiouslyoptimistic about the future, with 40% anticipating that 2025 will be betterthan 2024.

ɕ However,inﬂation(63%) and economic uncertainty (52%)remain prominentconcerns, particularly among Gen Xand Boomers

DISQO surveyed 2,988 U.S. adults. The data informing the report wasbalanced on age, sex, ethnicityand income and weighted to representthe U.S. population.

In an unrelated report, Resonate, aleaderin predictive consumer intelligence,alsorecently released itsSpring 2025 Outlook Consumer Trends Report, revealing significant shifts in Americanconsumer behavior as financial stability improves for many.For the first time in over ayear,more Americansreport being debt-free andinbetter financial shape, sparkingchanges

in spending priorities. Thereport highlights key trends shaping the consumer landscape in 2025:

•Improved Financial Health: Agrowing number of Americans are experiencing ﬁnancial stability, with amarkeddecline in consumer debt levels for the ﬁrst time since November 2023.

•Shifting Spending Priorities: Withincreased disposable income,consumers are focusing on home improvements and major purchases in the coming months.

•StaycationSurge: About 40% of Americans plan to stay closer to home this summer,favoring home-based leisure activities.

•Persistent BroadEconomic Concerns: Despite improved ﬁnances, respondents expressed concerns about healthcare costs, poor leadership and government corruption, and arecord 42.5% of Americans now believe the economy will never fully recover to prepandemiclevels.

"TheResonate Consumer Trends Report provides real-time valuable insights into the evolving consumer landscape providing brands andretailers the inteltheyneed to optimize marketing efforts,"said Bryan Gernert, CEO of Resonate."Understanding how these shifts are impacting spending habits andoverall consumer sentiment trends is crucial forbusinesses seeking to adapt their strategies and drive growthduring economic uncertainty." ▐

-PaulWilliams

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LA Times Studios Launches The Stream

Adaily video stream,the ﬁrst in the paper’s history,brings readersmore options to engage with the news and their communities

ATimes Studios nowproduces video-streaming content daily,withnews, features, and otherprogramming of interest to our community,onThe Stream. Available directly on the LosAngeles Times homepage,this content includes continuous live camera feeds from iconic locations in LosAngeles, from Hollywood to Malibu

“I am proud to announcethe next evolution of the L.A. Times to better engage with our audience,” L.A. TimesExecutive ChairmanPatrick Soon-Shiong said in an open letteraddressed to readers. “Today, we arereleasingnew features to enhance and improve our digitalproduct, integrating livestreaming video, podcasts and AI-generated features into aseamless experience.”

Produced andoperated by LA TimesStudios, The Streamshowcasespremiumcontent, including news, entertainment, food, business, culture,lifestyleand true crime.Itstreams weekdays,8 a.m. to 8p.m. PT,on latimes.com.Live feeds of LAX, Hollywood, CulverCity, Inglewood, downtown L.A. and Malibu areaccessible, around-the-clock, viaThe Stream’s landing page

‘Voices’and ‘Insights’Functionality Added to L.A. Times Content

In addition to LA Times Studios’launch of TheStream, the L.A. Times hasintroduced new formatting and tools to help readers distinguish opinion pieces from news reporting in its coverage. Columnists and other opinion writers are noted on the site and on individual pieceswith the “Voices”ﬂag,which is intended to signal that thosepieces reﬂect the perspectiveand voice of the writer,orexpress opinions,incontrast to news stories. Some “Voices”pieces that are political in naturewillalso include anew feature,“Insights,”which provides AI-enabled summaries of both the “Voices” piece and contrasting or opposing points of view

“I believe providingmore varied viewpoints supports ourjournalistic mission and will help readers navigate the issues facingthisnation,”said Soon-Shiong. “We added these newfeatures to encourage audience engagementand interactionwith TheTimes and ourcontent.Ibelieve themedia is evolving, and The Times is well-positioned to lead theway.” ▐

photobyFlora Mekari

the Future

The intersection of technology and humanity meet at the 2025 Consumer ElectronicsShow

C

ES 2025, the largest tech event in the world, welcomed over 141,000 attendees from around the globe –eager to share and learnabout the latest consumer technology innovations. With more than 4,500exhibitors, including 1,400 startups and morethan 6,000mediaattendees, CES is the premier eventtohighlight the innovation and technology trends addressingglobal challenges and shaping the future.

“CES is where innovation comes to life,” said Gary Shapiro, CEOand vice chairofthe Consumer TechnologyAssociation(CTA), owner andproducer ofCES. “From the largest companies to trailblazing startups, the entiretech ecosystem is at theshow. CES isthe stagefor groundbreaking productlaunches, transformative partnerships andserendipitousbusiness moments that deﬁne thefutureoftechnology.”

Truly aglobal show,ofCES’ more than 141,000 attendees, about 40% were international from over 150 countries, regions and territories. Over 60%ofFortune 500 companies were represented, and there were more than 300 conference sessionswithover1,200 speakers.

"Fromgroundbreaking innovations that improve lives to transformative ideas thatredeﬁne industries, CES is acelebration of the artofthe possible,showcasing howtechnology enriches our world and inspires abrighterfuture for all," said Kinsey Fabrizio,president of CTA. “The evolution of CES hassurged at thisyear's show,where creativity, connectivityand innovation inspire with visionarykeynotes, thought-provoking conference sessions and mind-blowingexhibits."

Thekey themes of theshow this yearincluded:

ArtiﬁcialIntelligence

CES2025connected the dots between humanity and AI through powerful exhibits andprogramming. FromAI-driven productivitytools to breakthroughs in medical advancements, products and services on the showﬂoor demonstrated thatartiﬁcial intelligence is not just atechnologytrend buta transformative force working to improvelives worldwide

Exhibitorsincluded: AMD, Hisense,LG, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Samsung, Siemens andTCL

Digital Health

This year,CES 2025 featured apacked hall at the Venetian where attendees witnessed the health

category’s alignment with the smart living experience

This year’sshow had abroad array of healthcare-related exhibitsand presentations,bringing together trailblazers to explore biotechnology,telehealth andwellness advancements that enhance patient careand longevity. Exhibitors included: AARP,Abbott, Eyebot, FlowBeams, LumiaHealth, OnMed, Panasonic, ResMed and Withings

Energy Transition

With the growth of high-power-demand technologies likeAI, cloud and otherdatacenter innovations, the energy transition to zero carbon sources wasa signiﬁcant focus at CES2025. Experimental andalternative energy solutions including batteryand energystorage technologies, emergingenergysources likegreen hydrogen andsmall modular nuclear reactors were highlightsonthe show ﬂoor.Exhibitors included: Eaton, Jackery, Otrera, SK and SonyHondaMobility

Future of Mobility

Mobilityinnovationtopics at the showspanned construction, agriculture,marine tech andadvanced air travel

At CES 2025, self-driving andelectric technologies enhancedplanes and boats, and EV andEVcharging market growth brought new models fromglobal OEMs to the show.Automation in construction and industry enhancedsafetyand addressed workforce gaps in laborintensive roles. Exhibitors included: ApteraMotors, Blink Charging, BMW,Bosch, Brunswick, Caterpillar,Daedong, Garmin, Honda, Invo Station, John Deere,Kubota, Mobileye,Oshkosh, Scout Motors, Sumitomo Rubber, ScoutMotors, Suzuki, Waymo,Xpeng AeroHT and Zeekr

Quantum

CES 2025 also featured the latest innovations in quantum technologies, offering aglimpse into the future. Quantum technologyuses properties of quantum mechanics to enable three distinct disciplines: improved networking, computing and sensing. Innovations at the show demonstrated howquantum computing, working alongside AI, will allow forbreakthroughs in research andcomputingfor ﬁnance,chemistry, materials, logistics andmore. Exhibitorsincluded: Integrated Quantum Photonic, IonQ,QSIMPLUS, Quandela andSK

Sustainability

The energy transition was aprevalent theme at CESthis year,alongsideother sustainability-related innovations. The show ﬂoor featuredkey advancements including new battery technologies, alternativematerial development likegraphene and off-grid renewable energysolutions. The show also put aspotlight on innovations such as syntheticmicrobes, bioplastics and self-healing concrete that will contribute to sustainable construction. Exhibitors included: Hydriﬁc, Lyten, Melliens andPanasonic ▐

-PaulWilliams

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BANKING ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S RECOVERY

ForBankofAmerica’s Raul Anaya,wildﬁre reliefefforts are now afull-timejob

Raul Anaya hasfound his next big project. He’s been tapped by the chief executive of Bank of America to step back from his day-to-day role as nationalhead of business banking, one of eightmajor lines of business forthe bank, to focus all of his energy on utilizing his banking expertiseand network to spur arecovery from the devastating SouthernCalifornia wildﬁres.

“There’s alot of enthusiasm, andgreat leaders are coming together.It’sgoing to takeapublicprivate partnership with business, philanthropy, city, county, state and federal government to make surethatthe entrepreneurialspirit of LosAngeles continues,”said Anaya

Abanker by trade,Anaya hasbeen at the center of Southern California business growth stories andmajor transactions for20years. He has worked with companies that have scaled from small regional operations to global powerhouses such as Vizio andPanda RestaurantGroup.Along the way, he helped Anschutz Entertainment Group with its ﬁnancing for downtown’s L.A. Live development, and he

represented the Clippers when theteamwas sold in a$2billion transactiontoSteve Ballmer

But this newest venture can’tbedescribed as sought-after.Asa longtime residentof Pasadena, he sawthe devastationfrom the Eatonﬁre ﬁrsthand. As the leader of theLos Angeles market forBankofAmerica, Anaya made suretosupport the bank’semployees andclientsand then turned his attention to the greater LosAngelescommunity.

In the immediate aftermath of thewildfires, he assembleda team of 20 executives from everyline of business. The group is working through short-term issues such as theimmediate needsofthose employees and customers. Branches in Altadenaand Pacific Palisadesthat weredestroyed by the fires were temporarily replaced by amobile branch in Altadena and mobile ATMinPacific Palisadestoensure that access to bankingwas notlost. Bank of Americaalsoprovided support through an aggregate of $2 million in contributions to the RedCross, LosAngeles Food Bank and LosAngelesAreaChamber of Commerce

Longer term, it is thinking aboutwaysto create construction loan products andflexible mortgages as homeowners rebuild. There’s concern that people have accesstocapital and aresusceptible to fraudulent or predatory activity. Some of thebank’sexperts, who helped with recoveryeffortsfor other disasterssuch as hurricanes, flewtoSouthern Californiain the aftermath of thewildfirestolendsupport.

Shortly afterthe wildﬁres,hetraveledtoBankof America’sCharlotte headquarters for an earnings presentation and provided an updateonthe tragic situation that wasunfolding in LosAngeles to Brian Moynihan,chiefexecutiveofthe bank Anaya hadalready met with many localbusiness leaders throughhis service on various nonproﬁt and business association boards,inaddition to meeting with countysupervisorsand theLos Angeles Mayor’soffice to provide support.

Shortly thereafter,Moynihan reached outto Anaya and suggestedthathetransitionaway from his business banking role to focuson the rebuilding effort, wherehecould utilize both the bank’sresources andhis longstanding tenure as acommunitysupporter.

“Hereminded me of the historythatwehave as abankgoing back to the1906 earthquake and how we helped SanFrancisco recover by making capital available,” saidAnaya about his conversation with Moynihan “Hebrought that parallel to life.”

In fact, Bank of Americaisthe oldest bankin Southern California, dating back to early1900s Downtown LosAngeles,where it hadbranches located at 2684W.Pico in Pico Heightsand at

theintersectionof7th Street andBroadway It hassteadily grown intoone of thecountry’s largestbanks,with $83.1billion in depositsfor itsLos AngelesCountybranches as of June 30,according to data from theFederal Deposit Insurance Corp.Thatequates to amarket share of 16.5% of total deposits countywide.The bankhas around 6,000 localemployees

Anaya’shistoryinSouthern Californiadates to 2005,when he moved to Pasadenatorun commercial banking for theLos Angelesmarket. He carried personal experience with him that shaped his view of thebanking industryas theson of immigrants from Mexico.His father owned an auto bodyshopinBrownsville, Texas, andneeded capital butdidn’tunderstand therules andregulationsaround lending.

“Myfather was intimidated becausehedidn’t know what it took to get aloan,”saidAnaya.“It shaped my view on howtosupport businesses. We need to do it in away that makesiteasy.”

His ﬁrst jobwas as agrocerystorebagger at H-E-B,a local grocery chainintown.Hemoved up to acashier role where he hadanopportunity to meet andinteractwith customers.Thatexperience helped him transition to banking, where he

photos by Denis Wolcott

utilizedthose interpersonal skills to make connections with bank customers.His professional growth continued in Southern California as the head of the localmarket.Eventually, he was elevatedtorun commercial banking for the West Coastand then became head of business banking nationallysix years ago

myriad of issues surrounding this unprecedented disaster.Anaya contacted heads of several local banks andthenwent astepfurther to engage with asset management ﬁrms such as Capital Group, TCWand Oaktree Capital Management who haveall shown tremendous willingness to help.Hehas also been in regularcontact with LosAngelesCountySupervisor Kathryn Barger

“Nowmytypical week is meeting for breakfast, lunch anddinnerwith business leaders and sharing my perspective andhearing their perspective,”hesaid.

Anotherarea where he engaged waswith the LosAngelesAreaChamber of Commerce.He serves on its board of directors andco-leads its CEO Council, agroup of 100 chief executives launchedinNovember 2021. In response to the wildﬁres, the group is assembling subject matterexperts around insurance,construction anddesign services andother sectors.

Separately, the chamber established asmall business recoveryfund with adonation from Bank of Americaand othercompanies.The goal is to raise $10 million thatcan fund grants of $25,000 to help businesses thathave been impacted by the ﬁres directly or indirectly,such as by aloss of customers.

It’s going to take apublic-private partnership with business, philanthropy, city,county, stateand federal government to make sure thatthe entrepreneurial spiritof Los Angeles continues.”

-RaulAnaya

Under hisleadership, BankofAmerica expanded thecontributions made by executivestononproﬁts throughoutthe region withprofessional expertise and funding. Local executivessit on more than 100 boards of nonproﬁts in Southern California. Additionally, it contributes$10 million annually to localcharitable organizations.

“Webring ourexperience andview of the overall local economytothe nonproﬁts by being active and civicallyinvolved,”Anaya said

Prior to the fires, Anaya’stypical week involved travellingacross thecountrytomeet with clients in 200 different cities. Withhis newrole, which is slated tolastthrough the yearorpotentially much longer,the same energyhas been laser focused on coalescinga groupofbankingand finance executives to leverage their expertise and experiencefor recoveryefforts. He estimates it could takefive to seven yearsormoretorebuildthe destroyed areas.

In the aftermathofthe ﬁres, MayorKaren Bass also asked Anayatohelporganize local banksand serve as asounding board on behalfofthe industry. The goal wasfor the mayortoassemble agroup of eightexperts across differentindustries who could leverage theirsector’scollective knowledge on the

“Raulisanexceptional leader and has been instrumental in helping the chamber launch the Small Business DisasterRecoveryFund,” said Maria Salinas,chief executive of the chamber.“Aside from Bank of America’sﬁnancial commitment, Raul helpedusthink through our recoveryand relief worktomaximizesupport to small businesses impacted by thewildﬁres. Ivalue his thought leadership and commitment to drivefor impact as we plan ourrecovery efforts,”she said.

Lookingahead,Anaya is searching for creative ways to help the community. Forexample, Bank of Americaisthe official bank of FIFA and the 2026 WorldCup that is coming to North America. In the lead up to the event, there are various games andsoccer events, such as aclubchampionship where well-known international teams will compete at venuesincluding SoFi Stadium in Inglewood andthe Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Bank of America plans to leverage its sponsorship by inviting small businesses impacted by the ﬁrestoutilize its corporatesponsorshipspaces at these matches.

“I love to bringour connections andclients together,” Anayasaid.

-DavidNusbaum

In response to the recent wildfires, the state extended the January 31 sales and use tax filing deadline for L.A. County taxpayersuntil April 30,2025

Howthe CaliforniaTax Relief Plan Affects L.A. Businesses andResidents, Post-Wildfire Devastation

After thedevastating wildﬁres brutalizedparts of LosAngeles earlierthis year,Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the California Department of Taxand FeeAdministration (CDTFA) had automatically extended the tax ﬁling deadline for three monthsfor taxpayers within LosAngeles County.

This came on the heels of the state also announcing thattaxpayers in LosAngelesCountywould be grantedapostponementtoOctober 15,2025, to ﬁle California taxreturns on 2024 income and makeany taxpayments that would have been due January 7, 2025, through October 15,2025.

“Californiaistaking greater action to continue supporting businesses that havebeen devastatedbythe Southern California wildﬁres,” the Governor announced. “Weare strong becauseofthe diversityofour businesses, and we stand by them –providingrelief to aidthemthroughthis difficulttime.”

CDTFA will also continue to offer relief and extensions to those impacted beyond Los

Angeles Countyupon request. In addition to extratime to ﬁle,the statecan provide relief frominterest andpenalties and create ﬂexible payment plansfor businesses.

“Wehave the operationalbuilding blocks in placetomakesure the government is there for all Californians. We care deeply about everyone affected, andwe’re making sure that ourbusiness foundation remains strong andvibrant,”said Government Operations AgencySecretaryAmy Tong.

“The loss resulting from these ﬁresisdevastating forbusiness owners whohaveinvested so much andworked so hard to succeed. Beyond the automatic extension, we encourage taxpayers who need help with anyCDTFA program to reachout to us. Ourteammembers are here to help taxpayers navigate their wayto recovery,”said CDTFADirector Nick Maduros.

CDTFA’sdisaster relief includes:

• Extensions to ﬁlereturns: CDTFAreturns and payments dueonorbefore January31, 2025, have automatically been extended to April for LosAngeles County taxpayers whoselast return was for less than $1 millionintax. This includes sales and use tax, as well as most other programs administered by CDTFA.

• Additional relieffrom interest and penalties: Impacted business owners not subject to the automatic extension or who require additional relief areencouraged to contact CDTFAfor assistance

• CopiesofCDTFA tax records: Taxpayers who need to obtain copies of CDTFAtax records can receive replacements free of charge

• Helpwith updating account information: This could include changing an address, opening or closing abusiness location or obtaining acopy of aseller’s permitorCDTFA-issued license

The automatic extensions forsales anduse tax returns andpayments to April30, 2025, are eligible to thosetaxpayers whoowed less than $1 million in sales and use taxontheir 2024 third quarter returns

Annual licensing fees underthe Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Actand returns due under the InternationalFuelTax Agreement are not extended. ▐

-Paul Williams

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nthe wake of the recent devastating ﬁres, LosAngeles faces the immense challenge of rebuilding homes, businesses and communities. To help those affected navigate this complexprocess, we turned to eight experts of diverse specialties to discuss critical considerations, from insurance claims and contract negotiations to zoning regulations and government aid. The following article excerpts highlights from that commentary

ExpertsWeigh in on How LosAngeles CanRebuild

How does the recovery processinﬂuence apost-disaster economy?

Wealth disparities andinsurance availability can play alargeroleinpost-disaster economies. Wealthier residents and businesses often rebuild more quickly while lower-income residents maytakeinsurance payouts,orcash buyouts, andmove elsewhere.Those without ﬁnancial safetynetsoften face prolonged recovery periods, forced relocation or even permanent displacement. Disadvantaged individualsand businesses struggle to regainstability, whereas wealthierones emerge stronger through rebuilding efforts. This unequal recovery process canexacerbateexisting economic inequalitieswithin the affected community.

Jay HAWKINS Vice President & Senior Economist PNC Bank

How can we streamline permitting processes to acceleraterebuildingwhile maintainingsafety?

LosAngelesCounty, the cityofLos Angelesand the cityofPasadenashould expedite permitting for modularand prefabricated housing, mirroringthe streamlined process established for accessory dwelling units (ADUs). By preapprovingcertainarchitectural designs and modularstructures, these jurisdictions could signiﬁcantly reduce permitting and inspection timelines, accelerating reconstructionefforts Several promising steps have alreadybeen taken to facilitate rebuilding. ThecityofPasadena nowoffers virtual planning consultations for propertyowners affected by the ﬁres, enabling themtomeetwith planning and zoning officials remotely, eliminating the need forin-person visits. Additionally,Governor Newsom hastemporarily suspended permitting andreview requirements under the CaliforniaEnvironmental Quality Act (CEQA) andthe CaliforniaCoastalAct, further easing regulatorybarriers to reconstruction.

David HITCHCOCK Shareholder Buchalter

What impact will thewildﬁres have on L.A.’s housing market and infrastructure? What is next for developers,construction and brokerage ﬁrms?

While wildfires posesignificantchallenges, they also present an opportunitytoreimagineand expand housingwithin the existing landscape.By embracing innovative,forward-thinking solutions, wecan develop moreresilientand sustainable communities. In terms of infrastructure,new constructionwill incorporateadvanced fire-resistant materials,underground utilities and modernized landscape design to mitigatefuture risks. Additionally, amorerobust and readily deployable fleet of firefighting aircraft will be essential forrapid response.Technologicaladvancements will also play acrucial role,with emerging innovationsdesigned to enhancefire prevention and protection at theindividual home level.

Randall S. LEFF Partner

Ervin Cohen &Jessup LLP

What role should the private sector play versus government agencies in rebuilding?

The private sector should play acritical role in rebuilding efforts in partnership with public agencies, as well as affected propertyand business owners. Public agencies should focus on settingpolicies,allocating resources and providing oversight, while private ﬁrms –particularly those in essential services such as environmental remediation, wastemanagement, engineering–shoulddriveexecutiontoachieve meaningful outcomes that meet theneeds of communitymembers. Leveragingthe efficiency of the private sector in such apartnership would enable the strategic deployment ofcapital and acceleraterecoveryefforts, ensuring sustainable,long-term solutions that fostereconomic revitalization and communityresilience.Effective collaboration between thepublicand private sectorsisessential forrebuilding our community

DanSHEA Managing Director Objective,Investment Banking &Valuation

Howwill the role of the federal government affect the wildﬁre recovery efforts?

Effective collaboration between federal,state and localgovernments is essentialtorebuildingL.A. and preventing future disasters. The federal governmentplays acritical roleincleanup,rebuilding andaddressing theclimate issuesunderlying these wildﬁres. Leadership must startinD.C., with cooperation at all levels of government to clean up toxic waste,implement arecoveryplan and provide resources for the rebuilding effort

Political ﬁnger-pointing only hinders progress and erodes public trust anddoes nothing to advance efforts to rebuild ourcommunities. While long-term climate action from Washington seems unlikely,this disaster offers the President an opportunitytoshine by supporting the wildﬁre recoveryefforts. Time will tell whether he rises to the occasion or undermines thoseefforts by gutting federal agencieslikeFEMA and EPAthatare essential to ourrecoveryeffort

Stephen J. KAUFMAN

Founder &Principal Kaufman LegalGroup

What are law ﬁrms and accounting ﬁrms doing to help businesses and individualsinneed?

Beginning theday afterthe fire,major disaster lawfirms began circlinglikevultures to sign up clientsfor suits againstEdison, LADWP and others. But right now,fire victims don’t need that from lawyers. What individuals and businesses needisa steady advisor to help them over critical hurdles, likeunderstanding their insurance policythat waswrittenbyinsurance companies in aconfusing format that most people never even triedtoreadwhen theypurchased it. It just went in adrawer and premiums were paideveryyear withlittlemind paid to it.To avoid being taken advantage of,individuals and businesses need to push back against an overly eageradjuster to getwhatthey deserve.AtHillFarrer,weimmediatelyformed aDisaster ReliefTeamwithlawyers equippedto handle theimmediate,day-to-day questions

DeanDENNIS

Managing Attorney Hill Farrer

What are the legal and ﬁnancial implications of selling your property,rather than rebuilding, after autility-causedwildﬁre?

What to do with your propertyafter awildfire is ahighlypersonal decision, but one that should be made with legal implications in mind (ifpossible). Choosing to sell yourpropertyafter awildfire, insteadofrebuilding,can significantly decrease arecovery through litigation. There are twoways of calculating fire damagestorealproperty: (1) the diminutioninfair market value (“DIV”), or (2) the cost to cure or repairthe property. The DIV is the difference between what aneutral third partywould paytobuy the property the day before thefire versus immediatelyafter the fire.The cost to cure/repair is the amount it wouldcost to repairthe fire damage and restoreyourpropertytoits pre-fire condition (e.g., cost to rebuild,repair damage to structures, remediateerosion and/or replace treesand landscaping). In nearly all cases, theDIV is

substantially lessthanthe cost to cure.Ifyou have speciﬁc questions about the legal implications in your case,you shoulddiscuss those in aprivileged conversation with your lawyer

Dave FOX Founder FoxLaw APC

How can people recover fromthe emotional impact of the ﬁres?

Losingyour home in afire causes agreat deal of emotional distress. Not only have you lost your home but often your communityaswell. Withthese recent firesinparticular, entire communities were destroyed including schools, churches, synagogues andcommunitycenters. Youshould notunderestimatethe impactof evacuation, relocation and rebuilding after afire.Itisimportanttoseek professional help if you areexperiencing traumaasa result of afire.Asalaw firm, we work to secure compensationfor our clients for the economic damagesthey have suffered, including losing their homes, whilealsoseeking compensation for theemotionalimpact on their family so they have theresourcestoget the help theyneed

James P. FRANTZ

Attorney Frantz LawGroup

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Serving Dinks and Drinks in the SouthBay

Anew pickleball socialclub is set to open in El Segundo, part of the city’smyriad options for its residents and returning workforce

For the city of El Segundo,a few people are making ahuge “smash.”Inasign of the area’s growth as an entertainment destination, California Smash, apickleball and social club,is set to open in June as the only indoor pickleball facility in the area. It combines the appealofthe wildly popular sport of pickleball with afull-servicebar andrestaurant and social club in aconverted warehouse.

For founder Brett Drogmund, the path to apickleball club is the next stop on his journey asan entertainment executiveand realestatedeveloper.Hehas worked in El Segundofor 15 years, developingcreativespaces following acareer withDisney whereheworkedonnineanimated features. While he’d honed his craftonvenues like afoodhall, thepickleball clubwas born from his desire to spendtimedoing something where he could connectwith something more important –family. He picked up the sportwhen he moved to the South Bayand played regularly with his son, but there wereonlyoutdoor courts available,and they were always packed

“I want to change the heartbeat of ElSegundo,” said Drogmund. “This started as ajourney of one.”

A Burgeoning Business and Entertainment District

Drogmund worked with JLL’sGary Horwitz and KamilAgha, who represented California Smashin the lease. They are utilizinga 28,000-square-foot industrial warehouse that wasoriginally built for theaviation sector and convinced the landlord to take aleapoffaith on amixed-use conversion that could provide entertainment throughout the day and into the night. Once Drogmund signed thelease and got approval from the El Segundo planning commission, he shared his vision with local investors whohave aconnection to thesport and raised between $4 to $5 million to bring CaliforniaSmash to life.None of those funds came from venture capital ﬁrms. Investors include former professional football player MarcellusWiley,who will broadcast apodcastfrom thesite when completed

One inspiration for the business already existed nearby in theform of golfatTopgolf El Segundo.Thatfacilityrenovated an underutilized municipal golf course intoanentertainment destination that is now among the top-performing locations of thegolffranchise nationwide

“We’rea business-friendly city.Alot of our strategies were based on office space and creative office space,but that changed when [theCOVID-19 pandemic] hit. We’re looking at acreative economy andwaysto turn industrial intoentertainment,”saidEl Segundo city councilmember Lance Giroux.

Thearea hasevolvedfromits rootsasanaerospace hub andhome to areﬁnery. In fact,the city itself is named after the longstanding Chevron reﬁnery. El Segundocomes from theSpanish phrase“el segundo,” or "the second” –the site was thesecond builtbyStandard OilinCalifornia The city’s population is small due to itslimited residential area,but it hasa central location among coastal communities of theSouth Bay.

Perhaps even more importantly to commerce, El Segundo draws about60,000 people daily to work, anumber thatwillincreaseasreturnto-work mandates become more common.

Those employees arepart of agrowing cohort of creative office users who have moved into spaces traditionally occupied by the aerospace sector that havehelped makeElSegundo atech hub andbrought startups to town. Employees of ﬁrms such as Beyond Meat and L’Oreal work in El Segundo alongside theLos AngelesLakers, Los Angeles Chargers andLos Angeles Kings have joined thelongstanding aerospace companies including Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

The Allure of theYellow Ball Pickleball hasexploded in popularity as asport. The Sports &Fitness IndustryAssociation’s second annual report on pickleball participation found that participation grew by 51.8% from 2022

to2023 and was up by 224%over the past three years.There wasgrowth acrossall age groups.

For Scott Doerner, whoservesasCaliforniaSmash’s general manager,pickleballrepresentsa sport that is easy to play,allows for some strategyand hasanaddictive,fun quality. He has plentyof experience in court sports –hehelpedPepperdine’s tennis team win anational championshipin2006. The idea of apickleballfacilityand social club was somethinghefelt would be successful, but Doernerhadn’tfound amodelthat would workin SouthernCalifornia,where land prices andbusiness operating costs are high.Whenhewas introduced to the California Smash concept last year,hequit his commercial real estate job andfully committed to the venture as an investor andemployee.

“It’spart of my ﬁtness andsocial regimen. With phones and social media, people want aplace to connect. We’re going to be one of thetop event spaces,”said Doerner

The facility is expected to be open for 16 hours aday and will regularly employ30-40 people. It is looking to partner with local businesses for corporate events, and it canalsohost community events such as birthday parties andfundraisers in its sectionable private spaces, likea mezzaninelevel platform overlooking the entire facility, as well as aprivatecourt. It hasalready started booking events for June,July and August.

It will also look to host pickleball tournaments as well

Although it hasyet to open, Drogmund has alreadybegun looking at opportunities to replicate andexpandthe facility in Orange County and SanDiego,though theybelieve each facility will have its own distinct features

“Welikethe vibe of our place. It’sreally hard to duplicate,” said Drogmund ▐

-David Nusbaum

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Brett Drogmund and Scott Doerner photo by AlanLaGuardia

ImmunityBio Receives FDARMAT DesignationtoAchieve Reversal of LymphopeniainPancreatic CancerPatients

Culver City-based ImmunityBio, Inc., aleading immunotherapy company,has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has grantedRegenerative MedicineAdvanced Therapy (RMAT) designationfor the company'sANKTIVAand CAR-NK (PD-L1 t-haNK) for the reversal of Lymphopenia in patients receiving standard-of-carechemotherapy/radiotherapy and in multiply relapsed locallyadvancedor metastatic pancreatic cancer

The complete bloodcount (CBC) is astandard assay widelyused by oncologists to assess the status of the immune system following chemotherapy andradiation.Todate, information on the cellularelementsinthe CBCassay provides information to thephysician forthe treatment of anemia, neutropenia and reduced platelet counts associated with the adverse events of chemotherapy andradiotherapy.

Anemia, neutropeniaand reduced platelet counts canbetreated with currently approved therapies, including EPOGEN, NEUPOGEN and platelet transfusion, respectively.However,chemotherapy and radiation have alsocauseda reductionin the very cells necessarytokillcancercells.

This reduction in the lymphocytes by the standard of care also inhibits the inductionofT cell memory in the absence of speciﬁc(CD4+,CD8+) Tcells. Atreatmentfor the reversal of these

adverse events of lymphopenia, inducedbycurrent standard of care,has eluded the industry for thepast 50 years.

ImmunityBio andits founder Dr.Patrick SoonShiongdeveloped avision over the past decades that activation and proliferationof these keylymphocytes wasnecessary to win the waragainstcancer andindeed even prevent cancerinsubjects at high risk.

“With the clinical resultsofthe QUILTtrials across multipletumor typesfrom 2017 to 2024, validating the hypothesis that highdose chemotherapy andradiation induces lymphopeniaand can be reversed by ANKTIVA together with off-the-shelf CAR-NK cells (PD-L1 t-haNK) resulting in prolongation of overall survival, andenabling ImmunityBio to reapply for RMATin2025,”said Dr.Soon-Shiong.

“I am so gratefulfor the FDAtohaverecognized the evolutionofscience andthe need foradoptionof21st-century medicine andcell therapy, particularly the role of NK cell therapy in our waragainst cancerasauniversal therapy in cancer,and in thepotential treatment of infectious

diseases such as HIV,HPV and COVID. Today's designation of ANKTIVAand the first CAR-NK (PD-L1 T-haNK), both first-in-class molecules to activate lymphocytes within the body(via subcutaneous injection of ANKTIVA) andvia ex-vivo infusion of off-the-shelf PD-L1 NK cells, is an inflection point and aparadigm change of how we couldtreat patients with cancer andviral infections. Theabsolute lymphocyte count (ALC) which hasbeen largely ignored by physicians,since no therapyexisted to address lymphopenia, could nowbeboth aprognostic biomarker and more importantly, the potential as atherapeutic biomarker.”

“Multiplepublications in the last ﬁve years have shown that patients with low lymphocyte counts, especially those with severe lymphopenia, have astatistically lower survivalrateregardless of the tumor types,”added Dr.Soon-Shiong. “With this RMATdesignation andthe attributes of an RMAT designation including all Breakthrough Therapy Designation features and statutory waystosupport Accelerated Approval, we willmove rapidly to ﬁlethe BLA forthese authorized indications provided by the RMAT designation. In addition, per the requirement under the Federal Food, Drug, andCosmetic Act, ImmunityBio will makepublicly available the Expanded Access Policy of ANKTIVAand PD-L1 t-haNK in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy/radiotherapy within 15 days.”

In the authorization letter,the FDAhas committedtoworkclosely with ImmunityBio to provide guidance and advice on generating the evidence needed to “support approval” of the indication “in an efficient manner.” ▐

Tumor Cell Death With Memory

Primary Mode of Action

TreatmentofLymphopenia

Proliferating NK &TCells

PerNAI's Package Insert

PrimaryModeofAction

Regeneration and SustainabilityofLymphocytes (the cellular compartment of CBC)

Lymphocytes& Dendritic Cells

IL-15 Receptor Expressing Cells

Lymphocyte Natural Killer Cells

ANKTIVA Label2024

•BindingtoIL-15 receptor on lymphocytes anddendriticcells

ɕ Natural killer cells

ɕ CD4+CD+ Tcells

ɕ Memory Tcells

•Prolonged duration of complete response

Immunogenic CellDeath

IL-15 Receptor

Anduril Teams withMicrosoft to Advance IVAS Program forU.S.Army

CostaMesa-based Anduril Industries, aleader in defense technology,and Microsoft have jointly announced an expandedpartnershiptodrive the next phaseofthe U.S. Army’s IntegratedVisual Augmentation System (IVAS)Program. Through this partnership agreement and pending Department of Defense approval, Anduril will assume oversight of production,future developmentofhardware and softwareand delivery timelines

As warfare grows more complex, theneed for intuitive,information-rich tools becomes increasingly urgent. Traditional mission command systems –that rely on flatmaps, static dashboards andverbalcommunication –are ill-suited to thedynamic natureofmodern battlefields. TheIVASprogram represents agroundbreakingstep forward in military technology, providing soldiers with acomprehensive, body-worn systemthat integrates advanced augmented reality(AR) and virtual reality(VR) to give warfighters beyond line-of-sightperception capabilities, increasingcombat effectiveness, survivabilityagainstdrones and accelerating mission commandofunmannedsystems.

successfully delivering AI whenever andwherever it is needed. Through this agreement, Andurilwill establish Azure as its preferred hyperscalecloud to support its AI development. Azure,through its commercial, U.S. government and classiﬁed clouds, provides high resiliency, sophisticated capabilities, ﬂexibilityand advanced security, designed to meet the stringent compliance requirements of the nation’s most sensitive data.

Since its founding in 2017,Andurilhas focused exclusively on developing advanced defense technologiestosolve unique challenges for warﬁghters. Palmer Luckey,Anduril’s founder, who previously revolutionized the VR industrywith Oculus, brings his unique expertise andvisiontothis effort.

This collaboration between Anduriland Microsoft leverages thedistinct strengths of each company, ensuring continuityinthe programwhile advancing IVAS,goals of enhancingcombat effectiveness, awareness anddecision-making on the battleﬁeld.Anduril’smission focuses on innovationindefense technology,a deep understanding of militaryrequirementsand aunique approach to manufacturingdefense productsthat willensurefutureprogramdevelopmentspeciﬁcally tailored to theevolvingneeds of the Army as well as production at scaleand lowerunitcost.

Microsoft’s advancedcloudinfrastructureand AI capabilitieswill continue to provide arobustbackbone forthe program, enabling seamless data integration and real-timeinsights criticaltosoldier effectiveness.Artiﬁcial intelligence will be foundational to alltechnical innovations for national securitymissions, andthe cloud is essential to

“The IVAS program represents the future of missioncommand, combiningtechnologyand humancapability to givesoldiers the edge theyneed on the battleﬁeld,” said Luckey “The ultimategoal is to create amilitary ecosystem where technology acts as an extension of human capability. By empowering soldiers with the tools they need to make faster,smarter decisions, we’re building afuture where technologyand human ingenuity combine to ensure missionsuccess.”

“Weare incredibly proud of the work our teams have put in to help the U.S. Armytransform its concept of asoldier-borne AR headset into realitywith the IVAS program.Our soldier-centered design approachhelped reimagine technology development with the Army that continuously took in real-worldsoldier feedback to develop aproduct that soldiers love,”said Robin Seiler, corporatevice president of mixed reality at Microsoft.“We areexcited to partner with Anduril for the next phase of IVAS andleverage our combined strengths to meet our commitments on this vitalprogram anddeliver agamechanging capabilityfor everyU.S. soldier.”

Microsoft and Andurilhave previously collaborated to integrate Anduril’sLattice platform into IVAS to provide rapid AI-enabled situational awareness capabilities to enhance soldier safety andoperational effectiveness. This new agreement brings Microsoftand Andurilclosertogether to maximizetheir unique expertise in cloud computing, artiﬁcial intelligence anddefense manufacturing and further enhance technical developments and operational efficiencies.

Anduril’sfamily of systems is powered by Lattice,anAIsoftware platform thatturns thousands of datastreams into areal-time, 3D command and controlcenter ▐

-PaulWilliams

Tada Images- stock.adobe.com

Health MysterySolved: New StudyReveals theRoleDNA Plays in Huntington's Disease

UCLA Health researcherssay

ﬁndings uncovernovel disease mechanisms andpave new ways to develop treatments

A

new UCLA Health study has discovered in mousemodels that genes associated with repairing mismatched DNA arecriticalinelicitingdamages to neurons that are most vulnerable in Huntington's disease and triggering downstream pathologiesand motor impairment,sheddinglightondisease mechanismsand potential new ways to develop therapies.

Huntington’sdisease is one of the most common inheritedneurodegenerative disorders that typically begins in adulthoodand worsensover time.Patients begin to lose neurons in speciﬁc regionsofthe brain responsiblefor movement control, motor skill learning, language and cognitive function. Patients typically live15 to 20 years after diagnosis with symptoms worsening over time. Thereisno knowncureor therapythat alters the course of thedisease

The cause of Huntington's diseasewas discoveredover three decades ago –a “genetic stutter” mutation involves repeats of three letters of the DNA, cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG), in agene called huntingtin. Healthy individuals usually have 35 or fewer CAGrepeats,but people inherited with amutationof40ormore repeats will develop the disease.The more CAGrepeats aperson inherits, the earlier the disease onset occurs. However,how themutation causes the disease remainspoorly understood

Alongstanding enigmainHuntington'sdisease, however,has been how the mutated protein derivedfrom the huntingtin gene is presentin every cell of the body, butthe diseaseappearsto selectively affect certain typesofneurons in afew brain regions.This mysteryissharedbetween Huntington's disease andother neurodegenerative braindisorders, includingAlzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophiclateral sclerosis (ALS), albeit differenttypes ofneurons arevulnerable to degeneration in each disorder

Solving this mystery couldhold insights into disease mechanisms andtherapies.Recently ahuman genetic study uncovered about adozen DNA regionsinthe genome that harbors “modiﬁers”for Huntington's disease,which areDNA variantsthatcould hasten or delay the onset of the disease by up to afew years. Intriguingly, these regions containmultiple genes involved in repairing DNAmismatches.However,the mechanisticconnectionsbetween mismatch DNArepair and selective neuronal vulnerability in Huntington's disease remainunknown.

The newstudy from UCLAHealthand the Jane and Terry Semel Institutefor Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, published in thejournal Cell,revealsthat adistinct subset of mismatch repairgenesare key drivers of Huntington’sdisease andhow the disease affects speciﬁc typesofneurons.

“Wedemonstrate thesameDNA mismatchrepair genesthat aremodiﬁers in theHuntington's disease patients candrivefast-paced disease processes only in themost vulnerable neurons in amousemodel, leadingtoa cascade of disease phenotypes,”saidleadauthor Dr.X.William Yang, professor of theUCLA Health Department of Psychiatry andBiobehavioral Sciences and the TerrySemelchair in Alzheimer'sDisease Research andTreatmentatthe SemelInstitute

Besides molecular and pathological beneﬁts, the study also shows targeting DNArepair genescan ameliorate locomotor andgait deﬁcits, improve neuronal synaptic protein levels andreduceglial cellover-reactivity

“Wewere surprised to see thepotentand sustainedeffectsoftargetingthese mismatch repairgenes in HD mice –the beneﬁt lasts up to 20 months of ageinamouse,which would be comparabletoabout 60 yearsin humans”,saidYang. “Our study suggests that these genes are not justdisease modiﬁers, as suggested by the previousstudies,but are geneticdrivers of Huntington'sdisease.”

“These remarkable results demonstrate that asubset of mismatchrepairgenes is driving disease in vulnerableneuronsbecause they confer the fastest rate of CAGrepeatexpansion in these neurons,”said Dr.Yang. “And our studyprovides mechanistic links that help to

bridge modiﬁer genes from patients, mismatch repair gene driven repeat expansion and selective neuronal vulnerabilityinHD.”

The studyprovides important therapeutic implications. Moreover,itshows targeting these mismatchrepairgenes could beneﬁt multiple brainregions, including brain areaswith earlyonset (striatum) or late-onset (cortex) pathologies Thus, it implies therapies targeting this disease mechanism couldbehelpful both in delaying the onset or slowing the progression of the disease

Additionally,this studydemonstrates that an HD mouse modeland its constellation of molecular, pathological and behavioral phenotypes could constitute aplatform to test novel therapeutics targeting the HD modiﬁer genes involvedinCAG repeat expansion or mechanisms improving the resilience or health of HD-vulnerable neurons

Inherited dynamic DNA repeat mutations affect over 30 neurological disorders and several of them also found mismatch repair genesthat couldaffect the repeat instability or diseaseseverity. Themechanistic ﬁndings andmodelplatform could help discover therapies forthese other disorders as well ▐

-PaulWilliams

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MapQuest Vows to Protect Privacywith itsNew Mapping App

The

simple-to-use app features anonymous analytics, only-ondevicepreferences

Los Angeles-headquartered MapQuest has announced the release of PrivateMapsby MapQuest –the first appfromaleading mapping brandspecifically designed to protectusers’privacy.Secure,straightforward and free from invasive trackers, Private Maps byMapQuest shifts the focusofonline mapping backtothe journey,because “personal data shouldn’tbethe cost of finding your way.”

PrivateMaps,available now for download on Android devices, keeps routesprivate with no tracking, no sharing of dataand no ads:

• AnonymousMode: Search history stays on the device only and clears automatically when you close theapp or with the push ofa button

• Private Favorites: Go-toplaces savedonly on the device

• Anonymous Analytics: Only anonymousdata is used to make the app better while keeping privacyintact

“MapQuest introduced the world’sﬁrst online mappingsolution, and now we’ve come full circle with thelaunchofthe most private mapping experience,” saidMapQuest general manager John Chipouras.“MapQuestlearned from the best when buildingour new PrivateMaps app: Startpage, the world’smost private search engine. Collaborating with Startpage helped us betterunderstandhow to createtop-tierprivacy protections for peoplewho wantdirections without jeopardizing their online privacy.”

MapQuest guidestensofmillionsofusers monthlywithmaps,directions and route planning. Itincorporatesmap contentfrom HERE Technologies,which practicesa privacy-by-design approach as part of itsprivacy charter.Acquired

vladim_ka- stock.adobe.com

by System1 –anAIand machine learning-powered customeracquisition platform –MapQuest hasundergone asigniﬁcanttechtransformation. MapQuest users nowenjoy faster,more intuitive navigationthanks to majorproduct, team and tech investmentsthat include enhanced search capabilitiesand cutting-edge mapping data

MapQuest’smission is to empower people andbusinesses to ﬁnd what theyneed andnavigate how to getthere.Itisnow used by millions of people each month and also operates RoadWarrior,a subscriptionroute-planning app thatleverages aproprietaryalgorithm to streamline complex multi-stop itineraries for deliverydrivers.

Thecompany is nowowned by System1, an industry-leadingomnichanneldigital marketing platform, powered by Machine Learning and AI. MapQuest’sPrivateMaps concept is consistent withSystem1’sprivacymission. System1 has stated as part of its mission thatitbelieves everyonehas theright to controltheir data,protect their privacy and be safe online,making it the company’s duty to “bring privacysolutionstomarketthat canbeneﬁt from our privacy-focused expertise.” ▐

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Southern California Industrial

nthe vast Southern California industrial realestate market, asking rentalrateshovered below historicalhighs as vacancy rates trended higher, and much of thenew construction delivered vacant. However,higher import volume at localportsand anuptick in activitypointtoward improved market fundamentals. Newlegislation settotakeeffect in 2026 couldincrease the overall long-term value of industrial properties even whilethe fullimpact of potential tariffs on goods from China and other nations is yet to be determined.

LOS ANGELES

“Despite acontinued slowdowninleasing, early in 2025, we areseeing some improvement in activityincore industrial markets in Southern California,whichshowsstronger signs of stabilization overall,” said Jeff Chiate, executivevice chair of industrial capital markets forCushman & Wakeﬁeld.

Theoverall vacancy rate in LosAngelesCounty was4.9% at year-end 2024. Availability rates, which include spacelandlords are marketing forlease prior to tenants vacating, are typically aleadingindicatorfor futurevacancylevels. Theavailability rate was6.4%for LosAngeles, up from 4.8% oneyearearlier.The slowdown in leasing activityhas led to adecrease in asking rentalrates, which have fallen forﬁve straight quarters in LosAngeles, according to data from Cushman &Wakeﬁeld. Despite those declines, long-term rentgrowth spurred by the pandemic hasincreasedrents by 54% compared with prepandemic levels.

[Continued from page 27]

The vacancy rate in Orange County increased for the eighth consecutivequarter to 3.9%, and overall annual net absorptionfell by 3.2million square feet, which wasthe ﬁrst annual decline since2014. In the Inland Empire,vacancy increased by 3.2%year over year to 8.0% Sublease space, which is placedonthe market by tenants who offer theirspace forlease, accounted for 22%ofthe availabilityinthe Inland Empire San Diego’s overall industrial vacancy rate increased to 6.5% at year-end 2024. That’s the county’shighestvacancy rate since 2014.

Development Slowdown

Most new construction occurs in theInland Empire,where there is more landavailablefor industrial development andeasyaccess to the region’s rail andhighwaysystem that allowfor goods to be transported from the portswith more ease.The Inland Empire added 22.8 million square feet of industrial space in2024 compared with 6.5millionsquare feet in Los Angeles County and 1.3 million square feet in OC. However,many of those buildingswere vacant upon completion, and theregion’s vacancy rate hasmoved higher.Development hasdecreased, and there were 12.6 million squarefeetunder constructioninthe Inland Empire at thestart of 2025, which represents thelowestconstruction level since 2014.

Construction activityinSan Diego is mainly limited to areasnearthe borderinOtay Mesa. The largest San Diego project under construction is a 1.1-million-square-foot warehouse forAmazon, which accountedfor nearly halfofthe 2.5million square feet underway. Proposed projects call for an additional ﬁve million square feet, but ﬁnancing challenges duetohigh interest rates andlabor shortagescould delay future development projects.

Moreover,changes to statelaws surrounding warehouse developmentwill be implemented in 2026 andhave thepotential to drastically reduce new construction. California Assembly Bill No.98,

which passed last year and will become effective on January 1, 2026, regulates new warehouse constructionand operations forproperties that are250,000 squarefeet or larger.Investors have reset expectations,and pricing has dropped by 30-40% from peakprices, butthe market may strengthen with fewerdevelopment opportunities, according to Cushman&Wakeﬁeld’sChiate

“With Southern California’sindustrial construction pipeline slowing dramatically,there will be limited newoptions in 18-24 months,”said Chiate ▐ -DavidNusbaum

SoCal’s Top Banksand Credit Unions Focuson Community in Wake of Wildfires

Millions pour intorelief for affected communities from Southern California

institutions

The banking business hasbeen impacted by higherinterest rates, new technology and consolidation within the industry, but the wildfires that scorched Southern California in Januaryhave had an unprecedented impact on thelivesofresidents, employees and clients.Many banksand other financial institutions responded by creating funds or donatingtolocal organizations that supportfire reliefinthe midst of ongoing commercial banking operations.

City National Bank, asubsidiaryofRoyal Bank of Canada,isthe largest bank headquartered in Southern California. It committed $3 million to nonproﬁtsand foundations supporting wildﬁre relief,including the American Red Cross, Entertainment Industry Foundationand United WayLos Angeles, among others.

“Asthe largest bank headquartered in Los Angeles, thistragedyisdeeply personal for us. Ourclients, colleagues and communities are suffering unimaginabledevastation,”said Howard Hammond, chief executiveand president of City National Bank, in astatement. “Weknow we have an important role to play in helping addressboth the immediate needs in the wake of these ﬁres as well as in the long-term work to rebuild.”

City National Bank hasalsoexpanded its local presence recently by opening anew branch in Whittier in one of acollection of buildings that hasbeen redeveloped at the former site of the Fred C. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility.The facility shutteredin2004 and wasacquired by BrookﬁeldResidential in 2019,which repositioned it into amixed-use project. It is adjacent to 500 newhomes and200 apartments, along with restaurants and other retailspanning 16 acres

Banc of California, which completed amerger withPacWest Bancorp in 2023, created acharitable fund and committed $1 million to local communities affected by the wildﬁres. Thebank will establishanadvisory boardcomprised of

business andcivic leaders to ensure thatfunds aredirected to thoseimpacted by the ﬁres.

“Weare creating this fund in part because of our unique position in the communityand because of the signiﬁcantoutpouring of inquiries we have received from thoseacross our countrywanting to help LosAngeles,”saidJared Wolff,chief executiveofBancofCalifornia, in astatement.

Pasadena-based East West Bank contributed $250,000 through its East West Bank Foundation to the PasadenaCommunity Foundation's Eaton FireFund. It reported minimal direct lossesfrom the ﬁresand has made support of thesmall number of customers and employees who were affected apriority. Forcustomers, it activated a“Skip-a-Pay” program,whichhas been used in past disasters that allows homeowners to delay mortgage payments. Employees created arelief fund, andthe bank matched their contributions to help themthrough thisdifficult time

“Asa long-timeresident, I’ve witnessed the resilience and spirit of ourPasadena communityinthe face of challenges,” said Dominic Ng, chairman andchief executiveofEastWestBank,ina statement.

East West Bank contributed an additional $100,000 to the YMCAofMetropolitan Los Angeles.Ithas ties to the arts community and reachedout to museums, foundations and arts supporters to help establish the LA Arts CommunityFireRelief Fund, which received pledges of $12 million

Other regional banksthatannounced contributions include CBTC Bank, which contributed $300,000 to the LosAngelesCountyEconomic Development Corp.’ssmall businessrecovery efforts.Preferred Bank donated $250,000split among TzuChi USA, Pasadena Community Foundation, Alliance fora Better Community and the LosAngelesFireDepartment Foundation. It also matched employee donationsfor wildﬁre relief aboveits corporatecontribution.Bank of Hope contributed $100,000toUnited Way of Greater LosAngelesWildﬁreRelief Fund, CaliforniaBank &Trustspread a$100,000 donation across severalorganizationsand Western Alliance Bancorp made a$100,000 contribution to the American RedCross.

Credit unions, which typically have membership requirements that closelyalign to ageographic region or alarge local employer,havealsomade signiﬁcantcontributions towards wildﬁrerelief

Tustin-based SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union headquartered in Southern Californiawith$31.9billion in assets, announceddonations of morethan$220,000 to localorganizations. Thecredit unionidentiﬁed more than 20,000 members who mayhavebeen impacted by the ﬁres. It hasprovidedgoodwill funds, emergencyrelief personal loans, skipsor deferments on loan and creditcardpayments, waived fees and other lending assistance

“Unfortunately, we have been with ourmembers through these types of devastating situations too many times. Through theseexperiences, we have learned that thebestway to be there forthem is by working with each member one-on-one to offer support tailored to their

unique needs,” saidBillCheney, chief executive officer of SchoolsFirstFCU,ina statement.

Executive Moves

LosAngeles-based RBBBancorp,the parent companyofRoyal BusinessBank, announced achange in thecompany’sleadership,effective May22. JohnnyLee,who previously served as president andchief banking officer,willbecome chief executivewhen current chief executive DavidMorris retires.Hepreviously worked at Pasadena-basedEastWestBankfrom 2021 to 2023 before joining Royal BusinessBankand has more than 35 yearsofbanking experience.Royal BusinessBankoperates locationsinSouthern California, New York City, Chicagoand Honolulu

Farmers InsuranceFederal Credit Union, a$1.4-billion credit unionheadquartered in Burbank, named Mirella Reznic as chief executive andpresident, effectiveFebruary3.Prior chief executiveLauraCampbell retired

“Mirella’s selectioncomesafter arigorous and thoughtfulprocessofassessing andinterviewing numerous,highly qualiﬁed andimpressive internal andexternal candidates,” saidRudy Trevino,Farmers Insurance FCUboard chairman, in astatement. ▐

-DavidNusbaum

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TOP50BANKS in Southern California

LA Times Studios presentsthe 50 largest banksheadquartered in Southern California ranked by assets as of Dec. 31,2024. Thelistincludes banksheadquartered in Los Angeles, Orange, SanBernardino,Riverside andSan Diegocounties. Financial information was provided by theFederal Deposit Insurance Corp., the federal agency that oversees the banking industry. As agroup,the 50 largestbanks headquartered in Southern Californiahad $412 billion in assets. They employ more than 6,400 peopleand operate more than 300branches combined.

BANC WITH STRENGTH

bancofcal.com/strength

DavidPark ExecutiveVicePresident and Head of CommercialBanking andTreasuryManagement

TOPCREDITUNIONS in SouthernCalifornia

LA Times Studios presents the 25 largest creditunionsheadquarteredinSouthern Californiaranked by assets as of Dec. 31,2024. The list includes credit unions headquartered in LosAngeles,Orange, San Bernardino,Riverside and SanDiego counties.Financial information wasprovided by the National CreditUnion Administration, the federal agencythatoversees the credit union industry. As agroup, the 25largestcredit unions headquartered in Southern California have $118 billioninassets. They employ morethan13,000 people andoperate more than 500branches combined.

TOPCREDIT UNIONS in Southern California

Mirella

BANKING AND FINANCE VISIONARIES

Here arethe dynamic individualsnamed Bankingand FinanceVisionaries for2025. These advisors, ﬁnancial experts, bankers and deal brokers represent the best of Southern California moneyexperts. Theirachievementsover the last 24 monthshave been both exemplary and worthyofrecognition in this publication.

However, morethan what they've done to help theirinstitutions and theircustomers, these individualsbringa living face and emotionaldepthtothe often-complex, sometimes oblique worldofthe ﬁnancial sector.Theyare the people whowork with their clients, theircolleaguesand theircommunities to ensure thatmoney is handled smartly –and with ahuman touch. On thefollowing pages,learn moreabouttheir stories, theirbackgrounds and theirpassion for their chosen specialties.

TTrever Acers

Founder & Managing Director Objective,Investment Banking &Valuation INVESTMENTBANKING

rever Acers is the founder and managing director of Objective, Investment Banking &Valuation, leadingits technologypractice. With over 20 years of experience in investment banking, acquisitionsand strategy, he hasclosed over 25 sell-side transactions in the past ﬁve years. Acers has played akey rolein Objective’s growth, advising middle-market clients on M&A and exit strategies. Recent notable transactions include La Jolla Logic’s saletoBoecore and Beacon Mobile’s sale to DRB. Arespected figure in Southern California’s M&A market,hefrequently speaksatindustryevents. Acersholds an M.B.A. from UCLA Anderson andFINRA Series79and 63 licenses. Previously,he held leadership roles at TGGCapital,Oxford Investment Group and EMC Corporations.

RaulA.Anaya is president and co-head of businessbanking at Bank of Americaand amember of itsexecutive management team.He leads anationwide team serving 11 million business owners and 3.4 million businesses with revenues up to $50 million. Under his leadership,BankofAmerica is the top small business lender, with $46.5 billion in loans. Thehighest-ranking Latino at the bank, he hasdrivenrecord revenue growth and clientacquisition. Anaya also oversees diversityinitiatives, chairs the Hispanic-Latino Leadership Counciland serves as theGreater LosAngeles Market President.Hehas advised

LLauren T. Attard Counsel

BakerHostetler PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

aurenAttardfocuses on bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’rights, with expertise in mass torts,damages and claims. She previously served as assistant general counselatthe Securities

Raul Anaya

President,Co-Head of BusinessBanking Bank of America

high-proﬁledeals,led philanthropicefforts andworkedcloselywith LosAngeles leaders to drive economic growth andworkforce development

Investor Protection Corporation(SIPC)and as legislativecounseltoCongressman Brad Shermanonfinancialservices and tax issues. In the past 24 months, she hasled majorcases,including representing atimber companyfacing $300 millioninclaims from a2022 Northern California fireand wineries suing PacifiCorp for losses from Oregon’s 2020 wildfires. She also recovered over $565 million for DouglasCounty families andtimber companies affected by those fires. Attard’s extensive experience in the financialand legalsectors strengthens herability to handle complex litigation and settlements.

MikeBaker,CFP®, is an investment advisor representative and management team member at Gerber Kawasaki Wealth andInvestment Management, where he oversees and trains junior advisors. He co-foundedand leads the firm’saerospace and defense group,analyzing emerging investment opportunities. Bakeralso playsakey role in the corporate benefits division, helping companies design andmanage 401(k) plans. As aCERTIFIED FINANCIALPLANNER®, he provides strategic financial planning and wealthmanagement for high-net-worth clients, entrepreneurs andprofessionals. Afirst-generationcollege graduatefrom San Diego State University, Bakermentors aspiring financial professionals through the Aztec MentorProgram andfrequently speaksonfinancial wellness topics, helping individuals and businesses navigate complex financial decisions.

GGreg Banner

CEO &Senior Financial Adviser Asset Preservation Strategies

ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

regBanner,CFP®,bringsover 30 years of experience to Asset Preservation Strategies, specializing in ﬁnancial planning for highnet-worth individuals, entrepreneurs and business owners.His expertiseincludes business growth and exit strategies, asset management, taxreduction, estateplanning and alternativeinvestments.Hehas aniche working withreal estate developers and private equity to create income strategies Asought-after speaker,Banner presents at industry events, including IMN Real Estate Family Officeand Exit PlanningInstitute He is an investment advisor representative with Axxcess Wealth Management, alicensed insurance broker and aCaliforniaRegistered TaxPreparer.Healso holds aChartered Life Underwriter (CLU®)designation andis endowed as afullFellowofthe Southern California Institute

KKeith Patrick Banner Partner

GreenbergGlusker LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

eith Patrick Banner,a partner at GreenbergGlusker, specializes in bankruptcy, reorganization and corporate restructuring across industries including retail, technology, real estate andmanufacturing.Headvises companies, trustees, creditors and committees on out-of-

RickBechtel,executive vice president andheadofU.S. mortgage at City National Bank, brings over 30 years of experience in residential lending. Based in LosAngeles, he leadsCNB’s mortgage strategy, overseeing sales, operations, capitalmarkets andservicing. Under Bechtel’s leadership,CNB expanded its mortgage and home equity capabilities, including the City National LadderUpHomeLoanGrant. The grant offers up to $50,000 inmajorityBlack or Hispanic census tracts inLos Angeles and up to $20,000 in other qualifyingareas. The CommunityLendingTeam, now 30 members strong, haspartnered with over 50 nonproﬁts

NanazBenyamini Partner, TaxDepartment

Nanazisa PartnerinSingerLewak’sNonprofit Taxpractice, bringing over28years of tax and accounting expertise, with morethan20years dedicated totax-exempt organizations including state-chartered creditunions. Shestartedher career at Deloitte &Touche,where she progressed to the role of TaxSeniorManager in theirLos Angeles TaxExempt Practice. Nanazisanexperienced speaker,havingpresented at eventssuchasthe CalCPA Not-for-Profit Conference and theWesternConference onTax-Exempt Organizations.

court workouts, Chapter 11 reorganizations and Chapter 7liquidations. Previously,heclerked for JudgePeter H. Carrolland worked at an Am Law100 ﬁrm and aboutique insolvency practice.Banner’sexperience includes bankruptcy litigationand creditor disputes. He has ledhigh-proﬁle cases, including HyreCar Inc.’s asset saletoGetaroundand trustee representation in the $45.76-million auction of AlexKhadavi’smansion. Recognized for pro bono work,hesecured $320,000instudent debt relief.Heearnedhis J.D. from Loyola LawSchooland B.A. from UC SantaBarbara.

Rick Bechtel

EVP &Headof U.S. Mortgage

City National Bank LENDING

andhosted nearly 400workshops in 2024. Bechtelalsoservesonthe LA Area Chamberof Commerce Board of Governors, collaborating with city leaderstodrive economic progress.

DarnelJ. Bentz

Senior Wealth Advisor

Kayne Anderson Rudnick Wealth Advisors

ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

DarnelBentz, senior wealthadvisor at KayneAnderson Rudnick (KAR), was inspired to pursue finance afterhelping hiswidowed mother navigate ﬁnancialdecisions in college.After earning amarketing degree from ArizonaState Universityin2000,hespent sevenyears at CharlesSchwabmanaging high-networth clients, later earning an M.B.A. from UCLA Anderson. At KAR, Bentz integrates alternative investments with traditional portfolios, growing his practice by over$34 million in 2024. He serves on KAR’s Wealth AdvisoryInvestment Committee,ensuring top-tierstrategiesfor clients.His goal is to build trust and provide ﬁnancial peace of mind. Beyond work, Bentz volunteers as a youth coach and supports local and national charities, including theManhattan Beach EducationFoundationand theAmerican Cancer Society.

Barnes&Thornburgcongratulates itsownCarolynHuntforbeing recognizedinthe2025Banking& FinanceVisionaryissuepublishedby LATimesStudios WhereYou

CarolynHunt Partner

NNanaz Benyamini

Partner

SingerLewak PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

anaz Benyamini is apartner at SingerLewakwith 29 years of experience in taxand accounting, includingover 14 years as atax-exempt specialist. She graduated from the University of SouthernCaliforniawithaBachelorof Science in accounting. Benyamini began her career at Deloitte &Touche in 1996, advancing to tax senior managerintheir Los Angeles tax exempt practice.She specializes in taxation for nonprofit organizations, offering compliance and consultingservices tailored to their unique needs, including tax and operational requirements and unrelated business income.Additionally, shehas expertise in for-profit taxation,covering individuals, flow-through entities and S corporations. As aCertiﬁed Public Accountant (CPA) and AICPAmember,Benyamini delivers personalized and strategic taxplanning solutions fordiverse clients

LLetitia Berbaum

Founder & Wealth Advisor

BlueSands Wealth ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

etitiaBerbaum foundedBlue Sands Wealthtoprovide afocused, trustworthyapproach to wealth management. Shespecializes in assettransfer strategies for high-net-worth individuals, strategic planning for business owners and ﬁnancial planning forwomen. Her ﬁrm serves

Pippa Bondisaleading Capital Markets attorneywith expertise in corporate ﬁnance,securities and restructuring. Sheserves as primaryoutside counsel forAres Management (NYSE: ARES; $378B AUM) and Blue OwlCapital (NYSE: OWL; $166B AUM), advising on IPOs, capital marketstransactions andgovernance.Her practice includes liability management andrestructuring for major brands likeNeimanMarcus, Staples andEquinox.Bondalsocounselsissuers, sponsors and underwriters in public offerings, debt placements and M&Adeals. Sheserves on the boards of ASSIST, anonprofit that matchesacademically talented,multilingual

individuals, families, widows and business owners navigating exit plans. Recognized as an Orange CountyFive-Star Wealth Manager for seven consecutive years,Berbaum holds AIF® and CEPA® designations andSeries 66, Life and Long-Term Care Insurancelicenses She hasbeenfeatured in ForbesBusiness Council and serves on the Brea Chamber of Commerce WomeninLeadership Council Asought-afterspeaker,she haspresented at 14 wealth management conferences in 24 months. Berbaumwas also honored as a“WomanofAchievement”bySenatorBob Archuleta’s officefor her contributions to the community.

international students with American independent secondaryschools andTeam IMPACT, anonproﬁtthatpairs children with seriousillnesses with college sports teams.

Richard Cabrera

EVP &Headof Commercial Banking

UmpquaBank COMMERCIAL BANKING

RichardCabrera is executive vice president andheadofcommercial banking at UmpquaBank, leading banking services for mid-sized companies acrosseight states. Since joiningin2016, he has grown the division from 30 to over 350 bankers, expanding into keysectors like wine,healthcare and ESOPfinance Cabreraprioritizes arelationship-driven approach, acting as atrusted advisor beyond lending. Under his leadership, Umpqua hassecured high-proﬁle dealsin entertainment,technologyand healthcare ASan DiegoState graduate,heisaﬁnance visionary dedicatedtosupporting businesses and mentoring young Latino professionals, inspiring them to pursuecareers in banking. Cabrera hasbeen featured in CNN, MarketWatch, American Banker Magazine andmore for his industryinsights.

OurSolutions

Pippa Bond Partner

Kirkland &Ellis LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

TTom Calahan

SVP, Director of Business Development

Partners Bank of California COMMERCIAL BANKING

om Calahanissenior vice president and director of business development at Partners Bank of California, leadingateamofsix client advisors. As the bank expands, he plays akey role in growingits presence across California. Calahan spearheaded thebank’s expansion intoLos Angeles,launching the Beverly Hillsbranchin2018and generating over $50 million in production within two years. Now basedinMission Viejo,he manages anine-figure portfolio.Before joining Partners Bank in 2016, he began his ﬁnancial services career in 2011 at US Bank, where he led the region in production as a business banker.AgraduateofUniversity of California,Irvine, Calahancontinues to drive growth andclient successatPartners BankofCalifornia.

AAnthonyR. Callobre

Partner, Finance Blank Rome LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

nthony “Tony” R. Callobre,apartner at Blank Rome LLP’sLos Angeles office,isa leading bankingand ﬁnance attorney specializing in asset-based lending and fund finance.Herepresents lenders and borrowers in complexcommercial loan transactions, including syndicated and

NicholasCameron is acommercial real estate attorneyonCox Castle’s capital markets team, specializing in real estate ﬁnance transactionsfor lenders andborrowers. He advises on deals involving rawland, retail,industrial, office,multifamily, hospitalityand medical office properties. Cameron represents insurance companies, private lenders and banksinstructuring complex loansand counsels borrowers onﬁnancing needs. His expertise includes drafting and negotiating loan documents, duediligence andclosing logistics. He also advises institutional investors and developers on acquisitions, dispositions, jointventures andCo-GPinvestment structures.Recent deals include a$362-million syndicated loan for

MMichael Chambers

President& Chief Banking Officer

Partners Bank of California COMMERCIAL

BANKING

ichael Chambers is the president and chief bankingofficer of Partners BankofCaliforniaand wasappointed to its boardofdirectors in 2023. An original investor and employee,he helped establish the bank in 2007, focusing on full-service bankingfor entrepreneursin Orange andLos Angeles counties. Before joining Partners Bank, Chambers built his career at MBNAAmerica Bank, where he managed telesales,customerservice and affinity credit card partnerships forMLB, NFL and NBA. Beyond banking, he serves as advisory board chairman forthe Boysand Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley.Chambers holds aBachelor of Science in political science from Coastal CarolinaUniversityand remains dedicatedtosupportingbusiness owners with tailored ﬁnancial solutionsand long-term banking relationships.

KittyChen, senior managing director and head of retailand business banking at East West Bank, has beeninstrumental in the bank’sgrowth, overseeing ateam of more than one-third of its associates. Over her 30-yearcareer,the bank’sassets have grown 30 times to $75 billion, with retailbanking achieving 10% asset growth in thepastyear. Chen playedakey roleinsecuring critical Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)funding for businesses during the pandemic and drovedepositgrowthamid the 2023 banking crisis.She championed trilingualbankingservicesinEnglish, Chinese and Spanish to enhance accessibility. As a

HenrayCohen is senior vice president andregional senior investment officer at Northern Trust, overseeing investmentpractices in LosAngeles, Orange County, SanDiego andSanta Barbara. He

cross-border deals. Callobreheads Blank Rome’s market-leading asset-based lending practice, advisingmajor ﬁnancialinstitutions like Bank of America, PNCBank,WellsFargo andEast West Bank. His recent dealsinclude multimillion-dollarsyndicatedcreditfacilities, acquisitionfinancingand fund finance transactions.A recognizedindustry leader, he is actively involved in legaland ﬁnance organizations,including the American Bar Associationand Secured FinanceNetwork. Callobrehas been rankedinChambersUSA and Best LawyersinAmericafor Banking and Finance Law.

land acquisition, a$100-million construction finance facility andamultimillion-dollar mezzanine loanfor multifamilydevelopment. ANAIOP SoCal member,Cameron actively engages in its Young ProfessionalsGroup and alumni committees.

Kitty Ma Chen

SeniorManagingDirector,Head ofRetail&BusinessBanking EastWestBank

former co-chair of the East West Bank United WayCampaign, she fostered aculture of philanthropy within her team, inspiring high participation rates year after year

SSherry Cefali

Managing Director Kroll, LLC INVESTMENT BANKING

herryCefaliisamanaging director in theDuff &Phelpsopinions practice of Kroll, LLC, andamember of the Fairness andSolvencyOpinionSenior ReviewCommittee.With over 30 years of experience,she advisescompanies and boards on valuations, fairness andsolvency opinions. Cefalihas ledmajor transactions, includingthe largest REITIPO in history for Lineage, Inc.,solvencyopinions for Howard Hughes Holdings andWPCarey and numerous private equityfund transactions for Blackstone andKKR. She serves on theboard of RF Industries and is active in diversityand leadership initiatives, including Nareit’s Dividends Through Diversity andInclusion (DDI) Initiative to promote the recruitment, inclusionand advancement of women and members of other diverse groups in REITsand the broader commercial real estate industry.

serves on thefirm’sInvestment Advisory Committee, evaluating andmonitoring wealthmanagement solutions. Cohen directly manages over $1 billion in assets, providinginvestment andfinancial advisory services to individuals, families,foundations andtrusts.Beforejoining NorthernTrust, he worked in public accounting with Deloitte &Touche.Heholds aBachelor of Arts in business economics from UC SantaBarbara and an M.B.A. from UCLA AndersonSchool of Management.AChartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Cohen brings deep expertise to investment management andstrategic financial planning.

Jonathan Dale is executive vice presidentand regional directorfor California commercial &middle market banking at UmpquaBank, overseeing commercial banking across the state Promoted in 2024 after success leading thePaciﬁcNorthwest and MountainWest regions, he now drivesUmpqua’s growth in California. With 29 years in banking, Dale began as ateller at 18 and advanced through leadership roles in retail, corporate banking and enterprise strategy. He earned his M.B.A. from USC’sMarshall SchoolofBusiness withoutanundergraduatedegree—an honor for exceptional candidates.Heleads high-performing teams focused on helping businesses achieve strategic growth. Dale hasalsobeen involved with national organizations that teach school-age students ﬁnancialliteracy, work andcareer readiness.

Nicholas Cameron Associate

Cox, Castle &Nicholson PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

BBrian L. Davidoff

Chair,Bankruptcy,Reorganization &CapitalRecovery

Greenberg Glusker LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

rian Davidoff, chair of Greenberg Glusk er’ sb an kr uptcy , reorganization and capital recovery group,isatrustedadvisor to middle-market companiesfacing financial challenges. He specializes in restructuring, distressed asset salesand maximizing recoveries for creditors. Recognized by Chambers USA,Best LawyersinAmerica®and SouthernCalifornia Super Lawyers, Davidoff has ledhigh-profile cases, including HyreCar’sChapter11sale and Reno City Center’srestructuring. He also advises manufacturers, retailers and real estate firms onrefinancing and strategic exits. He authored an amicus curiaebrief for the U.S. Supreme Courtand edits Overheard in Bankruptcy.Davidoff’sinsights appear in The Wall Street Journal,CNN andBloomberg Law. He holds aJ.D.from the University of Witwatersrand andanLL.M. from the University of Miami.

JJames F. Davidson

President & Founder Avant AdvisoryGroup PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

ames Davidson is the founder, president and managing director of Avant Advisory Group,specializing in ﬁnancial restructuring, M&Aadvisory,forensic accounting andcorporate investigations.He hasserved in executive roles, including CEO, CFOand CRO, across publicand private

Christopher J. DelMoral-Nileswas appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer of East West Bancorpand EastWestBankin October2023. Previously,heservedasCFO of Associated Banc-Corp for adecade and heldleadership rolesatFirst American and Union Bank,servingassenior vice president anddirectorofliability management.Earlier, he wasaninvestmentbankeratMerrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers. DelMoral-Nilesearned his bachelor’sdegree from UC Berkeley and an M.B.A. from UCLA Anderson Schoolof Management.HeisaCFA charterholder. With extensive experienceinﬁnancialleadership,

JJacky Dilfer

Executive Director

Business Finance Capital LENDING

acky Dilfer,executive director of Business Finance Capital (BFC), is a commercial and SBA lending expert with over two decades of experience Under her leadership,BFC hasfunded over 1,000 commercialreal estatetransactions and arranged more than $5 billion in SBA and commercial loans. BFCconsistently ranksamong the top SBA 504 lendersin LosAngeles County, Californiaand the U.S. Dilfer is knownfor hercommitment to clientsuccess, ensuring every transaction is handled with professionalism and compliance.ASan Jose State graduate, she also serves on the boards of AltaMed Health Care Services, the Jewish Free Loan Association and the C5 Youth Foundation of SouthernCalifornia, an organization that helpscreateopportunities forteens whostrivetobreak barriersand build successful careers.

Tyrone Dinneen is afinancial advisor dedicatedtohelping professionals, families and business owners build long-term wealth.Withexpertise in tax efficiency,employer benefits andwealth preservation, he and his team provide strategic financial planning solutions. Dinneen spent 12 yearswithAfter-SchoolAll-Stars,expanding the programfrom four to over 60 schools Seeking both financial growth and purpose,he transitioned to NorthwesternMutual, wherehe helps nonprofit professionals, business owners andtechprofessionalsaccess financial planning.Hementors new advisors and leads ateamofseven. Dinneen also servesonthe board of TEACHPublic Schoolsand remains active with After-SchoolAll-Stars,having

Dcompanies. Aformer PricewaterhouseCoopers consultant, Davidson hasled major M&A transactions and restructuring efforts, including the saleofElite Global Solutions andRebornCabinets. He hasbeen an expert witnessinfederal andstate courts andserves on the LosAngeles Chapter board of the AssociationofCertiﬁed Fraud Examiners. He co-founded the Southern California Chapterofthe Private Directors Associationand frequently speaks on M&A, ﬁnancial structuring andfraud investigations. Davidson’s expertisespans corporate governance,financial due diligence and turnaround strategies.

ChristopherJorge DelMoral-Niles

Chief Financial Officer

COMMERCIAL BANKING

treasurymanagement and investment banking,hebrings deep expertisetoEast West Bank’sstrategic growth and ﬁnancial operations

Tyrone Dinneen

previously served as achair of their young professionalsboard for two years.

Danijella Dragas

Chief Executive Officer

The Lending CorporationLLC LENDING

anijella Dragas earned aB.S. in economics andinternational trade finance from the Universityof London. She spent 18 yearsatBearStearns, specializing in asset management and capital marketsand played akey role in introducing Bear Stearns mortgages to theresidential

wholesale market. With 36 yearsinresidential and commercial lending, Dragas focuses on construction finance,fintech,blockchain and internationalbusiness finance.She advises CEOsand boardsoncorporate strategy andstructured finance, with expertise in fintech startups,sportsfranchises and commercial lending. Aguest speakeron business television andcontributor to online publications,Dragasalso serves as managing director of Global SoccerPro andaU.S.board member of Footballfor Peace.She actively supports Parkinson’s researchand global philanthropicinitiatives.

Sean

Devine

ManagingDirector,HeadofSales, U.S.EmergingMiddleMarkets BMO COMMERCIAL BANKING

SeanDevine,abanking professional with over 26 years of experience, is the U.S. headofTPS sales for the emerging middle market segment at BMO.Since July 2024,hehas ledefforts to build and expand the national TPS salesteam. Previously,hespent adecade at Bank of theWest as West Coastsenior managerfor commercial banking, playing akey roleinthe seamless customer transition post-acquisition.Devinealso led the launch of the TreasuryNow platform, successfully migrating 2,600 customers. He heldleadershiproles at KeyBankand Wells Fargo,where he managed business bankingand treasury teams. Committed to communityservice,hehas served on boards for the National MS Societyand Imagination Children’s Museum.

Daniel Dubelman is aleading transactional attorneyspecializing in private equity, M&Aand corporate governance.Headvises top private equityfirms, including Aurora Capital Partners, Brentwood Associates, KKR, OaktreeCapital andMarlinEquity, on buyouts, structured investments and joint ventures across industries likesoftware, financial services and energy. Atrusted advisor,Dubelmanisknown forhis strategic dealmaking, risk management andability to execute complex transactions.Beyond client work,heteaches M&A due diligence at UCLA SchoolofLaw andmentors future legalprofessionals.A keyleader at Massumi +Consoli,hehas helpeddrive the firm’s rapid growth, spearheading recruitment, mentorship and strategic initiatives that have strengthened its middle-market private equity practice

Daniel Dubelman

GHJexcelsindevelopinginnovativefinancialstrategiestailoredtotoday’s market challenges. Recognized as ‘Banking andFinance Visionaries,’our team memberscombine visionary leadership with practicalsolutions forclient success. Team up with GHJ: your goals, ourgameplan— executethe perfectplay. GHJADVISORS.COM

GGene Dunford

SeniorManaging Director

Umpqua Bank COMMERCIAL

BANKING

ene Dunford, managingdirector at Umpqua Bank,leads commercial bankinginGreater LosAngeles, overseeing agrowing team of nearly 20 bankers. A29-year industryveteran,hehas signiﬁcantlyexpandedUmpqua’spresence, driving asset growth and new banking relationships. Dunford hasstrengthened Umpqua’sinternationaltrade bankingby adding aspecialized team to assist Southern California businesses in navigating global commerce.Arecognized expert in taxexempt bonds,hehas advisednonproﬁts and private institutions, including L.A.schools, on raising capital for expansion, enabling them to build new classrooms and enhance academicprogramming. Athought leader in banking andtrade,Dunford’sinsightshave been featured in CNN Business, theLos Angeles Business Journal and The Orange County Register

AAndrew Dunst

Managing Director, E-Commerce The Sage Group INVESTMENT BANKING

ndrewDunst is aleader in his ﬁrm’s e-commerce practice,advising disruptive DTCbrands across industries like footwear,apparel, beauty andhomegoods. With deep expertisein M&A, capital raises and private equity recapitalizations, he has guided topconsumer

Kayo M. Elkner is aprincipal in the accountingand taxdepartments at Prager Metis, with over 20 years of experience.She specializes in accounting and taxservices forindividuals andclosely held businesses, including international clients, particularly Japanese companies in Hawaii andCalifornia. Born andraisedinTokyo,she earned aB.S. in ﬁnance from Seattle University andbecamea CPAinIllinois. Elkner held key rolesinmajor Japanese corporations before joining Nagano Morita, whichlatermerged with PragerMetis. Now,she playsa leadership roleinthe Japanese global services group

CCoreyEric Fischer Managing Partner

Weinberg &Company,P.A. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

orey Fischer is the managing partner at Weinberg &Company, specializing in IPOs, M&A, debt restructuring and SEC reporting.With decadesofexperience,hehas ledover 200 equity and debt transactions across industries,including investment banking, technology andclean energy. Previously, Fischer served as CFO for Nasdaq-listed companiesand worked at Deloitte & Touche,overseeing SEC services for large public ﬁrms. Underhis leadership,Weinberg expanded globally, particularlyinAsia, with recent growth in Singapore.Heupholds highethical standards, steeringclear of SPAC IPOs in favoroftransparent, due diligence-driven transactions. Committed to diversity, Weinberg’sminority and female representation hasgrown to nearly 75%.A dedicated mentor, Fischercoaches youth sports and remains active in theUniversity of Florida Alumni Association.

Mark Flewellingisa partnerat Lagerlof,LLP,specializing in litigation and appellate law. With over40years of experience,herepresents financial institutions, businesses and entrepreneurs in disputes involving real estate, investment fraud, banking andcommercial lending.Hehas defended thousandsof lender liabilitycases across California and thePaciﬁcNorthwest, securing precedentsetting victories, including aNinth Circuit of Appealsrulingonnational bank jurisdiction. Hisnotablecases includedismissalsofclass actions against banksand successful defenses in real estate andﬁnance disputes. Devoted

Fbrandsthrough keyﬁnancialtransactions. Notable dealsinclude Bombas’ investment by Great Hill Partners, Chubbies’sale to Solo Brands andMeUndies’recapitalizationwith Provenance Digital. Known forhis strategic insights andstrong industryrelationships, Dunstisa frequent speaker, includingatthe LEAD InnovationSummitinNew York. Beyond finance,heiscommitted to philanthropy, serving on the boardofthe Shalom Institute and participating in American Friends of theHebrew University’s(AFHU) young leaders program

FluentinJapanese, she is an active member of theJapanese Business Association and the California Society of CPAs

Arash Farin

CEO & Co-Founder

Centerstone Capital INVESTMENT BANKING

Arash Farin is the CEO and cofounder of Centerstone Capital,a merchant bank specializing in the consumer,business services, technology, sports/media/entertainmentand healthcare sectors. With 25 yearsofindustryexperience, including 1.5 years at Centerstone,he previously spent nearly 15 yearsatThe Sage Group andheldpositions at Lehman Brothers,Blackstone Groupand Goldman Sachs. Farinisknown for hisdedicationto client service and fostering astrongwork culture.Heisalsoactive in thePaciﬁc Council andthe World Affairs Counciland serves on the board of Operation Mend, which supports post-9/11veterans. He holds aB.S from the Wharton Schoolatthe University of Pennsylvania, an M.B.A. from Harvard and hasstudiedatOxford University.

Francine Flores

Flewelling

to community service,Flewellinghas served as amayor andcouncilman fora nearby city as well as atrustee of three school boards

rancine Flores, vice president and district manager at U.S. Bank, has over 35 yearsoffinancial industry experience, including22yearsatU.S.Bank.

Amultiple award-winning leader,she is passionate aboutmentorship,fostering growth andadvancing employees into senior leadership roles. Starting in an entry-level banking role,Floresearned Series 6, 63 and 7licenses and completed executive training at Furman.She championsﬁnancialliteracyand inclusion, helping underservedcommunities achieve ﬁnancial independence.ALos Angeles native, sheserves on the advisoryboards of Tara’sChance andthe Whittier Boys andGirls Club.Florespreviouslyled diversityinitiatives as president of NosotrosLatinos Business Resource Groupfor Southern California.

Robert Foxisthe managing director of private equityatMcGuireWoods, leading businessdevelopment and fostering connections between emerging managers, limitedpartners (LPs) and keystakeholders. With over adecade of experience,hehas drivengrowthat majorlaw firms, including O’Melveny& Myersand investment ﬁrms, specializing in deal sourcing andinvestment structuring Foxlaunched McGuireWoods’Emerging Manager Program, now theindustry’stop platformfor emergingmanagers and LPs. The 2024 Emerging ManagerConference attracted over 1,000 attendees, offering industry-leading panel discussions, targeted networking opportunities andsolidifying its reputation as apremier private equity event. Foxchampionsdiversityinprivate equity andfacilitates transformativedeals across healthcare, industrials and food &beverage

Robert Fox

Managing Director,

Kayo M. Elkner

Metis

SShari Freidenrich

Orange County Treasurer CountyofOrange ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

hari Freidenrich servesasthe Orange County treasurer,overseeing asset and investment management for the County of Orange.First elected in 2010 and re-elected multiple times,she has gained recognitionfor herleadership,including receiving the highestcountywidevotes in 2018 and 2022. Prior to this role,she served as the electedcity treasurer for Huntington Beach and held positions at Boeing Travel Corporation and Deloitte &Touche.Acertiﬁed CPA, CCMT,CPFAand ACPFIM,Freidenrich hasearnedaccoladesfor hercontributions to ﬁnancial transparencyand innovation, including the NACO Achievement Award and selectiontothe OC 500. She’s known forher impactful reforms, such as consolidating banking activitiesand securingaAAAF credit rating for pooled funds and creating successful investment strategies.

Dustin Gale

Senior Wealth Advisor

KayneAnderson Rudnick Wealth Advisors ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Dustin Gale is asenior wealth advisor at KayneAnderson Rudnick Wealth Advisors, where he specializes in holistic planningand investment management Hiscareerbegan at Bank of America, advancing from ateller to banker,before

ReggieGoodenisthe managingpartner of 360 Business Management, specializinginservingentertainers andathletes. Following stints at afamily office anda boutiquebusiness managementfirm, he co-founded 360 Business Management in 2022 withhis partner,Josh Martin. The firm hasexpanded from asingleofficeand four employees to locations in Woodland Hills and Burbank, nowemploying over 15 people.As managing partner,Gooden plays astrategic role and maintains ahigh-profile client roster, offering trusted financial advice.InJune 2024, he earned his Series 65 securities license, which enhances his abilitytoadviseclients

movingtoWells Fargo Private Bank and eventuallyjoining KayneAndersonRudnick He is dedicated to providing proactive ﬁnancial advice andemphasizesthe importanceof long-term planning and behavioral ﬁnance With a96% client retention rate over the lastthree years, Gale has been featured in Barron’s Advisor,WealthManagement com, The Atlantic and ThinkAdvisor.Healso serves as an advisoryboard memberfor Project ECHO,supporting at-risk youth and was honoredwith ThinkAdvisor’sLuminaries Awardin2024 for his philanthropic work.

Reggie Gooden

Managing Partner

360 Business Management PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

on building wealth through investments and net worth strategies. The ﬁrm’s successhas ledtorecognition on notableindustry lists, including The Hollywood Reporter,Variety Magazine andBillboard Magazine

Lloyd Greif

President, Founder &CEO

Greif&Co. INVESTMENT

BANKING

Lloyd Greifisthe president, founder and CEO of Greif &Co.,aninvestment bank that specializes in M&Atransactions for entrepreneurially owned middle-market companies. After rising to vice chairmanand head of investment bankingatSutro &Co., he founded Greif &Co. in 1992, where he hasled high-proﬁle deals such as Bacardi’s acquisition of Patrón Tequila and the merger of Mrs. Gooch’s with WholeFoods.Renowned for his “client-ﬁrst” approachand tireless work ethic, Greifisa respected expert in M&A deal-makingand regularlylectures at UCLA, USC and Loyola LawSchool.Inaddition to his business achievements, he is acommitted civic leaderand philanthropist, supporting education, the arts and various charitable causes, including pandemic food assistance andUkraine warrelief.

AAlex Grigorians

Partner

Hanson Bridgett, LLP

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

sapartner at Hanson Bridgett, LLP, Alex Grigorians specializesinreal estate finance and commercial real estate transactions. Servingabroad range of clients,including national lenders, private equity firms, developers and real estate owners, his practice coversacquisitions, financing,syndications, leasing andmore across various asset classes. As chairof real estate finance anda member ofthe management committee,Grigoriansplays akey role in shaping the firm’s strategic direction. His recentwork includesfacilitating over $100 million in loansfor social impact housing projectsand advising clients on over $300 million in debt financings. He is committed to diversity, equityand inclusion and has contributed significantly to communityinitiatives, including supporting cancerresearch at City of Hope.

AKaytlin Hall

Wealth Advisor/Co-Director of Women of Wealth Program

GerberKawasaki Wealth &Investment Management

ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

sawealthadvisor andco-director of the Women of Wealth Program at Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management, Kaytlin Hall specializes in providing ﬁnancial planning servicesfor professional women andfamilies.

Channing Hamletisthe co-founder andmanagingdirector of Objective, Investment Banking &Valuation, where he leads both the business services practice for investment banking and the valuation advisory servicesgroup.With more than25yearsofexperience,he hasclosed over 25 sell-side transactions anddirectlyinﬂuencedtensofmillions of dollars in revenue for the ﬁrm. Known for his businessdevelopment and M&A execution, Hamlet’snotable transactions include the sale of SterndahlEnterprise to FrontlineRoad SafetyGroup and ProEst to AutoDesk. He is deeply involved in the LosAngelesAdvisor

MMichele Havens Head of U.S. Wealth Management

BMO ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

ichele Havens serves asthe head of U.S. wealth managementat BMO Financial Group, where she oversees the company’sU.S.private wealth business, including family office, investment management, trust, estate and private and business banking services. Under her leadership,BMO’s U.S. wealth management group, with 1,200employees across 36 states,has grown significantly, providing personalized servicestohighnet-worth clients. As amemberofthe BMO U.S. management committee,she drivesthe firm’s strategic direction, focusing on talent management,effectivecollaborationand long-term growth. ACERTIFIEDFINANCIAL PLANNER®(CFP®), Havens hasreceived numerous accolades, includingrecognition as one of the 500 Most Influential People in LosAngeles by the LosAngelesBusiness Journal and was honored with theWomen of AchievementAward by the CenturyCity Chamber of Commerce

Gregory Hebner is the managing director andmajority ownerof Arixa Capital,a leadingprivate lender specializing in residentialdevelopment and construction. Since joining Arixain 2012, he hassigniﬁcantly accelerated the company’sgrowth, positioning it as one of the top 10 private lenders nationally andtop ﬁve in California.Under Hebner’s leadership,Arixa hassurpassed $5 billion in cumulative originations and set anew annual recordin2024 with over $1.25 billion in loanoriginations. The lender has expanded across keymarkets, including California, Arizona and Florida. Withover 25 years of

Brian Hernandezisthe senior vice president andbusiness banking market leader for U.S. Bank in the Greater LosAngelesArea, overseeing a teamofover 40 employees and focusingon

With over adecade of experience,she is committed to empoweringworking mothers, includingdoctors, lawyers andexecutives. As aco-founderofthe Women of Wealth Group, she develops tailored strategies that address her clients’unique challenges, such as saving forcollege,private school tuition,family protection and managing family expenses Hall is dedicated to providing personalized guidance,ensuring herclients feel conﬁdent in theirﬁnancial futures. She is also an avid sailor,communityleader and supporter of animal rescue efforts, including her work with the Shelter Transport Animal Rescue Team (START).

Channing Hamlet

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Objective,Investment Banking &Valuation

community, servingonthe boardsofthe Exit Planning Institute,ACG LA andEOLA, andis passionate about philanthropy, particularly through his workwith RealityChangers.

Gregory Hebner

real estate investmentexperience,Hebner's insight into theneeds of developers hasbeen instrumental in shaping Arixa’sclient-focused lending platform.

businesses with revenues up to $50million. With morethan 15 years of experience in banking andfinancial services, he has held various roles at U.S. Bank since 2009, with expertiseincommercialand industrial lending. Hernandez leads withanemphasis on operational excellence and customerfocused strategy,aimingtogrow market share in theregion.Heisactive in the community, volunteeringwith Junior Achievement, Precious LifeShelter andGiving Children Hope as well as servingonthe board of the L.A. Chamber of Commerce.Including his accomplishments, Hernandez has also won theAnnual PinnacleAward ﬁvetimes. Brian Hernandez

Brandy Han

EVP of Capital Markets

City National Bank

LENDING

Brandy Hanisthe executive vice presidentofcapital markets at City National Bank,where she oversees loan syndications, interest rate riskmanagementsales, foreign exchange sales,globalmarkets trading andrisk andinternationalbanking andtrade ﬁnance.With15years at City National, she was instrumental in building the bank’s syndications team from the ground up, growing it to manage over $6 billion in commitments. Prior to CityNational, Han held senior rolesatUBS Securities,Banc of AmericaSecuritiesand ABNAMROBank.She is committed to fostering diversity,having servedasthe executive sponsor for multiple colleagueresource groups andcurrently on the boardofthe LosAngeles County Economic Development Corporation.

Asamanaging partner at The Riverside Company,Jeremy Holland leads the origination team for various funds and strategies across North America.With 27 years of experience in private equity,heisknown for hiscommitmenttohelping others succeed, bringing enthusiasm,candorand hard work to every opportunity. Holland joined Riversidein2010 to focusonoriginating new investment opportunities in theWestern U.S. andCanada. He is also dedicated to mentoring younger professionals, helping them progress in theircareersand actively supporting the M&Acommunity. Additionally, he is amemberofthe advisory boardfor 51 Vets,anonproﬁtfocusedonhelping military veterans transition into civilian rolesinM&A.

Managing Director

ArixaCapital LENDING

AAaron Houpis

EVP &Managing Director, Specialty Deposits Group

Banc of California COMMERCIAL

BANKING

aronHoupis is theexecutive vice president and managing director of Banc of California’s specialtydepositsgroup,where he leads the development and execution of sales initiatives and oversees anationwideteam of relationshipmanagers. His responsibilities include driving deposit production, generating new businessrelationshipsand expandingtreasurymanagement sales. Houpis joined Banc of California in 2019 as amarket executive and waspromotedtohis current role in 2024. He is active in theLos Angeles community,supporting nonproﬁts such as The Midnight Mission and the BankWork$program ofJVS SoCal. Houpis also serves on theboard of theLos Angeles Headquarters Association, which promotes business growth by engaging the region’s diverse leaders.

CCarolyn Hunt Partner

Barnes &Thornburg LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

arolynHunt is apartner at Barnes &Thornburg LLP,where she cochairs the firm’s debt finance practice group.Specializing in structuring and negotiating complexﬁnancial transactions, she hasbecome atrusted advisor to ﬁnancial institutionsand corporateborrowers. Hunt has

Jarrod Ingleisthe regional president and head of corporate banking for Orange County& Inland Empireat PNCBank. In this role,heleads business development, client relationships and philanthropic initiatives across the region, overseeing theexpansion of PNC’s services in corporate &institutional banking, asset management and retail banking. With nearly 30 years of experience,Ingle has held senior executivepositions at WellsFargo and JPMorgan Chase. Since establishing PNC’sRegional President’sofficein2021, he hasdriven signiﬁcant growth, strengthening relationships within keysectors likemedical services, aerospaceand food manufacturing. Ingle is committedtocommunityinvolvement,

played apivotal role in high-profile financing deals,particularly within the entertainment industry, handling everything from singleproject capital raises to large-scaleportfolio financings. Her clients include top financial institutions likeCityNationalBank and East West Bank, as well as private funds andcorporate entities. Her expertise also extends to corporate finance initiatives such as taxcredit monetization andentertainment distribution co-financing. Recognized by Chambers andPartners andSouthern California SuperLawyers,Huntisalsoactively involvedincommunityorganizations, including the Heartland International Film Festival

Jarrod Ingle

RegionalPresidentforOrange County&InlandEmpire PNC Bank

COMMERCIAL BANKING

serving on the boardsofthe Orange County United Wayand Hope ThroughHousing Foundation andsupporting early childhood education initiatives throughout theregion.

Shadi Jahangir

Shadi Jahangir is apartner at Blank Rome LLP,where she focuses on commercial lending and corporate finance.She hasbeen pivotal in establishing BlankRomeasa leadingfirm in COVID-relief MSLP financings. Jahangir has played akey role in several high-profile deals, including raising$120 million for FirstElement Fuel andsecuring loans exceeding $250 million forforeign governments. Recognized for her leadership and expertise,she hasbeen named a"LeaderofInfluence: Minority Attorney"bythe LosAngelesBusiness Journal anda“TopWoman in Secured Finance”byThe Secured Lender.Beyond herlegal practice,she is actively involved in community service,including her work with The Center in Hollywood andleadership roles in BlankRome’s diversitycommittee.

CCarlos Jimenez

Global Head of Media, Sports &Entertainment

Moelis &Company INVESTMENT BANKING

arlos Jimenez is amanaging director andglobal headof media, sportsand entertainment at Moelis &Company,where he brings over 20 years of investmentbanking experience He specializesinguiding clients through complexM&A transactions,debt andequity ﬁnancings, IPOs and restructurings within the entertainment, media andadjacent sectors. Jimenez’s significanttransactional work includes advising Skydance Mediaonits merger withParamount,WWE’s merger with Endeavor’sUFC and United Talent Agencyon its acquisition of ROOF.Heisknown forhis strategic insight, longstanding relationships in Hollywood and expertise in navigating high-stakes negotiations. Beyond his transactional achievements,heiscommitted to mentorship and diversity, serving as the senior sponsor of the Latino andHispanic & Allies Employee NetworkatMoelis

MMollie Kaiser

Private Wealth Advisor

ollie Kaiser is aprivatewealth advisoratStrategicView Advisors, whereshe provides expert guidance to clients and contributes to the firm’s broader strategythrough her work on the financial planning and investmentcommittees. With over 15 years

DaniloKawasaki is the co-founder, vicepresident, COOand chief compliance officer of Gerber KawasakiWealth &Investment Management. As akey member of the boardofdirectors and the investmentselection committee, hehas helped steer the firm to become a leader inthe wealth management industry. Kawasakihas been recognized as aTop Advisor by Investment News anda Leader of Influence by the LA Business Journal.With certificationsinPersonalFinancial Planning, Wealth Management Theory&Practice and as aCERTIFIED FINANCIALPLANNER®,he brings awealth of knowledge to his role. He co-founded Gerber Kawasaki with a

JJamie Kim

Principal, Head of Business Development

GallantCapital PRIVATEEQUITY

amieKim is principal, head of businessdevelopmentatGallant Capital andresponsible for sourcing and assessing investmentopportunities, managing relationships with transaction advisors and leading the ﬁrm’smarketing strategy. Prior to Gallant, shewas the head of corporate development &strategy at Presto (Nasdaq: PRST).Prior to Presto, Kim was amemberof thebusiness development team at Platinum Equity, where she led dealorigination and managed strategic relationships with investment banks,corporate sellers and otherdeal intermediaries. She started her career as an investment analyst at J.P. Morganand Merrill Lynch. She holds aB.A. in political science with honors from the UniversityofCalifornia, LosAngeles andanM.B.A.fromthe Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Andrew Kline is the founder and managing partner of Park Lane,a leading sports investment bank, where he hasplayed apivotal roleinhighprofiletransactions across Major League Soccer (MLS), theNational Hockey League (NHL),the NBA andthe NFL. In the past 12 to 24 months, he led notable deals, including the sale of aportion of an MLB team and two Canadian FootballLeague (CFL) teams. Kline hasalso raised capital for morethan 80 early-stage sports-relatedbusinesses. Being arecognized leader in sports M&A and venture investing, he is activelyinvolvedin variousorganizations supporting military

Rof experience in wealthmanagement, includingroles at BernsteinGlobal Wealth Management andCreditSuisse, shebrings a wealth of knowledge to heradvising,planning and investment management work. Kaiser holdsanM.B.A.fromPepperdineUniversity and several professional certifications, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®).She is passionate about client education, treating each clientlikefamily and isactively involved in community organizationssuch as Housing Worksand the Alzheimer’sAssociation through SVA’sphilanthropic arm, SVAC.A.R.E.S.

Anthony Kim

SeniorEVP &Chief Banking Officer

Hanmi Bank COMMERCIAL

BANKING

ADanilo Kawasaki

Co-Founder, VP andCOO Gerber Kawasaki Wealth &Investment Management ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Strategic View Advisors ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Andrew Kline Founder& Managing Partner Park Lane INVESTMENT BANKING

client-centric vision, focused on providing independent, objective financial advice Kawasaki’sapproach ensures that clients receivetailoredguidancethathelps them achieve theirﬁnancial goals.

nthonyKim is thesenior executive vice president and chief banking officer at Hanmi Bank, wherehe leads teams to drive loan production,deposit gathering and the overallperformance of 35 branches and two corporatebanking centers. Under hisleadership,Hanmi hasexpanded withnew branches in Northern California and New Jersey, as well as arepresentativeoffice in South Korea. In 2024,his teamachieved a 27% increase in loan production,withnotable growth in commercial real estate, C&Iand mortgagelending.Kim also oversees theU.S. Subsidiaries of Korean Companies initiative, driving increased demand from South Korean corporations operating in the U.S. Passionate about workforce development, he emphasizes integrity, service and continuous improvement in training the next generation of bankingprofessionals.

communities and hasbeen featured as a speaker at prestigious institutions.His career spans both athletics in the NFL and successful ventures in real estate and sports businesses.

Ravi Kumar

Head of CITBank& Chief Digital Officer forFirst Citizens Bank

avi Kumar is thechief digital officer for First Citizens Bank andheadof CIT Bank, adivision of First Citizens Bank.Under his leadership,CIT Bank has become one of thetop 10 online banks in the U.S.,renownedfor itsdigital convenience and

competitive interestrates. Kumaroversees the bank’sdigital platforms, including an innovative cash management platform that helps businesses manage cash flow and make cross-border payments. Thisplatform earnedthe 2024 ModelBankAward from Celent. He has driven growth in CIT Bank’s deposits while ensuring marketing efficiencies andmaintaining highstandards of safety. With over 25 yearsofexperience in ﬁnancial services leadership,Kumar hasheldsenior roles acrossproduct development, marketing andcustomer experience

Deborah La Franchi is the chief executive officer andfounder of SDSCapital Group,aleader in commercial real estate andimpactinvesting. Since founding the firm in 2001, she has developed anew private equity funding modelfor permanentsupportivehousing (PSH) developments, enabling quicker project ﬁnancing and construction at lower costs. SDSCapital hasbeen recognized as an ImpactAssets 50 investment manager for seven consecutive years.Under La Franchi’s leadership,SDS hasbuilt a$1-billion portfolio of impact investments across sixfunds/ products,including the SDSSupportive Housing Fund,which ﬁnances 2,500units of PSH in California. She is verycommitted to fosteringdiversity in privateequity, with 50% of SDS’ investment professionalsbeing womenorminorities.

Deborah La Franchi

HHomin Lee

Shareholder

Greenberg

Traurig,LLP

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

omin Leeisa globalfinance shareholder atGreenberg Traurig, LLP,where he specializes in advising banks, private equity sponsors, corporate borrowers and alternative lendinginstitutions on complex finance transactions. His notable recentmatters include representingPaciﬁcAvenue Capital Partners in its acquisition of KiddeFenwal and Lambda Inc. in securing a$500-millionGPU ﬁnancing vehicle.Lee hasalso represented major clientssuch as Monroe Capital, Hillhouse Investment andHanwhaQ CELLS USA. Recognized for his achievements, he received the Secured Finance Network's40 Under40Award andwas named aBanking and FinanceVisionary by the L.A. Times B2B Publishing. Leeisactivelyinvolved in community efforts,including supporting the La CañadaFlintridgeEducational Foundation and the Council of Korean Americans.

ALarsen Lee

EVP

&Headof

Consumer Lending Hanmi Bank COMMERCIAL BANKING

sthe executive vice president and head of consumerlendingat Hanmi Bank, Larsen Leeoversees keydepartments including correspondent, wholesale,retail, warehousing and servicing. With 38 years of banking experience,he played akey role in foundingthe Consumer

YoojinLee is afinancial services attorney at Holland &Knight’s LosAngeles office,specializing in asset-based lending. She represents ﬁnancial institutionsindomestic and international secured lending transactions, often involving multiple jurisdictions and currencies. Lee's careerhighlights include representing agent banksinmulti-billion-dollardeals, such as a $1.6-billionﬁnancing fora majorinternational toymanufacturer. She is known for building close,collaborativerelationships with clients, focusing on their success. Leealsomentors students and young attorneys, offering guidance on career development. Shehas

Lending Center at Hanmi in 2020.Lee also developed the “Consumer Lending Community Development Program”which enables homeowners to ﬁnancethe construction of additional dwelling units (ADUs) to address affordablehousing shortages in LosAngeles. His contributions have signiﬁcantlyimpacted both the banking industryand the communities Hanmi serves. Known for his innovation in banking, Leeisalsoactivelyinvolvedinthe community,serving as aboard memberfor Wheat Mission, which assistschildren with learning disabilities.

been recognized by the Secured Finance Network, the LosAngeles Business Journal and Leadership CouncilonLegal Diversity for her leadership andcontributions to the ﬁeld.

Marissa Lepor Partner

The

Sage Group INVESTMENT BANKING

MarissaLeporisa partner at The Sage Group, an investment bank specializing in M&A and capital raises for the branded consumer sector, including fashion, retail, beauty, personal care and digitally native brands. She works closely with founder-owned businesses, helpingthemnavigatesales to privateequity ﬁrms and public companies. Lepor is known for identifyinghigh-potential brands early andbuilding meaningfulrelationships with founders, ensuring their business goalsare met. Her notable transactions include the sale of Rag& Bone to Guessand Frankies Bikinis to Victoria’sSecret. Arecognized industryexpert, she speaksatmajor conferences and contributes to publications like Business of Fashionand VogueBusiness. Lepor co-founded LAdies in Finance andis deeply involved in communityinitiatives.

Yoojin Lee Partner

Holland&Knight PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

AJay Liebowitz

Managing Director

Centerstone Capital INVESTMENT BANKING

samanagingdirector at Centerstone Capital,Jay Liebowitz leads thefirm’sdebtadvisory and principal investingteams.Withover 20 years of experience,hehas been involved in billionsofdollars of transactions across healthcare, pharmaceuticals, consumer wellness and animal care. Beforejoining Centerstone,Liebowitz was amanaging directoratPost Advisory andaprincipal at Blackstone Credit, focusing onhigh-yield, distressed and mezzanine investments. He also served as an associate atBlack Canyon and startedhis career asaﬁnancialanalyst at Credit Suisse FirstBoston. Liebowitz graduated summacum laude from the University of Pennsylvania’sWharton School and is aboard member of Access Youth Academy,anonprofitsupporting urban youth.

RRobert Lo

EVP,Head of Commercial Real Estate Banking East West Bank COMMERCIAL BANKING

obert Lo is theexecutive vice president andhead of commercialreal estate bankingatEastWestBank, where he oversees teamsmanaging aportfolio of approximately 4,000properties with $11 billion in loancommitments and$5billion in deposits. With over 30 years ofexperience

Asa vice president at Palm Tree LLC, MarcusLyu specializes in strategicfinancewithinthe firm's financialconsultingservice line.Hebrings extensiveexpertise in managing transition andintegrationprojectsacrossdiverse industries, with afocus on FP&A reporting, operatingplans, forecastmodeling and workingcapital optimization. Lyuhas played akey roleinelevating Palm Tree's strategic finance practice,known forhis ability to addresscomplex financial issues anddeliver innovative, actionableinsights.Prior to Palm Tree,hewas asenior consultant at Deloitte and workedinPwC’srisk assurance practice.

PFounding Partner

Massumi +ConsoliLLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

eter Massumi is aleadingprivate equityattorney and co-founder of Massumi +Consoli LLP, aLos Angeles-based law firm specializingin complextransactions forprivate equity firms and dynamic enterprises. With expertise spanning multiple industries,heprovides strategic counsel on acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, mergers and investments Previously apartner at Kirkland&Ellis,he launched Massumi+Consoli in2015,growing it into one of the largest private equityM&A practices on the West Coast. The firm, with nearly50attorneys across four offices, is the only boutiquelaw firminthe American Investment Council.Massumi hastaught corporate finance at USC Gouldand lectures at UCLA Law. AHarvard Lawgraduate, he actively supportsnonprofits likeSt. Jude,Big BrothersBig Sistersand Junior Achievement.

John G. Mavredakis servesaschairman of the financial sponsorsgroup at Houlihan Lokey, wherehehas dedicated 30 years of his 40-yearcareer in the ﬁnancialservices industry. Agraduate of the University of California, LosAngeles with aB.A.ineconomics, he also holds an M.B.A.from the University of Denver Graduate SchoolofBusiness. Mavredakis hasextensive expertise in mergers andacquisitions, leveraged buyouts andcorporate ﬁnance, havingclosed over 500 transactions. He played apivotal roleasmanaging editor and co-author of the chapter “Valuation Case

JJohn M. Meek

EVP,Director of Commercial Banking EnterpriseBank& Trust

ohn Meek is executive vicepresident and director of commercial banking for Enterprise Bank &TrustinLos Angeles andOrange counties. He leads relationship management and business development, expanding the bank’sclient base and

in commercial banking, he hasled his teams through thousandsoftransactions across various propertytypes, including multifamily, retail, hotelsand self-storage. UnderLo’s leadership,East West Bank'saffordable housing ﬁnancing practice hassigniﬁcantly expanded, supportinglow-income families and seniors. He is also an active volunteer, serving on theboard of SanGabriel Valley Habitatfor Humanity andengagingwiththe Tocqueville SocietyofUnitedWay

He holdsa bachelor'sdegree in business economics from UCLA, amaster’s degree in ﬁnance from theUniversity of Rochester and is alicensed CPAinCalifornia.

Andrew Manier

Wealth Management Advisor

SageCapitalWealthManagement &InsuranceSolutions

ASSET/INVESTMENTMANAGEMENT

AndrewManier, wealthmanagement advisoratSage Capital Wealth Management &Insurance Solutions, offers financial consulting to medicalprofessionals, business owners, affluent families andCPAs. He has more than adecade of experience,starting as an intern in 2011. He holdsSeries6,63, 65 and 7 licenses,aswellasCFP®,RICP®,CLU®, ChFC® , AEP®,CAP®,REBC® and ChSNC®designations, enabling him to guide clients withcomplex planning needs. SageCapital specializes in business, fee-basedand investment planning. Manier and histeamare committed to helping special needs familiesplan for a secure ﬁnancial future.Asa St.Jude Hero, he hascompletedhalfmarathons to raise moneyand help ensurefamilies never receive abill from St.Jude for treatment, travelorfood.

John G. Mavredakis

Study” in thetextbookFinancial Valuation: Businesses and Business Interests. He is a sought-after speakerfor business groups and law ﬁrms on ﬁnance-related topics

community partnerships. Since joining Enterprise in 2006, he hasheldkey leadership roles, including as theregional president in St.Louis.Meek oversees a$1.6-billion loan portfolio and drives corporatecitizenship efforts,supportinglocal nonprofitsand ﬁnancialliteracyinitiatives. He servesonthe boardofdirectors forJuniorAchievementof Southern Californiaand is amember of SIOR, ULI andthe American Bankers Association. ThroughEnterpriseUniversity, he helps professionals enhancetheir business skills Committed to client success, Meek delivers strategicﬁnancial solutionstobusinesses and real estatedevelopers with ahigh-touch, consultativeapproach.

AlissaMiller,a partner at Akin and head of its LosAngelesoffice, is atop finance lawyer in the entertainment industry. Sherepresents independent film studios andfinancial institutions in high-profile deals,securing financing for projects with A24, Netflix and ABC.Recently, sheadvised on a$90-million credit facility fora global independent studio anda $400-million facilityfor amultinational entertainment company. Named aLegal Visionary by LosAngelesTimes anda Top Dealmaker by Variety,Miller also leads apro bonopractice,assisting Public Counseland the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. She is frequently sought by Variety and Deadline for industry insights and is dedicated to advancing both business andsocialjustice initiatives in entertainmentlaw

Peter Massumi

Alissa Miller Partner

Marcus Lyu

DDan Miller Partner

Miller Barondess, LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

an Miller, founding partner of Miller Barondess, LLP,is atop LosAngeles trial and appellate attorney specializinginhigh-stakeslitigation, particularly in bankingand private equity. He recently represented Corbel Capital Partners in adispute with MediaLab,settling conﬁdentially in 2024. Miller also represents Wave Investments in a$25+ million fraud case, GI Partners in skilled nursing litigation anda family office in an embezzlement and labor dispute.A UCLA Business Lawguest lecturer for16years, he mentors students at UC Berkeley and Harvard-Westlake. Committed to philanthropy, he supports Children’s HospitalLos Angeles,Tower Cancer Research and Goodwill Southern California.Milleralsovolunteersasa youth basketball and baseball coach, including for the Santa Monica YMCAand Palisades basketballleagues.

BBrady C. Money

Managing Director

Greif &Co. INVESTMENT BANKING

radyMoney, managingdirector at Greif&Co.,has nearly 23 years ofexperience in ﬁnancialservices and middle-market investmentbanking. He specializes in mergers, acquisitions and capital raisingacross industries likemanufacturing, aerospace, consumerproducts and business

SandraLee Montgomery, apartner at Proskauer Rose LLP and executive committee member,isa leader in banking& ﬁnance, closing over $5.6 billion in transactions in 2024. With 27 years of experience,she specializesinacquisitions, leveraged financings, restructurings and cross-border dealsacross multipleindustries. Atop-rankedattorney,Montgomery has been recognized in Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America® andThe Legal 500. Sheisa sought-after speaker andauthor,withher latest analysis on private credit trends published in2024. Committed to mentorship anddiversity, shehas served on Proskauer’s

services. He hasled transactions including the saleofLugano Diamonds to Compass Diversified and financing for its growth. Previously, Moneyworked at RSM EquiCo and Ameriprise Financial, earning the 2005 Rookie of theYearAward. Amagnacum laude finance and cum laude economics graduatefromthe University of Utah, he worked full-time in financial planning while attendingschool. He is dedicated to providing entrepreneurs with Fortune 500-level investment banking representation and is recognized for mentoring junior professionalsinthe field.

Joel Montminy

President &CEO

Montminy &Co. INVESTMENT

BANKING

JProskauer Rose LLP

Women PartnersAdvisoryCommittee and DiverseLawyerMentoring Circle.Aformer Posse Foundation board member,Montgomery supported high-achieving public school students in their pursuit of higher education.

oel Montminy, founder,president & CEO of Montminy &Co.,isaleading investment bankerwith over 25 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions. He has ledmorethan$6billion in middlemarket transactions and $2.8 billion in cross-border dealsacross30countries.InQ4 2024,Montminycompleted fivetransactions, including the saleofPizzaFactory andthe merger of The Outdoor Recreation Group and Stansport. His firm also executed high-profile dealssuchasthe $900+ millionmerger of Progressive Produce and Pacific Trellis Fruit. Arecognized M&A expert, he is afrequent industry speakerand media contributor Beyond finance, Montminyserves on numerous nonprofit boards,including St Jude’s, the U.S. Olympic andParalympic Foundation and Conservation International.

Visionaryleadership indigitalbanking.

What does it take to excelin the digitalbanking space? We believe it’sall about visionary leadershipand commitment to ourcustomers. And that’shelped us become atop-10digital bank, whereinnovation and competitivesavings rates arebuilt on the heritage of FirstCitizensBank

Congratulations to Ravi Kumar,Head of

Sandra Lee Montgomery Partner

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

SSteve Moon

Managing Director Kroll, LLC INVESTMENT BANKING

teve Moon is amanagingdirector and deputy headofmergers & acquisitionsfor the Americas at Kroll Securities, where he hasworked for 24 years. He also co-leadsthe firm’s aerospace, defense &governmentM&A group.With over 25 yearsofinvestment banking experience,Moon hasadvised on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures,recapitalizations and financings for private equity firms and corporations.Recenttransactions include the recapitalizationofFrazier Aviation, the sale of Testek Solutionsand thedivestiture of SGL Carbon’s Gardena division. ATufts University graduate, he holds FINRA Series 7, 24 and 63 licenses. He serves on the ACGLos Angeles Board andleadsthe TuftsUniversity Admissions Network in L.A. Moonisalso active in Kardia UMCand supports TASSEL’s education efforts in Cambodia.

GGrant Moulden

rant Moulden, founder and president of ICON Benefits and Insurance Services, has15years of experience in thecommercialinsurance sector,specializing in employee benefits and expanding intocommercial insurance

Farzad Mukhi, amanaging director at Kroll,LLC,isa trustedM&A advisor with 20 years of experience.Hespecializes in sell-side and buy-side transactions, leveragedbuyouts, recapitalizations and debtand equity ﬁnancings. LeadingKroll’s Western U.S. consumerM&A and U.S. food, beverage& nutritionpractices, he works with entrepreneurs, private equityfunds and multinational corporations. Mukhi is deeply involved in the consumerand food sectors, frequentlyspeaking at industryevents andadvising companies beyond M&A. He contributes to Naturally LosAngeles, mentors through SEO Protégé and servesonthe ACG

CNagano

Prager Metis PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

hikara “Ricky”Nagano is apartner in the accounting andattest department at Prager Metis and leads the ﬁrm’s Japanese globalservices group. He advises Japanesecompanies expanding intothe U.S. and domestic businesses enteringJapan,specializingin accounting, audit, taxand consulting across various industries. Raised and educatedin Japan and theU.S., Naganoprovides expert guidance to Japanese-speakingclients, including entrepreneurs and tech companies. He is an active communityleader, serving as treasurer for Support-of-People-in-Need and amember of the Japanese Business Association of Southern California.A recognizedspeaker, he hasdelivered tax accountinglectures atthe JapanExternal Trade OrganizationinLos Angeles. Nagano’s expertise andcommitmenttocross-border business makehim atrusted advisor in the Japanese American business community.

He hasbuilt astrongreputation by acquiring multiple brokerages andworking with major carriers like Kaiser and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.Moulden analyzes company portfolios to provide quality,cost-effective coverage and strategic business solutions tailored to California’sinsurance market. Aformer board member of the OrangeCountyAssociation of Health Underwriters, he is knownfor his hands-onapproach. Recently,hehelpeda client modernize its manualoperations by implementing customized digital systems, improving efficiencywhile reducing costs Witha boutique,high-touch service model, Moulden continues to deliver innovative insurancesolutions that supportbusinesses' long-term success

Farzad Mukhi

Managing Director

Kroll,LLC INVESTMENT BANKING

LosAngelesSponsorship Committee.A Chartered Financial Analyst, he holdsSeries 7, 63 and 79 licenses. Mukhi graduatedwith Highest Distinction from the Universityof California, San Diego.

Hamid Namazieisafinancial services attorney and partner at Holland & Knight,specializing in multimillionandmultibillion-dollar securedlending transactions. With over 20 years of experience, he represents banks,institutional lenders and finance companies in complexacquisitions, recapitalizations and cross-border financings. Recognized as an L.A. Times Banking & Finance Visionary, he hasled over $3 billion in deals, including high-profile creditfacilities for major corporations. Namazie serves on the Secured Finance Network’sNational Executive Committee and chairs its AdvocacyCommittee, influencing keyfinancial legislation. Amentor and leader,heco-founded Holland &Knight’s MENA Affinity Group to support Middle Eastern

LilitNersisyan, aprincipalatWithum’s LosAngelesoffice,has 13 years of experience in financial services, specializing in GAAP,GAASand Alternative Investment Audits. Since joining Withum in

BruceC. Munster Managing Director

Merrill Private Wealth Management

ASSET/INVESTMENTMANAGEMENT

BruceC.Munster is the managing director of theMunster Freeman Group at Merrill Private Wealth Management,specializing in M&A-focused wealthadvisory.With 25 yearsinthe industry andadecade at Merrill,headvises adiverse clientele,including entrepreneurs andheads of investment ﬁrms, on wealth management related to M&A transactions across various sectors. AgraduateofCornell University, Munster earned his B.S. in business managementand marketing while balancing academics,wrestling and family life. He has been recognizednationally as atop ﬁnancial advisor by Forbes andBarron’s.Heresides in Scottsdale, AZ, with his wife,Therese, andtheir threechildren,activelysupporting organizations likethe National Christian Foundation andUnion Rescue Mission.

attorneys.Afrequent speakerand Chambers USA-ranked lawyer since 2015, he is atrusted advisorshaping the secured ﬁnanceindustry through advocacy, mentorship and client partnerships.

2023, she hasplayed akey roleinexpanding the ﬁrm’s ﬁnancial servicespractice on the West Coast,connecting regional teams and mentoring new hires. Nersisyanleads technical training, organizes industry networking events and championsthe Women in Financial Services empowermentgroup She activelysupports her communitythrough initiatives likeWithum’s Week of Caring and volunteeringfor Autism Speaks, Habitat for Humanityand MakingStrides AgainstBreast Cancer.Recognized forher leadership,she wasnominated forthe Experienced Leader Awardatthe CalCPAWomen’s Leadership Conference.

Under Steve O'Connell’s leadership as president &CEO at California Credit Union, the credit union hasgrown to over $5 billion in assets and200,000 members, achieving record loan production and a96.6% member satisfaction score in 2024.Hehas driven innovation in digital banking, operational efficiencies and employee engagement through training programsand resource groups. Committed to communityinvestment, O’Connell launched the California Credit UnionFoundation and has overseen$2.5 millioninlocal contributions,including teacher grants and scholarships. As a certified CommunityDevelopment Financial Institution(CDFI), thecreditunion expands financial accesstounderserved communities through specialized products, credit-building programs and financial literacy initiatives. O'Connell also prioritizes diversity, equity &inclusion (DE&I),with45% of leadership rolesheldbywomen

Chikara "Ricky"

Partner

Hamid Namazie Partner

SScott Olmsted

National Technology & Green EconomyExecutive Bank of America COMMERCIAL BANKING

cott Olmsted leads Bank of America’s national technologyindustry and green economy group within global commercial banking.Since founding the business in 2013, he hasgrown it into one of thebank’sfastest-growingdivisions,doubling its portfolio in the past four years. Based in LosAngeles, Olmsted oversees morethan 50 bankersnationwide, supporting technology andgreen economycompanies with ﬁnancial andstrategicguidance.His team partners with organizationslikethe LosAngeles CleantechIncubator to drive sustainability effortsfor events likethe FIFA WorldCup and the2028 Summer Olympics. Previously, Olmsted led thebank’stechnology, media & entertainment group and worked at Disney Imagineering. He earned his M.B.A. from USC and has servedonboards for theAmerican RedCross, LASEC and Ronald McDonald House Charities.

KKevin O'Malley Partner, Finance

Blank Rome LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

evin O’Malley isa partner at Blank Rome LLP,leading the ﬁrm’s finance practice in LosAngeles. With expertise in commercial finance and securedlending, he represents banks, direct lenders andinstitutional clients in complex

Jim Opdykeisamanaging director andmarketexecutive at WellsFargo Commercial Banking, leadingthe Los Angeles coastal market and entertainment ﬁnance group.With 26 years in ﬁnance,he oversees ateamof125 serving companieswith $25 million to $2 billion in annual sales.Wells Fargoprovidescredit, treasury management and specialized industryexpertise across technology,food, real estateand government sectors. Previously,Opdykeheldleadership roles at UnionBankand WellsFargo’s commercial banking divisions. He earnedhis B.A. from UC Berkeley andM.B.A.fromUCLA Anderson. Recently,Opdykeplayedacrucial

transactions, including asset-based lending, recapitalizationsand bankruptcy proceedings. He hasadvisedonmajor dealssuchasa $1.3-billion unitranchecredit facility for BDO USAand a$210-millionESOP recapitalization for Klein Hersch. Recognized as aLos Angeles Times Banking &Finance Visionary, O’Malley is afrequentspeaker and author on finance law,particularly Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) regulations.Heisalso deeply involved in communityservice,supporting nonprofits focused on homelessness andpoverty. A former craft brewery co-founder,hebrings apractical,problem-solving approach to both his legalpractice and mentorship within the firm.

Jim Opdyke

ManagingDirector &Market Executive

WellsFargo COMMERCIAL BANKING

role in supporting employees,clientsand the broader communityduring the recent wildﬁres, demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment.

Andy Park

Office Managing Partner

Ernst &Young LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Andy Park, Ernst &Young LLP Los Angeles office managing partner and Pacific South growthmarkets leader,leads ateam of 2,500 professionals, driving market expansion andfostering a people-focused culture.Afirst-generation college graduateand son of Korean immigrants, he becamea partner before 40, exemplifying perseverance and leadership Park champions entrepreneurship,previously directing EY’sEntrepreneur Of The Year® program, and supports education through the Girl ScoutsofGreater LosAngeles and the LA Philharmonic. Recognized in the LA 500 for three years, he serves as vice chair of theLAChamber of Commerce andwillbe chairman in 2026. In2024, he was named EY’sPacific South growth markets leader, advising high-growth companies on strategy, capital raises and public readiness.

DDavid Park

EVP,HeadofCommercialBanking andTreasuryManagement AxosBank COMMERCIAL BANKING

avid Park, executive vice president of commercial banking and treasury management at Axos Bank, has over 20 years ofbanking leadershipinSouthern California. Since joining Axos in 2018, he hastransformed it from aspecialty finance institutionintoa dynamic,relationship-basedbank,launching middle market,fund banking,entertainment, technology and premium finance groups. In 2024,Parkled team andportfolio acquisitions,strengthening thebank’s competitiveposition. Passionateabout digital banking, he is spearheading efforts to modernize commercial banking services. Beyond his role,heserves on boardslike theAsian Business AssociationofOrange Countyand mentors future bankersasa faculty member at the Pacific CoastBanking School. AColumbiaM.B.A. graduate,Park also supports local entrepreneurship as a business investor

AAsh Patel

Chairman of theBoard, CEO &President

Commercial Bank of California COMMERCIAL BANKING

sh Patel,chairman, CEOand president of Commercial Bank of California (CBC), has over30years of banking experience.Under his leadership, CBCgrewfrom$200millioninassetsin2013 to $2.5 billion in 2024, achieving its “PJ2B” (Purposeful Journeytoa Billion DollarBank) initiative and recognition as aBest Placeto Work in SouthernCalifornia (2022-2024). Patelhas ledkey acquisitions,including National Bank of California,VeriCheck and ACHWorks, expandingCBC’stechnological capabilities. He continuestodrive innovation, merging CBC with Community Bankof the Bay to enhance financial access for small businesses.Hefoundedthe Siksha Foundation,supporting education for underprivileged childreninIndiaand Africa Patel’svision blends high-touch banking with transformativeﬁnancial technology to create long-term value forall stakeholders.

RRyan Park

HeadofReal Estate Banking

Mizrahi Tefahot Bank COMMERCIAL BANKING

yanPark is thehead of real estate bankingatMizrahi Tefahot Bank, boasting 20 yearsofindustry experience,including three years with the firm. AUCLA graduatewith aBachelor of Science in mathematics/economics, he has successfully establishedacommercialreal

Thomas Pastore is theCEO and cofounder of Sanli Pastore &Hill, Inc., with over 30 years of experience in financial consulting. He specializes in intellectual propertyand intangibleasset valuation, damages analyses,mergers and acquisitions, due diligence andlitigation consulting.Hehas servedasanexpert witnessinfederal andstate courts,testifying in over 60 trialsand 200 depositions. Pastore hasvaluedbusinesses acrossindustries, includingtechnology, retail,services and manufacturing.AChartered Financial Analyst (CFA) andAccredited Senior Appraiser (ASA), he holdsanM.B.A. from the Universityof Michigan andaB.B.A.fromBryantCollege. An

ScottPearson, partneratManatt, Phelps &Phillips, LLP,adviseson transactions with regulatory oversight and defendsclients in investigations by agencies such as theConsumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) andFederal Trade Commission (FTC). He also helpsbusinesses navigate complexfinancial regulations, including fintech lending partnerships andcommercial finance disclosure laws. Recognized as a2024 Banking &Finance Visionary by theLos Angeles Times and aStand-Out Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, Pearsonisrankednationally in Chambers USAfor fintechlegal expertise.Asought-

Sestatebankingplatform that hasexpanded theportfolio by 10 timesinthree years.Park specializes in commercial real estate lending across the greater LosAngeles MSAand NYC, covering multifamily, office,industrial, retail and special-use properties. He also servesas acreditcommittee member for UMTB USAand hasa decade of experience as achildren's group leader at Young NakChurchofOrange County, focusing on Sunday School program developmentfor grades1-6.

Thomas Pastore

CEO & Co-Founder

Sanli Pastore &Hill, Inc. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

active educator,heteaches valuation, taxation andredevelopment topicsand is an official instructor forthe California Redevelopment Association and SP&H’sGoodwill Loss Valuation Workshops.

Anant Patel Partner

GHJ PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Anant Patel, aseasonedM&A advisor with over 25 years of experience in theU.S. andU.K., is apartner at GHJ.Asglobal leader –network capabilities forHLB,hefacilitates crossbordertransactions, leveraging his expertise in financial due diligence, deal structuring andadvisoryservices. ACertified Merger &Acquisition Advisor(CM&AA),Patel has worked on deals rangingfrom$20 million to $1.2 billion, serving privateequity, venture capitaland institutional investors. Under hisleadership, GHJ’sadvisorypracticehas grown by 300%, expanding services for the banking andfinancesectors. He is afrequent industrycontributor and serves on the board of directors for Step Up,supporting mental healthand homelessness initiatives.

after speaker and industrycommentator, he is frequently quoted in American Banker andLaw360.Beyond his legalwork, Pearson supports health care,environmentalinitiatives and pro bono efforts for military veterans.

Stephen R. Perry

Managing Director

Janes Capital Partners INVESTMENT BANKING

tephen R. Perryisthe managing directorand co-founder of Janes Capital Partners,bringing over 30 years ofinvestment banking experience, particularly in mergers and acquisitions

within the aerospace& defense sector.Hehas completed over 80 M&Atransactions valued at approximately $6.5billion, with notable dealsinvolvingBoeing, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics.Perry is amember of the Aero Club of Southern California’s executive committee and serves as co-chair of Oaklins’ global aerospace& defensepractice. He holdsanM.B.A.infinance from UCLA Andersonand aB.A. in ﬁnance and accounting from Georgetown University. He is frequently published and speaks at industryconferences, showcasing his expertise in corporate ﬁnance andinvestmentbanking.

Spuds Powell, managing director at KayneAnderson Rudnick (KAR), hasover 20 years of experience as awealth advisor. He leads asix-person team managing over $3 billioninclient assets, creating customizedinvestment strategies Ranked No.3onBarron’s2024 Top100 Independent Advisorslistand inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2022, Powell has consistently been recognized among the nation’stop advisors. He is frequently quoted in TheWallStreet Journal,Barron’s andForbes. Knownfor hisdefensive investmentapproachduringmarketvolatility, he prioritizes client trust andfinancial education, offering “Investing 101” to the next generation. ACornell graduate, Powell supports charities likeTrinityKids Care and theManhattan Beach Education Foundation

Scott M. Pearson Partner

Manatt, Phelps& Phillips, LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

ZZoila Price

EVP&

Managing Director, Warehouse Lending Banc of California COMMERCIAL

BANKING

oila Price is the executive vice president and managing director of Warehouse LendingatBanc of California, overseeinga program that provides $5 million to $150 million credit linestoloanoriginators nationwide.With over 25 years in mortgagebanking,she has builtand scaled successfulwarehouse lendingplatforms,funding over $100 billion since joining Banc of California. Under Price’s leadership,the division grew by 165% in 2024. Previously, shewas president and CEO of Optal Companies andImperial Warehouse Finance Inc. and held senior roles at Lehman Brothersand Impac Warehouse Lending Group.Starting her career at 15 as amortgage telemarketer,Price values mentorship and team empowerment and is committed to supportingclients’ business growth while driving strategic successin mortgage and real estate ﬁnance

PPaul Rahimian

Founder &

CEO

Parkview Financial LENDING

aul Rahimian, CEO and founder of Parkview Financial, hastransformed the ﬁrm into apremier direct private lenderspecializing in bridge and construction loans.Since 2009,Parkview has funded over $4 billioninmultifamily, retail,industrial and mixed-usedevelopments, with loans

ManuelRamirez,chairmanofthe board/partnerincharge at RJI CPAs, is adistinguished finance leader with over40years of expertise in accounting,taxation andbusinessconsulting In 2023,hewas elected president of the DFK USAExecutiveCommittee andnamed to the DFK International Advisory Board, influencing accounting practicesglobally. Aformer CaliforniaBoard of Accountancypresident, Ramirez adjudicated over 300 disciplinary cases, shaping CPAstandards.Recognized among Forbes’ Top200 CPAs and Orange CountyBusinessJournal’s Most Influential, hechampions Hispanic leadershipasa co-

rangingfrom$5million to $200million. Athird-generation real estate developer and former general contractor,Rahimian’s expertise drives Parkview’sstrategic lending approach. In 2023-2024, Parkview achieved amajor milestone with the payoff of 36 loans totaling$1.1billion, demonstrating resilience in tight capitalmarkets.His innovative model integrates loan origination and servicing, streamlining complextransactions. Asoughtafter industryspeaker,Rahimianshares insights on market trends andinvestment strategies, shaping the future of real estate ﬁnance while mentoringthe next generation of industry professionals.

Manuel Ramirez

ChairmanoftheBoard/Partner inCharge,InternationalTax RJI CPAs

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

founder of the Hispanic 100 PAC. An advocate for education andphilanthropy, he serves on advisory boards for UCI, CSUF and the MakeA-Wish Foundation

Michael Rapkine

Senior Counsel

Lagerlof,LLP

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Michael Rapkine is senior counsel in Lagerlof,LLP’slitigation department, specializing in ﬁnancial services litigation, business torts and contract disputes. With extensive experience defendinglenderliability actions, title disputes and bankruptcy matters, he hasrepresented clients including the Archdiocese of LosAngeles,Priceline.com andRabobank. AUCLA graduate andPhi Beta Kappamember,Rapkine earned his law degree from Pepperdine Universityin 2002. His notable cases include Williams v. WellsFargo Bank, securing attorneys’ fees after ajury trial victory, and Dasv WMC Mortg. Corp., where thecourt ruled lenders have no duty to place borrowers in affordable loans. He wasalso part of alegal team thatsuccessfully prosecuted claims in a$517-million swap transaction dispute involving Enron.

MMatt Rechner

SeniorBankingDirector–LosAngeles&SantaBarbara Northern Trust ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

att Rechner is the senior banking director for Northern Trust in Los Angeles, overseeing banking teams in Century City,Pasadena, Santa Barbara and SanDiego.With over 25 years of experience,headvises high-networth individuals, families,businesses and nonproﬁts on capital advisory strategies. Previously, he led Northern Trust’s banking practice in SanDiego andmanaged areal estateand commercialbanking team.A University of Notre Dame graduate,Rechner servesonthe board of trustees for Children’s HospitalLos Angelesand was previously a corporate board member of the SanDiego Chapter of the JuvenileDiabetesResearch Foundation. Recognized as aNorthern Trust Wealth ManagementWest Region President’s Circle member,his roleexpanded in 2023 to support San Diego’s growth.

MMichael Reeves Partner

ichael Reeves, apartneratKirkland & Ellis in LosAngeles, is aleading advisor in privateequityand asset management M&A, specializing in GP stake sales. With over 30 years of experience,he counsels topprivate equityﬁrms, including ClearlakeCapital, Oaktree Capital and

Paul Rezvani, adebt finance partner at Kirkland &Ellis in LosAngeles, leads complexfinancing transactions for majorprivate equity firms, includingTPG, ThomaBravo andAccel-KKR. He advises on acquisitionfinancings, recapitalizations, restructurings and loan workouts across industries suchastechnology,healthcare andindustrials. Rezvanirecently advised TPGand Francisco Partners on the$6.5-billion acquisition of New Relic, earning Kirkland a spot among Law360’sLegal Lionsofthe Week. Other keydeals include advising Marlin EquityPartnersonVirgin Pulse’s $3-billion mergerwithHealthComp andThoma Bravo

NNathan Rogge

President & CEO

First Paciﬁc Bank COMMERCIAL BANKING

athan Rogge has served as president and CEO of First Pacific Bank sinceDecember 2021, leadingits transformationfromFriendly Hills Bankinto adynamic financial institution. Under his leadership,the bank hasposted six consecutive quartersofpositiveearnings as of September 30, 2024,drivenbystrong asset quality,core deposit growth and operational efficiency. Rogge has prioritized technology and innovation,including partnerships with Finastra Payments To Go for FedNow services and Q2’s digital banking platform to enhancecommercial banking. In 2024, FirstPacific Bank earned the Great Company Culture Award. Previously, Rogge wasCEO of Bank ofSouthern California, expandingitfrom $38 million to $1.7 billion in assets.

VanessaRoman, atwo-time L.A. Times Banking and Finance Visionary, is aleadingentertainment finance attorney and partner at Akin, advising major banksonhigh-profile filmand TV financing. She hasrepresentedComericaBank, MUFG Bank, East West Bank andBankofAmerica in financingblockbuster films like Greenland, Plane andArmageddon Time.Recent deals includeMiramax’sfinancingofRoofman and 4Kids, CAT5’s Levon’s Tradeand MUFG’s $110 million in production loans. Shealsoadvised on BankofAmerica’s $300-million facility with Miramax and JPMorgan’s financing of Amblin Partners.Beyond client work,Roman

DPlatinum Equity, on complextransactions. In thepast24months, Reeves ledover40 deals, includingAccel-KKR’s $2.2-billion fund formation andEnergy Capital Partners' merger withBridgepoint Grouptocreatea €57-billion assetmanager.Recognized for his industry expertise,hefrequently speaks at conferences and provides pro bono legal services to nonproﬁtslikeThe Access Project Californiaand NewStory Inc., whichseeks to improve access to affordable, qualityhousing for families in LatinAmerica.

on the $1.4-billionsaleofSyntellis. He has also advised K1 Investment Management, Centerbridge Partnersand TPG Rise Climate on major ﬁnancings.

Neal S. Robb Partner

StradleyRonon Stevens &Young,LLP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Neal Robb,a partner at Stradley Ronon Stevens &Young, LLP,is anationally recognized litigator specializing in high-stakes financial services andsecurities litigation.He defendsclients in stateand federal courts andprivate arbitrationforums, including FINRA,JAMSand AAA.Robbhas recently handledmajor cases, including defending aglobal investment bank in a$500-million arbitrationover aggressive trading strategies, representinga ﬁnancial adviser in litigation tied to taxstrategies under IRS scrutinyand navigating SEC regulations in adispute over off-channelcommunications. Beyond his legalwork, he is adedicatedadvocate for autism causes, serving on the UC Davis MIND Institute’sNationalCouncil.Robbhas been recognizedonthe Lawdragon 500 and Super Lawyers lists and holds an AV Preeminent ratingfrom Martindale-Hubbell.

contributes probonotoAFI and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum andserves on the board of FemaleExecutives in Mediaand Entertainment.

Shlomi Ronen

Founder/Principal

ekel Capital, foundedbyManaging

Principal Shlomi Ronen, has ﬁnanced over $10 billion in equity, mezzanine and debt for U.S. investorsand developers.Under hisleadership, theﬁrm offers tailored capital solutions,leveraging

deep market relationshipstosecurebest-inclass ﬁnancing. In 2023, Dekellaunched Dekel Correspondent Lending,originating balance sheet andCMBS loans for acquisitions, reﬁnancing andrecapitalization. Ronen also leads Dekel Strategic Investors, aproprietary equity fundinvesting $3-$10 million in senior housing developments. Recenttransactions include$90 million in SanDiego multifamily development, $82.3million for Orlando multifamily construction and $59.3 million for aWest LosAngeles office project. He actively supports philanthropicinitiatives, investing time andresourcestodrive meaningful communityimpact.

Joseph Rust is the chief strategic innovationofficer and managing partner for the WesternRegion at Prager Metis, with over 40 yearsof accounting experience.Heoversees and advises on allaspects of strategic focus, direction and executionand encourages aculture of innovation. Rust specializesin strategic planning for business management clients andadvocates for royalty andproﬁt participation clients. Histeam has developed aunique process for recovering royalties, delivering significant financial benefits. Beyond hisprofessional work,heisdeeply involved in the community.Rust serves on theboard of the Alzheimer’sAssociation California Southland chapter and supports the association with various fundraising efforts, including the Alzheimer’sBeach City Walk.

Joseph Rust

Paul Rezvani

CCarlosP. Salas

President TheChange Company LENDING

arlos P. Salashas served as president of The ChangeCompany CDFI since August 2021, leadingits mission to serve underbanked communities. He is also CEOofits mortgage lending subsidiary, Change Lending, and hasbeen adirector since 2018. Previously, Salaswas CEO and president of COR Clearing (nowAxos Clearing),chief of staff at Banc of California and apartneratDolphin Advisors. Hiscareer includes investment banking roles at Credit Suisse First Boston and Donaldson,Lufkin& Jenrette,aswell as practicinglaw at Cleary Gottlieb Steen &Hamilton. He hasservedon multiple public and privatecompany boards, including Williams Controls, Tengasco and ACTTeleconferencing. Salas holdsaJuris Doctor from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts from NYU.

TTrevor M. Saliba

Founder, Chairman &CEO

NMS Capital Group LLC PRIVATEEQUITY

revor Saliba is the founder,chairman and CEO of NMS Capital Group LLC,aprivate equity firmwith investmentsacrossrealestate, financial services, infrastructure, energy, technology and media. He also serves as president/COO of NFGand is the founder and chairman of

Nevin Sanliisthe president and founder of SanliPastore &Hill, Inc., overseeing client engagements, litigation support and strategicplanning.With over 35 years of experience,hespecializes in business valuation, forensic economics, damagecalculationsand mergers and acquisitions, having valued over 4,000 businesses.AnAccredited Senior Appraiser (ASA)with the AmericanSocietyofAppraisers, Sanliisanactivespeaker andtrainerin business valuation, ﬁnance and M&A. He is also an accredited provider of MCLE courses for attorneys. He hastestiﬁed as an expert witness over 60 times in trialsand more than

NMS Consulting,leading aglobal teamof over 250 professionalsacross 15 offices. Previously,Salibawas an investment banker specializinginM&A andcross-border transactions, completing over $5 billion in deals. He served as managing director-Asia Paciﬁc for Platinum Capital and advised aLos Angeles-based familyoffice on private equity, real estate and venture capital. Salibaisan alumnus of ColumbiaBusiness Schooland amember of the Association for Corporate Growth –Los Angeles Chapter andYoung Presidents Organization (YPO).

Nevin Sanli

President & Founder

SanliPastore &Hill, Inc. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

200 times in depositions.Sanli holds aB.A.in economics from the UniversityofCalifornia, Irvine,and is amember of professional organizations including ProVisors, All Cities andACG OC

Martin Sarafa

Martin Sarafa is afounding partner ofCenturyPark Capital Partners, leading leveraged recapitalizations and buyouts since 2000 Amember of the investment committee,he sits on the boards of MCCi and NCP Coatings. Previously, Sarafa was amanaging director at Houlihan Lokey, managingprivate equity investments. He hasoverseen 75 acquisitions, including 24 platforms and 51 add-ons. He led CenturyPark’s2024 sale of Accelalpha to IBM, following multiple acquisitions to expandthe ﬁrm. Other keydeals include MCCi’s2023 acquisitionofGovBuiltand the 2021 acquisitionofNCP Coatings. In 2020,Sarafaalso ledthe successfulexit of The Mochi Ice Cream Company. He has shapedCenturyPark’sfocus on consumer products, specialty manufacturing and business services, emphasizing strategic partnerships thatenhance growth

PPhillip Saroﬁm

Founder & Managing Partner

Trousdale Ventures VENTURE CAPITAL

hillip Sarofim, founder &managing partnerofTrousdale Ventures, is knownfor forward-thinking, sustainable investments across space, mobility, advanced tech, climatetechnology and wellness.Heled the revival of the Meyers Manxdune buggy brand aschairman and has backed companies suchasbatteryinnovator Coreshell, satellitecommunications firm CesiumAstroand greenhypersonicaviation leader Venus Aerospace.Sarofim’s recent deals include investments in Impulse Space, StarfishSpace andPacificFusion.Beyond business, he supports institutionslikethe ArtCenter College of Design, the Houston Police Foundation and the National Air andSpace Museum. An alumnus of Rice University, Sarofim combinesinnovation with sustainability to driveimpactful change across industries, fosteringa future where technological advancementbenefitssociety and the environment.

DDan Shea

Managing Director

Objective, Investment Banking&Valuation INVESTMENTBANKING

an Sheaisa managing director at Objective,a leading investment bankingand valuation ﬁrmserving the middle market. He leads the firm’s manufacturing &distribution practice and has nearly 30 yearsofexperienceinthe sector Aresults-driven investment banker,Shea hasclosedover100 transactions totaling $3.5 billion. Recent dealsincludeAEM, Inc.'s sale to Industrial Growth Partners andFluid Components International’s acquisition by AEA Investors'Process Sensing Technologies Athought leader in M&A, he frequently speaksatindustry conferences and has been cited in majorpublications. Sheaserves on the ACGLAcommittee and advises the nonproﬁt West Coast Care.Previously, he held leadership rolesatBDO Capital and Comerica Capital Markets.Heholds an economics degreefrom Michiganand an M.B.A. from Case Western Reserve

WWilliam Schoenholz

Shareholder

Buchalter,APC PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

illiam Schoenholz,shareholder at Buchalter, APC, has extensive experienceincomplex domestic and international financing transactions, representing banks,finance companies andinstitutional investors. He specializes in acquisition ﬁnancing, bridge loans, working

DouglasSchwartz,partner at Nossaman, specializesintax matters, including international, federal,state andlocaltaxation. He advises on individual and compensationplanning, businesstransactions, tax-exemptentities and investmentsacrossmultipleassetclasses Hisclients span entertainment,realestate, manufacturing, sports,nonproﬁts andpublic agencies. Schwartzhas extensive experience with taxcontroversies, representing clients before the IRS, California FranchiseTax Board and other regulatorybodies. He also advises on business formations, M&A, realestate tax issues and cross-border tax planning. His expertise includes structuring public pension and health planinvestments,forming tax-

Jonathan Shenson is apartner at GreenbergGlusker LLP,specializing in bankruptcy, restructuringand corporate ﬁnance.With over two decades of experience,headvises clients on complex insolvency matters, restructurings, acquisitions and credit transactions. Shenson represents debtors,creditors, lenders and acquirers in Chapter 11 cases, out-of-court workouts and distressed asset transactions. His recent cases include advisingShangri-LaDevelopment in bankruptcy, reﬁnancing MonroviaNursery andnegotiating an out-of-court resolution forSoteraDigital Health.Hespeaksatmajor industry conferences and is frequentlycited in Bloomberg Lawand Law360.Chambers USA

Kcapital ﬁnancing andsyndicated loans, often involving multi-facility secured arrangements with cross-border elements. Schoenholz also represents lenders in workouts, forbearance arrangements and secured creditor remedies under the Uniform Commercial Code Recognized by Chambers USAsince 2009 andAVPreeminent-ratedbyMartindaleHubbell,hewas namedaBanking &Finance VisionarybyL.A. Times in 2023 and 2024. He actively supports charitiesand received the National Jewish Health HumanitarianAward in 2024. Schoenholzisa board member of the FinancialLawyers Conference and amember of theBusiness LawSection of theCalifornia StateBar

Douglas W. Schwartz

Partner, Corporate Group,Taxation Group Nossaman PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

exempt organizations andnavigating Proposition 13,sales tax and business license tax compliance. Schwartz regularlyconsults on taxissues for public agencies,including LosAngeles World Airports and the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

andBest Lawyers in America® consistently rankhim amongCalifornia’stop bankruptcy attorneys. Shenson earned his J.D. fromUCLA School of Lawand aB.A.ineconomics from UC SantaBarbara.

Daniel N. Shallman

Managing Partner

Covington &Burling PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Daniel Shallman, managingpartner of Covington &Burling’sLos Angeles office,isa nationally recognized, Chambers-rankedwhitecollar defense lawyer. Aformer federal prosecutor,hehas defended major financial institutions, seniorbank executives and fintechcompaniessince enteringprivate practice in 2007.Shallman hashandled high-profile cases, including DOJ, SEC and stateinvestigations into mortgage-backed securities, improper salespractices andAML risksinthe gamingindustry. He securedDOJ declinations for executives in fraud andFalse Claims Actinvestigations and servesaslead AML counselfor amajor U.S. bank anda social mediacompany. In 2024, Shallman led an independent investigationfor the LosAngeles CountyBoard of Supervisors into former SupervisorMark RidleyThomas and countycontracting practices. His expertise spans banking, financeand regulatorydefense

Kevin A. Shields

Chairman& Co-CEO

GriffinCapital ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

evin Shields founded Griffin Capital in 1995 and serves as chairman andco-CEO at its El Segundo,CA headquarters. Griffin Capitalsponsors Reg. DPrivate Placements, including the Griffin

Capital QualifiedOpportunityZoneFund andDevelopment Partners Fund series, with $1.6billion in equitysupporting 32 multifamily developments valued at $4.3 billion. Previously, the ﬁrm sponsored two ’40 ActInterval Funds: GriffinInstitutional Access®Real Estate Fund and Credit Fund, where Shields served as president. He also led Griffin CapitalAdvisor,LLC andGriffinCapital CreditAdvisor,LLC as CEO.With decades of industryleadership,hecontinuestodrive GriffinCapital’sstrategic growth,overseeing its investment initiatives and expanding its impactinreal estate development and ﬁnancialmarkets.

NumanJ.Siddiqi,partnerat BakerHostetler,excels in complex corporatetransactions, specializing in securities offerings, venture capital, mergers andacquisitions and secured loans. His expertise attracts clients across industries, including sports data forecasting, semiconductors andnavigation systems, guiding them through financings and sales to private equityand strategic buyers. Siddiqi also advisesemerging growthcompanies and consults on banking and financing matters forpublic and privatefirms. In addition,he serves as an advisorfor entrepreneurship andinnovationprograms at Universityof California, LosAngelesand Universityof California, Irvine business schools. Siddiqi is thebusiness leader at BakerHostetler’s Orange Countyoffice, leveraging his deep transactional experience to provide strategic counseland drive business success.

Jonathan Shenson Partner

GreenbergGlusker

AAshley M. Simonsen Partner

Covington

&Burling

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

shley Simonsen is apartner in Covington &Burling’sclass action and mass torts practices in Los Angeles,representing clients in ﬁnancial services, technology and consumer products. She hassuccessfullydefended majorinstitutions, including Capital One, JPMorgan Chase,PayPal and Navient, in high-stakes litigation. Aleading expert on “true lender” and “valid when made”issues, Simonsen co-led adefense victory forCeltic Bankinagroundbreakingarbitration case She has also secured dismissals in class actionsinvolving pandemic-related fees, credit card bonuses andBNPL programs. Before law school, she workedatLehman Brothers, advising on balancesheet management, which informedher strong ﬁnancial litigationstrategies.Simonsen’s deep expertise and track record of early case dismissals makeher asought-after advocate for major corporations facing complex legal challenges.

SSpencer Smith

SVP, L.A. Market Leader U.S. Bank COMMERCIAL BANKING

pencer Smith is the LosAngeles market leader at U.S. Bank, overseeing large capindustrials and business services, as well as their middle market LosAngeles Northteams. He joined U.S. Bank through the 2022 Union Bank acquisition, where he wasthe LosAngeles

Aaron Solganick is thefounder and CEO of Solganick &Co.,a technology-focused investment bankingfirm specializing in mergers and acquisitions of softwareand IT services companies since 2009.A seasoned banker with an entrepreneurial drive,hehas led notable transactions,including Accenture’s acquisition of Nextira, Atos’acquisition of VisualBI, Wipfli’sacquisition of Waypoint Consulting and FortPointCapital’s acquisition of StrataInformationGroup.Otherdeals include acquisitions by Data Storage Corporation, TheSilicon Partners, DAS Health, StackPath,GPStrategies andStefanini IT Group.Previously, Solganick advised

market president.Previously, Smithspent a decade at Bank of Americaincommercial and investmentbanking roles andheld positions at J.P. Morgan,BPand Deloitte.With over 20 years of ﬁnancial services experience, he bringsdeep industryexpertise to U.S. Bank. Smithholds aBachelor of Science in accounting from Brigham Young University andanM.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Aaron T. Solganick CEO & Founder Solganick &Co. INVESTMENT BANKING

Business &Decisionand AlerionCapital Group. Recognized as atop investment banker and inﬂuencer forthe pastdecade, he continues to drive high-proﬁle M&A transactions in the technologysector.

Chris Spicer Partner Akin PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Chris Spicer,Akin partner and head of the media, entertainment &sports practice,isa leading entertainment finance lawyer,advising on high-profile deals between independent studios and financial institutions formajor film, TV and streaming projects. He also counselsonmusic and gaming ventures. Spicer recently advised afinancial institution on a$1.1-billion secured librarycredit facilityand aglobal investment firmona$100-million SeriesA equityinvestment. His work includes major credit facilities forfinanciers,borrowers and distributors. Notableclientsinclude CAT5, Aperture MediaPartners, ComericaBank, XYZFilms,FifthSeason,EastWestBank, FilmNation and MUFGBank.Amember of Akin’s management committee,Spicer also leads pro bono efforts, advisedthe American Film Institute and mentorsattorneys through Akin’s advisor program.

[Continued from page6]

Biotech Firm AcelyrinInc. to Merge with Alumis Inc. in $320M Deal

Agoura Hills-based biotech ﬁrmAcelyrin Inc. agreed to merge with San Francisco-based Alumis Inc.ina deal valuedat$320 million on February 6. Upon completion of the deal,which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025,approximately 55% of the combined companywill beowned by Alumis shareholders and 45% by Acelyrinshareholders.The combined companywill operate under the Alumis name,and its headquarters will remaininSouth SanFrancisco.Itwillbeled by the currentAlumisexecutive team.

"Through this combination with Acelyrin, Alumis will have the ﬁnancial ﬂexibility and runway to advanceanexpandedlate-stage pipeline, now including Lonigutamab,and build commercial capabilities,"said Martin Babler,chairman and chief executive of Alumis,ina statement

Morgan Stanley& Co.served as ﬁnancialadvisor to Alumis, and Cooley servedaslegalcounsel. GuggenheimSecurities served as ﬁnancial advisor to Acelyrin, and Fenwick& West served as itslegal counsel ▐

-David Nusbaum

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ZZack Stieﬂer

Managing Director

Gallant Capital PRIVATEEQUITY

ack Stieflerleads investment sourcing,structuring, financing and execution as managingdirector at Gallant Capital. Previously,hewas a principal at Corridor Capital,vicepresident at Lindsay Goldberg and an analyst at Bank of America MerrillLynch’s global consumer &retail group.Stiefler also co-foundedand served as CEO of BungalowInsurance,an insurance technology firmsoldin2018. He serves on the boards of InformData,Lightning Step and Arctiq andhas held boardroles at Arvan, CEO Warrior,Nationwide Property & AppraisalSolutions,Refresh Mental Health, U.S. Industrial Tool &Supply andWorldWide Land Transfer.Heholds aB.S. in economics and aB.A. in political science from Duke University and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

SSteven A. Sugarman

Founder

The Change Company LENDING

teven A. Sugarman is founderofThe Change Company, aCommunity DevelopmentFinancial Institution expanding access to banking andlending for Black,Latino and low-incomecommunities. Partnering with over75ﬁnancial institutions and1,000 non-bank lenders,its subsidiaries

David Sutton is apartneratGHJ andleads the transaction advisory servicesand private equity practices. With over 20 yearsofexperience, he advises clients on M&A strategies, financialdue diligenceand deal execution across industries, handlingtransactions from $10 million to $1 billion. Since joining GHJ in 2017,Sutton has played akey role in expanding the firm’s advisory services. He frequently speaks and writes on economic trends, liquidity management and regulatory changes, with insights featuredinM&A Journal, CPGSpecialist and Mergers &Acquisitions Magazine.Hepromotes leadership

AAnna Tang

Co-Chair, Corporate Group

Nossaman PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

nna Tang is co-chair of Nossaman’s corporate group anda leading corporate lawyer known for her strategic approach to complex transactions She advises companies across industries on mergers and acquisitions,corporate governance,commercial agreements and business structuring.Tangworks with clients throughout the business lifecycle, from entity formation and joint ventures to restructuring and dispositions. She also specializes in taxation implications of transactions. Her expertise extends tohealthcare and realestate,representing surgicalcenters, medical groups and real estate developers in structuring ventures andsecuring ﬁnancing With experience as acorporate and tax attorney at atop Australianlaw ﬁrm, Tang advises multinationaland foreign clientson Australian and internationalcommercialand taxation issues

Dinclude Change Home Mortgage,Change Lending and xChange. Theﬁrm hasearned multiple awards fordiversity,leadershipand workplace excellence.Previously,Sugarman foundedand ledBancofCalifornia, growing it into oneofForbes'Top BanksinAmerica. He also ledCOR Clearing’s recapitalization andits sale to Axos Bank.A Yale LawSchool andDartmouth graduate, he is of counsel at Michelman &Robinson anda board member of LosAngelesTeam Mentoring. Sugarman has received numerous honors for leadership andcommunity impact, including theLATM Keystone Award.

development andcommunity service. Sutton’s recent M&A deals include CoasttoCoast’s acquisition by AstroTurf, UTA’sacquisition of Fletcher &Co. andKingswood Capital’s acquisition of Identity Theft Guard Solutions.

Monica Szakos

President &Senior Financial Adviser

Asset Preservation Strategies ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

MonicaSzakos is president and senior ﬁnancial adviser at Asset PreservationStrategies, Inc., guiding individuals and families through complex financial decisions.Known for her calm leadership, she prioritizes client education to ensureinformed wealth management choices, especiallyinvolatile markets.ACertifiedFinancial Planner™ (CFP®), Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Behavioral Financial Advisorand Certiﬁed Financial Fiduciary, Szakos has also completed theAdvanced Wealth Strategist Planner Programand is afellowofthe Southern California Institute.She holds aB.B.A. from theUniversityofSan Diego with areal estate emphasis anda minor in accountancy. Committedtophilanthropy, sheactivelysupports theHelen Woodward Animal Center and servesonthe Estate & Trust Planning Councilfor Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation.

ouglas Thompson is apartner at Snell &Wilmer,LLP,specializingin classaction defense and regulatory investigations for financialinstitutions and businesses.Hehas defended over 250 classactions and is admitted prohac vice in numerousfederal courts.Thompson advises clients on litigation risk, regulatorycompliance andESG andsustainabilitymatters. He has extensive experience with federal banking laws,including RESPA, TILA,FCRA, FACTA, FDCPA andECOA, as well as banking depositoperationsand fraudclaims. He also represents businesses in technology, retail andfinancial services against statutory and contractual claims. Previously, Thompson led litigation strategyatmajor financial institutionsand held leadership rolesatan AM Law100 firm. Acommunity leader,he serves on the Legal AidFoundation of Los Angeles Board

IIvo

A. Tjan

Chairman, President &CEO

CommerceWest Bank COMMERCIAL BANKING

vo A. Tjan is the chairman, president &CEO at CommerceWest Bank andis known for his dedication to employees, clients andthe community. He fosters a supportive workplace,empowering his team with mentorship andgrowth opportunities.

His leadership extends beyond business, forming lasting client partnerships built on trustand care.Acommitted philanthropist, Tjan supports initiatives likethe Walk to EndAlzheimer’s, the JourneyofHopeGala and Working Wardrobe’s Infinite Horizons Gala. He also engages with Chambersof Commerce,providing economic insights to helpbusinessesthrive. His leadership hasearned notable recognition, including Newsweek’s2025 America’sBestRegional Banksand CreditUnions, theOC500’s DirectoryofInﬂuence andone of theFastest Growing Public Companies and Top100 Publicly Traded Banks.

MarkUdisisa partnerat Certuity, specializing in wealth management for high-networthindividuals, including technology entrepreneurs, executives, athletes and professionals. He leads Certuity’sManhattan Beach office,expanding the ﬁrm’s presence in LosAngeles and serving ayounger entrepreneurial client base.Anactive member of Certuity’sinvestment strategy team, Udis tailors financial strategies to adapttomarket changesand offers clients access to institutionalalternative investments. Recognized by Forbes and Barron’s as atop wealth advisor from 2021 to 2024, he is known for hisstrategic portfolio management andclient communication. Committedtocommunity service, he serves on the board of directors for Team IMPACT LosAngeles and coaches youth sports. Udis received aBachelorofScienceinﬁnance from Lehigh University.

Douglas A. Thompson Partner

Snell &Wilmer PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

David Sutton Partner

CChris VanDusen

Senior Partner

Solyco Capital VENTURE CAPITAL

hris VanDusen is aseniorpartner at SolycoCapital, aprivate equity-driven venture capital ﬁrm specializing in capital solutions for latestage startups and growth companies. He leads capitalization and deal generation, leveraging his expertise in scaling businesses to successful acquisitions. VanDusen serves on the boards of ai.io,Bonus and AthleteAgent and is afrequentspeaker on capital raising and leadership, presenting at Hamptons Tech Week and EO conferences. Hisinsights have been featured on podcasts likeMaking Billions andThe Registered Investment Advisor.Previously,hewas chiefgrowthofficeratBalancedHealth Botanicals, leading its successful2021exit. VanDusen is aboard memberofAlder, a founding member of Forged Eagle Society and an Entrepreneurs’Organization member

TTrisha Vo

Executive Director

J.P. Morgan ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

rishaVoisanexecutive director and banker at J.P. Morgan PrivateBank, guiding clients in managing and maximizing theirwealth. With over 20 years of experience, sheworks with multi-generational families, law firm partners, medical professionals and entrepreneurs, offering

Michael A. Waxberg is the founder and private wealth advisor of Fortify Capital,a member of the Northwestern Mutual Private Client Group ACERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP®) professional,hehas built anationally recognized investment and ﬁnancial planning practice over25years. He specializes in retirement, investment, estate and taxefficient business planning for individuals and businesses. Holding ChFC®,CLU® andRICP® designations, along with Series 6, 7, 63 and 65 securities registrations, Waxberg graduated from SanDiego StateUniversity in 1998. He leads Fortify Capital with integrity, prioritizing clientneeds, transparencyand education.

tailored strategies in estateplanning, lending, private investments andliquidity.Previously at WellsFargo,CityNational Bankand Bank of America, Vo is committed to empowering women in entrepreneurship andtechnology as amember of GirlsinTech. ACaliforniaState University, Fullerton graduate,she holds a B.B.A. in ﬁnance and marketing. Fluent in Vietnamese and conversant in Cantonese andFrench, she supports nonproﬁts focused on health advocacyand underserved youth.

MichaelA. Waxberg

Founder &Private Wealth Advisor

FortifyCapital |Wealth Management &Insurance Services ASSET/INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Committed to multi-generational ﬁnancial success, Waxberg’steamoffers tailored solutions and comprehensive planning. He serves on the Collins-Katz YMCABoard and is amemberofthe Jonathan Club and CalabasasCountryClub.

Eric Wedel Partner

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &Garrison LLP

PROFESSIONALSERVICES

Eric Wedel, partner at Paul,Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &Garrison LLP, is atop private equityfinance lawyer who leadsthe company’sLos Angeles office and serves as global co-chairofthe finance and capital markets group.With 20 yearsofexperience,herepresents major privateequityfirms,including Warburg Pincus, KKR, Hg Capital, Stone Point Capitaland Stonepeak. AftermovingtoL.A in 2021, Wedel joined Paul,Weiss in 2023, spearheading its West Coast expansion. Underhis leadership, thefirm hasbuilt elite legal capabilities in L.A. and London, earning The American Lawyer’sLaw Firm of the Year Award. Aprolific dealmaker, Wedelhas led approximately $70billion in private equity financings in 2024. His high-profile deals includemajor acquisitions for Stone Point, General Atlantic, Hg Capital and Warburg Pincus, positioning him as adominant force in the industry.

JJeff White

Managing Director

Skyview Capital PRIVATEEQUITY

eff White is amanagingdirector at Skyview Capital,leadingM&A efforts since the firm'sinception With decadesof experience inprivate equity, investmentbanking andexecutive management, he previously played akey roleinPlatinum Equity’sglobal M&A team before establishing andleading Skyview’s business development division. White oversees acquisitions, negotiationsand investment strategy as amember of the ﬁrm’s investment committee.Healso received the M&A Advisor Emerging Leader Award. Beyond ﬁnance,hehas held leadershiproles with the G8 YoungSummitand the Milken Institute and actively supports organizations likeConservation Internationaland the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Afrequentindustry speaker,White holds aB.A.from Southern Methodist University.

TTodd Wilson

RegionalPresident for GreaterLos Angeles

odd Wilson is thePNC Bank regional president forGreaterLos Angeles, overseeing business development, client relationshipsand local philanthropic initiatives. SinceestablishingPNC’s regional office in 2021, he has signiﬁcantlyexpanded thebank’spresence.With nearly 30 years

Yaw-Jiun (Gene) Wu is apartner at Lagerlof,LLP,specializing in business litigation,class actions, bankruptcy adversaries and intellectual property. Alicensed patentattorney,he hasexpertise in federal preemption, lender liability,ADA and FEHAcompliance and commercialagreements. Previously an associateatSheppard Mullin, Wu has litigated signiﬁcant cases, including Haggartyv.Wells FargoBankand DeLeon v. Wells FargoBank, N.A. He earned aB.S.inbiochemistry, summa cum laude,from SUNY Buffalo and aJ.D.from UC Berkeley School of Law. Before lawschool, he internedwith the EEOC andservedinthe

AAngela Yim-Sullivan

ManagingDirector, Market Executive

Wells Fargo COMMERCIAL BANKING

ngelaYim-Sullivanisthe market executive for WellsFargo commercial banking in theLos Angeles MetroMarket, leading ateamof 125 across Downtown,Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.She helps businesses navigate challenges with innovative solutions and best-in-class services.Astrong advocate fordiversity andinclusion, YimSullivanfosters aculture of collaboration and celebratesevents likeLunar NewYear, Hispanic Heritage Month and International Women’sDay. She leadsbyexample, ensuring her team prioritizes customer needs with integrity. Herleadership was vital during COVID-19 and the Eaton Fire,where she secured business stability,ensured team safety andled fundraising efforts for affected colleagues. Yim-Sullivanremains steadfast in her commitment to customers, employees and the broader LosAngeles community.

Michael Young, partneratMassumi +Consoli, is aseasoned transactional attorneyadvising private equityfirms,portfoliocompanies and public and private businesses on complex transactions,including acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, mergersand jointventures. He also counsels clients on corporate governance matters,making hima trusted advisor for high-stakesdeals. Young hasled transactions acrossdiverseindustries, representing clients such as Abry Partners, Aurora Capital Partners, Clearlake Capital Groupand Amphenol Corporation.Recognized by TheLegal 500 andthe LosAngeles Business Journal,he is knownfor his expertise in middle-market M&A. Previously at Latham &Watkins,hehas

Guy Zaczepinski, managingpartner at CenturyPark Capital Partners, hasbeen with theﬁrm since 2005, leading buyout transactionsand portfolio management. He serves on theboards of TotalAccess Elevator,CJPonyParts, MCCi

in finance,Wilson has heldsenior roles in privateequity,lending andcorporate ﬁnance.Hepreviously servedasCOO of Fortiﬁ Financial and as managing director for the City of LosAngeles, leading small business initiatives. Under his leadership,PNC has grown acrosskey sectors and strengthened communitypartnerships, investinginearly childhood education and housing affordability Wilsonservesonthe LosAngeles Sports and EntertainmentCommission andthe Chamber of Commerce board. He haspositioned PNC as aleader in economic and community development throughoutGreater LosAngeles

Yaw-Jiun(Gene) Wu

U.S. Peace Corps, teaching in Samoa. Admitted to all federal courts in Californiaand the USPTO,Wuisa member of NCAB and theAsian Business League andisﬂuent in Mandarin.

Maz Yafeh

Managing Director, BofA Securities Bank of America INVESTMENT

MBANKING

az Yafeh is amanaging director at Bank of America’s investment banking group, leading BofA Securities’Los Angeles investmentbanking office and West Coast Emerging Growth & Regional Coverage (EGRC) group. With over 20 yearsofexperience,hehas led more than $80billion in M&A advisory transactions, IPOs,privateequitycapital raises and syndicated debt ﬁnancings. Under Yafeh’s leadership,BofA hasbecome the largest bulge-bracket bank in L.A., with 50 bankers covering allmajor industries.His teamof 30 bankersadvises emerginggrowth and mid-cap publicand private clients across industrials, consumer &retail, technology, media &entertainment, business services and healthcare.Yafehisthe longest-tenured member of theEGRC, which hasgrown to 200 bankers nationwide,making it one of BofA’s fastest-growing institutional businesses

been instrumentalinMassumi +Consoli’s rapid growth. Young also leads ﬁrm culture initiatives, talent development and client relationshipmanagement. Beyond law, he supports charitableefforts, including thePosse Foundation.

andDominion Care.Aspecialistinthe auto aftermarket industry, Zaczepinski ledthe recapitalization of CJ Pony Parts in 2021 and its2024acquisition of American Powertrain, strengtheningits proprietary brandportfolio He alsoled the2024 majorityrecapitalization of TotalAccess Elevator.Heoversaw the successful2021 exit of Covercraft Industries to Audax Private Equity, growingits earnings nearly eightfold through direct-to-consumer expansion and acquisitions. Zaczepinski prioritizesaﬂexible,value-driven approach to investments, adhering to CenturyPark’s principles of integrity, transparencyand alignmenttodrive business growth.

Bart Zandbergen, CFP®,isthe founder andCEO of TheZandbergen Group, bringing nearly40years of wealth management experience.Respectedfor his “TrueWealth” philosophy, he helps clients create purpose-driven financial plans for lasting financialindependence. Having navigated BlackMonday, theGreat Recession and theCOVID-19 pandemic, Zandbergen provides expert guidance to individuals, families,executivesand entrepreneurs. His leadershiphas expandedThe Zandbergen Group’s advisor team, emphasizing strategic wealth-building.Recognized as aTop Wealth Advisor by Forbes and Advisor Hub,heis also aCertified Divorce Financial Analyst and holds aLife/Health/DisabilityInsurance license.Zandbergenhosts The Zandbergen Report, now in its seventh year,featuring insights on finance and interviews withtop entrepreneurs and industryleaders. His expertise has been featured by RIA Channel.

Bart Zandbergen

Michael Young Partner

Massumi +Consoli PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

TOPMBA PROGRAMS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MBA INSIDER

UCLA

Anderson Schoolof Management

Location: LosAngeles

MBA Degrees Awarded: 758

Total Graduate LevelEnrollment: 2035

Year Founded: 1935

Dean: Antonio BERNARDO

anderson.ucla.edu

Pepperdine University

Graziadio Business School

Location: LosAngeles

MBADegrees Awarded: 359

Total GraduateLevel Enrollment: 716

Year Founded: 1969

Dean: Deborah CROWN

bschool.pepperdine.edu

Cal State Long Beach College of Business 5

Location: Long Beach

MBA Degrees Awarded: 217

Total Graduate LevelEnrollment: 882

Year Founded: 1949

Dean: Dr.Mark SUAZO csulb.edu

CaliforniaBaptist

University

Dr.Robert K.JabsSchool of Business

Location: Riverside

MBA Degrees Awarded: 177

Total Graduate LevelEnrollment: 220

Year Founded: 1950

Dean: Tim GRAMLING calbaptist.edu

UC SanDiego Rady School of Management

Location: La Jolla

MBADegrees Awarded: 120

Total GraduateLevel Enrollment: 791

Year Founded: 2003

Dean: Lisa ORDÓÑEZ rady.ucsd.edu

Westcliff University

CollegeofBusiness

Location: Irvine

MBADegrees Awarded: 489

Total Graduate Level Enrollment: 2027

Year Founded: 1993

Dean: Dr.William LIGHTFOOT westcliff.edu

Soﬁa University

Professional Development

Location: CostaMesa

MBADegrees Awarded: 296

Total Graduate Level Enrollment: 150

Year Founded: 1975

Dean: Dr.Simone DIMATTEO soﬁa.edu

UC Irvine

ThePaulMerage School of Business

Location: Irvine

MBADegrees Awarded: 194

Total Graduate Level Enrollment: 907

Year Founded: 1965

Dean: IanO. WILLIAMSON merage.uci.edu

San DiegoState University

Fowler CollegeofBusiness

Location: SanDiego

MBADegrees Awarded: 142

Total Graduate Level Enrollment: 534

Year Founded: 1897

Dean: Dan MOSHAVI business.sdsu.edu

Cal State Fullerton

College of Businessand Economics

Location: Fullerton

MBADegrees Awarded: 116

Total Graduate Level Enrollment: 707

Year Founded: 1961

Dean: Dr.Sridhar(Sri) SUNDARAM business.fullerton.edu

MBA INSIDER

AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT MBA SCHOOLS AND THEIR PROGRAMS

LA TimesStudios presents the 25 largestMBA programsin Southern California ranked by number of graduates in 2024. Thelist includes collegesand universitiesthatoperategraduate business schools with campuses in LosAngeles, Orange,San Bernardino,Riverside andSan Diego counties.Information was providedbyrepresentativesof theprograms. Severalprograms, including UniversityofSouthern California’s Marshall Schoolof Business, which has more than 1,200 studentsenrolled in MBA programs,declined to provide information. As agroup,the 25 largestMBA programsin Southern California awarded 3,788 degrees in 2024.

In addition to these programs,we feature detailed proﬁles of some of thebest MBA offerings in Southern California.These select colleges have amyriad of curriculums to suit anyone seeking theirMBA, and are ready to help studentsreach the next levelintheir education.

TOPMBA PROGRAMS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

University of Redlands SchoolofBusiness &Society

Location: Thousand Oaks

MBA Degrees Awarded: 115

Total GraduateLevel Enrollment: 339

Year Founded: 1959

Dean: Dr.Vlad VAIMAN callutheran.edu

Universityof Michigan

Ross School of Business

Location: LosAngeles

MBA Degrees Awarded: 97

Total GraduateLevel Enrollment: 218

Year Founded: 2012

Dean: SharonF. MATUSIK michiganross.umich.edu

Location: Redlands

MBA Degrees Awarded: 108

TotalGraduate Level Enrollment: 291

Year Founded: 1987

Dean: Thomas HORAN, PH.D redlands.edu

Cal Poly Pomona

SingelynGraduate SchoolofBusiness

Location: Pomona

MBA Degrees Awarded: 88

TotalGraduate Level Enrollment: 680

Year Founded: 1972

Dean: Dr.Sandeep KRISHNAMURTHY cpp.edu

Jack H. Brown College of Business &Public Administration

Location: SanBernardino

MBA Degrees Awarded: 103

TotalGraduate Level Enrollment: 302

Year Founded: 1976

Dean: Tomás GÓMEZ-ARIAS csusb.edu

UC Riverside SchoolofBusiness, A. Gary Anderson Graduate SchoolofManagement

Location: Riverside

MBA Degrees Awarded: 63

TotalGraduate Level Enrollment: 498

Year Founded: 1970

Dean: Yunzeng WANG business.ucr.edu

Location: SanMarcos

MBA Degrees Awarded: 60

Total GraduateLevel Enrollment: 105

Year Founded: 1989

Dean: Ronald RAMIREZ csusm.edu

Location: Northridge

MBA Degrees Awarded: 57

TotalGraduate Level Enrollment: 188

Year Founded: 1958

Dean: Chandra SUBRAMANIAM, PH.D. csun.edu

Location: LosAngeles

MBA Degrees Awarded: 53

TotalGraduate Level Enrollment: 200

Year Founded: 1911

Dean: DayleM. SMITH, PH.D. cba.lmu.edu

Location: SanDiego

MBA Degrees Awarded: 39

Total GraduateLevel Enrollment: 135

Year Founded: 2005

Dean: Rupali VORA calmu.edu

Location: LosAngeles MBA Degrees Awarded: 33

Total GraduateLevel Enrollment: 26 Year Founded: 2008

Dean: Michael FRENCH, PH.D msmu.edu

Location: La Mirada

MBA Degrees Awarded: 36

TotalGraduate Level Enrollment: 73 Year Founded: 1908

Dean: Dr.Michael ARENA biola.edu

Camarillo MBA Degrees Awarded: 35

TotalGraduate Level Enrollment: 89 Year Founded: 2002

Dean: Susan A. ANDRZEJEWSKI, PH.D. business.csuci.edu

Location: Inglewood MBA Degrees Awarded: 10

TotalGraduate Level Enrollment: 65 Year Founded: 1966

Dean: Talon BROWN uwla.edu

MBA INSIDER

Loyola MarymountUniversity

Loyola Marymount University’s redesignedMBA curriculum launches fall2025. This parttime program is craftedtomeet the needs of working professionals, offering evening classes and aﬂexible, affordable,and customizable pathway to earning an MBA in just two years.

Small, intimate classes areled by facultywho are invested in their

NAME OF INSTITUTION

Loyola Marymount University

NAME OF BUSINESS SCHOOL OR PROGRAM CollegeofBusiness Administration

BUSINESS SCHOOL DEAN

Dayle M. Smith, Ph.D

YEAR INSTITUTION WASFOUNDED 1911

YEAR BUSINESS SCHOOL OR PROGRAMWAS STARTED

CollegeofBusiness Administration: 1926 MBA Program: 1974

TOTALMBA ENROLLMENT

students’ success. Experiential learning illustrates keyconcepts,and hands-on projects provide opportunitiestoapply new skills

LMU also offersa varietyofother graduatebusiness programsin accounting, business analytics, entertainment leadership, entrepreneurship and sustainable innovation, management, and taxation

MBAPLATFORMS OFFERED

MBA JD/MBA MS/MBA

MBAAREAS OF EMPHASIS OFFERED

Business Analytics Entrepreneurship

Finance International Business Marketing

LENGTH OF PROGRAMS

Part-Time MBA: 21-36 months

PROGRAMCAMPUSOPTIONS

MBA core courses and select electives take placeonLMU’smain campus in Westchester near Playa Vista. Some MBAelectivesare offered as online synchronous courses.

Take your next boldstepand visit cba.lmu.edu/gradprograms to learnmore

PROGRAMACCREDITATIONS

AACSB, WASC RANKINGS

U.S. News &WorldReport 2024 Graduate Rankings

•International Business: No.18

•Entrepreneurship: No.19

•Marketing: No.21

INFORMATIONSESSIONS: Visit mba.lmu.edu to learnabout our admissionevents.

REQUIRED TESTING

•Management:No. 22

•Finance: No.33

•Accounting: No.41

•Part-time MBA: No.66

The Princeton Review andEntrepreneur Magazine 2025Top GraduatePrograms

•Entrepreneurship: No.30

TOTALCOSTOFMBA

$61,344–$71,568 ($1,704per unit with36-42 units required depending on previous business coursework.)

NewMBA Curriculum

Launching Fall 2025

Loyola Marymount University’s redesignedMBA curriculum meets the needsofbusyprofessionals, offering apersonalized, flexible, and affordable pathway to an MBAinjusttwo years.

Explore mba.lmu.edu to learn more about our top-ranked, part-timeMBA program.

GMATorGRE required.Waivers available to qualiﬁed applicants.

APPLICATIONDEADLINES

May31, 2025

CONNECTWITHUS

Visit mba.lmu.edu/contact to schedulea

appointment with an admission recruiter. PROGRAMCONTACT

MBA INSIDER

BiolaUniversity

Intoday’sfast-evolvingbusiness landscape,staying aheadrequires adaptability, innovation and a deep understanding of AI-driven transformation. Biola University’s Adaptive MBA is uniquely designedto equipleaders with the skills tonavigate andshape thefuture of business –all throughalens of biblical wisdom, ethicalleadership andcutting-edgeAI integration.

AFuture-Proof MBA: ThreeCore Differentiators

Fast-Track your Growth with Expert-Led Intensives

Stay aheadofthe curve with immersive 3-day intensives led by topprofessors from major universities andindustry trailblazers from powerhousecompanies likeAmazon, Starbucks andNike. Dive deep into emerging topics like agentic AI,cryptocurrency and behavioral economics.

Master New Skills Through AI Business Sprints

Engage in 3- to 5-week AI business sprints, where you'll tacklereal-world challengesissuedbycurrent business leaders.Access cutting-edge resources

through Biola’s AI VentureStudioand AI Labtogainexperience in usingartiﬁcial intelligencefor business innovation.

Craft aComprehensive “Kingdom Challenge Plan”

In the MBAprogram,you'll developa KingdomChallengePlan– apurposedriven business strategy that blendsyour education,valuesand passions to make alasting impact. Graduatingwithmore than just adegree, you'll have adynamic venture plan to guideyour careerand change the worldfor Christ.

Six Additional Program Highlights: Skill-Based Certiﬁcations –Earn micro-credentials in AI augmentation, entertainment business andbehavioral economics to enhance your résumé and career prospects.

Flexible,Adaptive Learning –Choose from personalized electives across disciplines, shapingyour MBA to ﬁt your careertrajectory

World-Class Business Faculty –Learn from leaders at JPMorgan Chase, AT&T

NAME OF INSTITUTION

Biola University

NAME OF BUSINESS SCHOOL OR PROGRAM

Crowell SchoolofBusiness–Adaptive MBA

BUSINESS SCHOOL DEAN

MichaelArena

YEAR INSTITUTIONWAS FOUNDED 1908

YEAR BUSINESS SCHOOL OR PROGRAMWAS STARTED

Adaptive MBA: Fall2025

MBA: 2001

TOTALMBA ENROLLMENT

BeginningFall ’25

MBA AREASOFEMPHASISOFFERED

TheAdaptiveMBA offers skill badges based on market demand, replacing traditional concentrations.

LENGTH OF PROGRAMS 16-24months

PROGRAMCAMPUSOPTIONS

Hybrid

PROGRAMACCREDITATIONS

WSCUC/ ACBSP

Microsoft,In-N-Out and Bank of America whobring decadesofindustry expertise

Human-Centric Business Skills –Develop emotional intelligence,social inﬂuence andcritical thinking, ensuringyou lead with wisdom and impact.

1:1 Christian Business Mentorship –Connect with industry-alignedChristian mentorswho guide your professional and spiritual growth

Biblical Integration in Every Course –Approach complex business challenges with afaith-driven, ethical perspective that distinguishesBiola graduatesinthe marketplace

Break freefrombusiness as usual. The Adaptive MBAatBiola University isn’t just about earning adegree– it’s about equipping forward-thinking leaderswith thetools, wisdom and faith to transform industries and make akingdom impact.

Learnmore and applytoday: biola.edu/adaptivemba

RANKINGS

Biola Universityisrankedthe #1 Christian University forFaith in Action See biola.edu/rankings fordetails.

TOTALCOSTOFMBA

$837 per credit, $30,132

REQUIRED TESTING N/A

UPCOMING INFORMATIONSESSIONS

March 12,2025,6:00 pm

March 26,2025,6:00 pm

April 10,2025,10:00 am April 23, 2025,6:00 pm

APPLICATIONDEADLINES

Fall Semester

Early Action: June 1

General: July 1

International Students: June1

SpringSemester

General: December 1

International Students: October1

PROGRAMCONTACT INFORMATION

Hannah Drewry, mba@biola.edu, 562.944.0351, x3292

Today’sbusiness landscapedemands leaderswho arenimble, proactiveand adeptat harnessing thelatesttechnologiesand tools. The Adaptive MBAatBiola University is a living,dynamic programthatmoves forwardwithyou,constantlyevolvingtomeetthe shifting demandsofbusiness —soyou can future-proof your career.

Fast-Track your Growth with Expert-Led Intensives

CHARTYOURPATH

Useour custom AI-powered tool to instantly generate asample setofcourses foryour Adaptive MBAprogram —tailoredtoyour speciﬁcbackgroundand career goals.

Skills Through Craft a Comprehensive

Trythe AI Pathﬁnder biola.edu/adaptivemba

California State University,Northridge

DIVERSEIDEAS FORDYNAMIC ENVIRONMENTS

The MBA programofCSUN’s

DavidNazarian Collegeof Business andEconomics takes pride in the achievements of its students and alumni. Nazarian College MBA graduates areaccomplished professionals representing incredibly diverse backgrounds in avarietyof industries in theSan Fernando Valley, LosAngeles County andVentura County regions. Ourgraduatestudents view their MBA as asmart investment in understanding dynamic business environments so they mayleadwith diverse insights.

FLEXIBLE

RELEVANCE

Classesare held Monday through Thursdayfrom 7-10 p.m. andoccasionally on Saturdays. Students typically take two courses per semester andcomplete MBA coursework in about twoyears. While ourstudents thrive with the networking and interactions via in-person courses, manycourses areofferedinahybrid format,providing access ﬂexibilityfor students andreducing drive time to campus. Students reduceoraccelerate their academic load commensurate with career and family demands. Elective

offerings focusonproviding timely and relevanttopics that help differentiate students in their workplace andadd careervalue

NAZARIAN COLLEGE CONSULTING

Nazarian CollegeMBA students not only learn butalsopay that knowledge forward by helpingorganizations as part of the culminating experiencein theNazarianCollegeSmallBusiness Consulting Program.Through continued support from the WellsFargo Foundation, MBAstudentteams consult withand address thespecific needsofsmall businessesand nonprofits in theregion. As aresult,studentsgainconfidence and improvetheir networks, paying their investmentforward to thecommunity.

MATADOR PRIDE

Nazarian Collegeand California State University, Northridge,are consistently ranked as among the best in higher education. U.S. News &World Report rankedNazarianCollege's MBA program as No.5among CSUs and one of thebest in California (2024) while the Princeton Reviewrecognized the program as the "Best On-CampusMBA."

NAME OF INSTITUTION

California State University, Northridge

NAME OF BUSINESS SCHOOL OR PROGRAM

TheDavid NazarianCollege of Business andEconomics

MBA Program

BUSINESS SCHOOL DEAN Chandra Subramaniam, Ph.D.

YEAR INSTITUTIONWAS FOUNDED 1958

YEAR BUSINESS SCHOOL OR PROGRAMWAS STARTED 1958

TOTALMBA ENROLLMENT 188

MBA PLATFORMSOFFERED Part-timeevening MBA

MBA AREASOFEMPHASISOFFERED

Selected topicsina variety of relevant functionalareas

LENGTH OF PROGRAMS

2.5years

PROGRAMCAMPUSOPTIONS

On-campus (somecourses hy-ﬂex)

PROGRAMACCREDITATIONS

WASC

AACSB

RANKINGS

Ranked No.5 amongCSUs by U.S. News &WorldReport

Best On-Campus MBA, Princeton Review

Inaddition, The Wall Street Journal/ College Plusrecently ranked CSUN as the second-best public universityin California,the 12th-best public university in thenationand theﬁfth-best university for social mobility.The Wall Street Journalalsoranks CSUN amongthe top three universities nationwide for diversity. Few MBA programs canequal the NazarianCollege’singraduating MBAs prepared to workand lead in adiverse and global business environment.

Housedona beautiful 365-acrecampus, CSUN is thefourth-largest university in California.Its 400,000 alumni include prominent business leaders, suchasthe manfor whom thebusiness college was named,David Nazarian. The university is home to theaward-winning Younes and Soraya NazarianCenter for the Performing Arts andthe LEED Goldcertiﬁed Student RecreationCenter

TOTALCOSTOFMBA

$33,000-$45,000

REQUIRED TESTING GMATorGRE (waivers arealso available)

UPCOMING INFORMATIONSESSIONS

March 18 andApril15

APPLICATIONDEADLINES

Fall 2025:May 31

Spring2026: October31

PROGRAMCONTACT INFORMATION

Sheila M. Brown,Assistant Director sheila.brown@csun.edu 818.677.2467

CSUN’sDavid Nazarian College of Business and Economics offers apart-time evening MBAprogram designed for working professionals. Faculty expertise and student experience coalesce to produce innovative leaders who:

•Apply knowledge and create strategies to manage dynamicenvironments

•Contributesustainable value to their organization, industry,and community

•Integratetheory and experientiallearningto benefitcareernetworksand trajectories

University of Redlands

Transformative Business Education at University of Redlands

Ifyou are looking to advance your career,change industries, or gain greaterexpertise –University of Redlands business programs are designed to prepare working professionals, likeyou, to lead with purposeand impact andsucceed in business and society

Earningyour degree in 24months or less,attending one night per week either in-person or online,you’lldevelop 21st-century skillsand gain real-world experience with faculty who areexperts in theirﬁeldand care about your success. You’ll prepare personallyand professionally to create transformational change in your career,organization and community

ALeaderinBusiness Education

ARedlands MBA provides you with the skills, knowledge and opportunities for professional growth that youneed to succeedinbusiness and beyond. Through our programs, you’lldevelop as apurposeful, ethicaland innovative leader whoisready totacklethe most complexbusiness andorganizational challengesinarapidly evolvingglobal landscape

We’re now offering our MBA with concentrations in ﬁelds that impact careers:

MBA with Healthcare Administration combines core business management principles with specialized knowledge of the healthcareindustry. This degree is designed to preparestudentsfor leadershipand administrative roles within healthcare organizations, such as hospitals,clinics,pharmaceutical companies, insurance ﬁrms andother healthcare-relatedentities

MBA with Human Resources Management equipsstudentswith both broad businessmanagement skills and specialized knowledge in human resources. This degree prepares individualsfor leadership rolesinHR departments across various industries, where they will be responsiblefor managing an organization’s human capital,fostering apositive workplace culture and aligning HR strategies with overall business goals.

MBA with Organizational Leadership focuses on developingadvanced leadership skills,strategic thinking and change management expertise

This degree is designedtoprepare professionalsfor leadershiproles where they caneffectively manage teams, foster apositive organizationalculture anddrive innovation and growth within an organization

MBAwith Global Business prepares students to analyze thereasons behind themovementofgoods, services, labor, capitaland productionbetween nations andthe implications of governmentand business policies.

MBAwith Finance focuses on developingcomprehensiveinsightinto financial marketsand analyzing the rationalebehind thefinancial actions takenwithinfirms. Financeconcentration courses examine the linkages between thefinancialstructures presentinthe external environment and the financial arrangements internaltobusiness.

MBAwith Marketing provides students with an understanding of thefundamentals of domesticand global marketing strategy.Students in theprogram develop criticalskills for marketers, includinganalyticaland digital competence. Students will also learnhow to focus on thecustomer whileoperating and understanding marketing scenarios in aglobal marketplace

MBA with LocationAnalytics guides students to harnessthe powerof location intelligence to lead 21stcentury businessesand organizations by mastering theskillstoincorporate location analyticsinto different areas of business, identify rolesthat location analyticscan play andemploylocation intelligence to empower managers and leaderstomakemoreeffectivedecisions.

Presidio MBA in SustainableSolutions equips studentstobecome skilled leaders of this newworld. Our unique curriculum pairs rigorousmanagement theoryand practicewith an integrated lookat sustainability, social justice and environmentalstewardship,all within an affordable,ﬂexibleprogram that includes part-time andonlinelearning opportunities

Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA)

In adata-driven economy, harnessing thepower of business analytics can helpyou create meaningful insights and make strategic, ethical decisions that will enhance your organization andyour career. Withthe MSBA,you gain the quantitativeand technical business skills

necessarytothriveinthisfast-growing analytics ﬁeld.

Master of ScienceinOrganizational Leadership(MSOL)

As a21st-centuryleader, learn how to make apositiveimpactbyleading with strategy,purposeand execution. The MSOL program developspurposeful, ethicaland innovative leaders whoare readytosucceed in theprivate, public and nonproﬁt sectors.

Why chooseUniversity of Redlands?

•Convenient onlineand inperson offerings

•StartinMay or September

•$0application fee

•Strong professional connections with morethan30,000 alumni in the Redlands Network

•Accredited by WSCUC andACBSP

•Rankedamong theTop 10 Best Universities in theWest (2025 U.S. News &World Report)

•Rankedamong theTop 20 Best NationalUniversities, Masters (WashingtonMonthly)

Highly SatisﬁedGraduates

•97% of our 2024 graduatessay they were overall satisﬁedwiththe value of their business educationatthe UniversityofRedlands.

•90% of our 2024 graduatesbelieve their degree will help theirearning power within thenextﬁve years.

NAMEOFINSTITUTION

UniversityofRedlands

NAME OF BUSINESS SCHOOL OR PROGRAM

School of Business &Society

BUSINESS SCHOOL DEAN

Thomas Horan, PhD

YEAR INSTITUTIONWAS FOUNDED 1907

YEAR BUSINESS SCHOOL OR PROGRAMWAS STARTED MBA started in 1985

TOTALMBA ENROLLMENT 196

MBA PLATFORMSOFFERED In-person Online synchronous Online asynchronous

MBA AREASOFEMPHASISOFFERED Finance

Healthcare Administration

HumanResource Management

Location Analytics

Marketing OrganizationalLeadership

PresidioMBA in SustainableSolutions Global Studies

LENGTH OF PROGRAMS

MBA: 18-24 months

MS Business Analytics: 18 months

MS Organizational Leadership: 14 months

PROGRAMCAMPUSOPTIONS

RedlandsMainCampus

MarinCampus

PROGRAMACCREDITATIONS

ACBSP(RedlandsMBA only) WASC/WSCUC

TOTALCOSTOFMBA

Costs vary due to lengthof programand type of MBA

More than 90% of School of Business &Societystudents are receiving ﬁnancial assistance in theformof scholarships,tuitiondiscounts, or loans.

REQUIRED TESTING

None

UPCOMING INFORMATIONSESSIONS redlands.edu/grad-events

MBA APPLICATIONDEADLINES

Summer: April1

Fall: June 1 Spring: October1

PROGRAMCONTACT INFORMATION

Liz_Villegas@redlands.edu 909-748-8753

TRANSFORMATIVE BUSINESS EDUCATION

Advanceyourcareer,change industries, or gain greater expertise in your field—theRedlandsMBA programs prepare workingprofessionals,likeyou,tolead with purposeand impact.

CONCENTRATIONS

University of West LosAngeles

The UniversityofWestLos Angeles beganasa private educational institution with just six students in 1966, when a visionary group of local educators resolved to address the needfor educational programs geared toward the working adult. With amission of democratizing education and broadening the greater community's access to top-notch education in law, UWLA was born. UWLA has been providing high-quality education to budding legal professionalsever since.InJuly2002, the law schoolexpanded by acquiring theSan FernandoValley College of Law in Chatsworth. UWLA now hascampuses near LAX in West L.A. andWoodland Hills.

In 2012, UWLA opened its Schoolof Business with asimilar opportunity mission –todemocratize education by serving our communities withhighquality higher education for amore diverse population of students. Today, UWLA proudly offersaMaster of Science in Leadership,Management, and Technology, aBachelor of Science in Business Administration (degree completion program), andthe school's Juris Doctorprogram.

UWLA is asmall private university that prides itself on itshigh-touch, hands-

on learning environment. Students are supported by small class sizes andtaught by professorswho are not only scholars but areexperts and professionals in theirﬁelds. The result is a practical program thatpreparesstudents forreal-world workscenarios rather than purely theoretical learning.

Apioneer of onlinelearning during theCOVID-19pandemic, UWLA has continued to perfect its online coursework andhas added back an in-person hybrid model,allowing students thebest of both worlds. UWLAisalsoanattractive option forinternational students, many of whomfind the affordability, the flexibility of learning options, the practical program applications, and the school'sfocus on technology highly appealing. With 15-month andtwo-yearoptions and rollingadmissionsthroughout five starts per year,the UWLA School of Business MasterofScience program opens aworld of opportunity for the rightstudent

Thereare no entryrequirementsor examsbesides providinga documented bachelor'sdegreeingoodstanding. Students interested in theBachelor of Science in Business Administration completion programonly require proof of an associate's degree or equivalent

credits. UWLAadmissions counselors will help anyone assess theircandidacy and walk them throughthe application and ﬁnancialaid process.

NAME OF INSTITUTION

UniversityofWestLos Angeles

NAME OF PROGRAM

Masters of Science in Leadership, Management, andTechnology

DEAN

Talon Brown,Dean, UWLA School of Business

YEAR INSTITUTIONWAS FOUNDED 1966

YEAR PROGRAMWAS STARTED 2012

TOTALPROGRAM ENROLLMENT 60 percohort

PROGRAMPLATFORMS OFFERED

Online:Coursework deliveredentirely online,hybrid/in-person lectures and meetings,plusonline lessons and learning

AREASOFEMPHASISOFFERED Org.Leadership/Management, Artiﬁcial Intelligence,Digital Marketing,Business Data Analytics

LENGTH OF PROGRAMS 15 monthsor24months

PROGRAMCAMPUSOPTIONS

West LosAngeles Campus 9800S.LaCienega Blvd., 12th Floor, Inglewood, CA 90301

San FernandoValley Campus 21650OxnardBlvd.,Suite 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91367

In-person, virtual,and hybrid instructionare available

PROGRAMACCREDITATIONS

TheUniversityofWest LosAngeles (UWLA) is accreditedbythe WASC SeniorCollege andUniversityCommission. UWLA is a private institution approved to operate by theCaliforniaBureau forPrivate Postsecondary Education, whichhas approved theSchool of Business's Master of ScienceinLeadership, Management, andTechnologydegreeand theBachelor of ScienceinBusiness Administration

TOTALCOSTOFPROGRAM

$24,444.Scholarships and grantsare available through theUWLA Financial Aid Oﬃce

REQUIRED TESTING

None

UPCOMING INFORMATIONSESSIONS

Monthly virtual open houses;check uwla.edufor calendarlistings. Contact vbaskin@uwla.edu to RSVP

APPLICATIONDEADLINES

Rollingadmissions; ﬁve term starts per year

PROGRAMCONTACT INFORMATION:

Talon L. Brown, Esq., Dean, SchoolofBusiness Admissions Contact: VerdelBaskin310.342.5291 Admissions@uwla.edu www.uwla.edu

Excellencelikethis deserves recognition.

At Umpqua Bank,webelieve visionaryleadership goes beyond banking. Congratulations to RichardCabrera, Gene Dunford,and Jonathan Dale— named LA TimesStudiosBanking and FinanceVisionariesfor their ability to lead high-performing teams,growdivisions,and strengthen local communities. We’reproud to have them on ourteamastheycontinue shaping thefutureofﬁnance.

AtUmpqua Bank, we believe visionaryleadership goesbeyond banking.Congratulations to Richard Cabrera, Gene Dunford,and Jonathan Dale—named LA TimesBanking &FinanceVisionaries fortheir abilitytoleadhigh-performing teams,growdivisions, and strengthen local communities. We’reproud to have themonour team as theycontinue shaping the futureofﬁnance.

RichardCabrera ExecutiveVicePresident Head of Commercial Banking

Gene Dunford Sr.Managing Director Commercial Banking

Jonathan

Dale ExecutiveVicePresident Regional Executive-California