Financial: Best Bank

MINDY SCHAUER, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER California Bank & Trust was voted the top bank in the Orange County Register’s Best of Orange County readers’ choice poll.

1. California Bank & Trust

Multiple locations; Calbanktrust.com

For nearly 70 years, California Bank & Trust has been helping generations of Californians and California businesses to grow and prosper, helping to lead them to brighter and financially sound futures. Today, California Bank & Trust is among California’s most dynamic and admired banks, offering guidance, collaboration, and customized options not found at other banks.

The bank has $13 billion in loans, $15 billion in deposits, and nearly 90 branches located throughout California. There are 10 branches in Orange County: in Brea, Huntington Beach, Irvine Center, La Palma, Laguna Hills, Monarch Beach, Orange, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente and Tustin, with 225 employees.

“We are incredibly humbled to win ‘Best Bank’ for the eighth year in a row,” said Ben Alvarado, the bank’s executive director of Core Banking. “This recognition represents the commitment our associates have to our clients, and we look forward to continuing to serve Orange County by building lasting relationships with awardwinning customer service each and every day.”

California Bank & Trust is headquartered in San Diego and offers a range of financial services. Register readers have voted the bank as the county’s “Best Bank” seven times consecutively in previous years for Best of OC; this year is their eighth win. Bank leaders attributed their winning streak to the bank’s dedicated employees who maintain high standards of service. – Amy Bentley

2. JPMorgan Chase Bank

Multiple locations; Jpmorganchase.com

A major name in banking since 1799 with 97 branches and 1,600 employees in Orange County, JPMorgan Chase is committing $30 billion to advance racial equity. The bank is investing in affordable housing in underserved communities and lower mortgage payments in Black and Latino households, small business loans, and financial literacy nationwide as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion within the bank.

The bank last year also assisted thousands of small businesses during the pandemic. More than 280,000 loans were funded, 80 percent of which were for less than $100,000 and half of which went to businesses with fewer than five employees. In addition, through March 2021, Chase provided over $40 billion to more than 400,000 small businesses through the PPP program.

Since March 13, 2020, Chase has delayed payments and refunded fees for customers on over two million accounts, and the bank committed $250 million in global business and philanthropic initiatives.

Bank of America maintains a large presence in Orange County, in terms of numbers, dollars and impact, with more than 5,000 employees, 89 financial centers, 390 ATMs, six Merrill offices, and one private bank office in the county.

In Orange County, Bank of America has $27.1 billion in local consumer deposits, increasing deposits by $3 billion last year in part by equipping clients with industry-leading digital and mobile capabilities to conveniently perform common bank transactions at home or by smartphone. Bank of America has also made $580 million in small business loans and $7.4 billion in commercial loans.

Since last year, Bank of America provided more than $3 million to Orange County nonprofits for COVID-19 relief, economic mobility and advancing racial equality as well as donating over 745,000 PPE masks, gloves and sanitizer bottles to local organizations and employees delivering 263 free Better Money Habits financial education modules to nonprofits, schools and businesses.

3. Bank of America

Multiple locations; Bankofamerica.com