Finance: Veteran Bankers File Application for Community Institution
Two Rons , Ron Bird and Ron Carlson , are joining forces to launch yet another community bank in the county, this one in Solana Beach.
Both men are former bank presidents and between them have more than 80 years experience in the banking industry. Last month, they filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to form Landmark National Bank, whose first office will be located at Lomas Santa Fe Plaza.
Bird said the location was selected for two reasons: It’s an area they feel isn’t being served well by a community bank, and it offers easy accessibility.
Plus, both bankers know the territory well, having spent a good part of their careers at the old La Jolla Bank & Trust.
Carlson was at LJBT for about eight years and rose to become president and COO. Bird was there for nine years and was an executive vice president.
Most recently, Bird worked at San Diego National Bank as senior vice president. Carlson retired in July from U.S. Bank, which acquired Scripps Bank, where he was president and CEO for that bank’s 17-year life.
Bird, the former president and CEO for the Bank of Southern California, is well aware of the recent spate of new bank startups, but recalled a time in the late 1980s when the county was home to some 40 commercial banks along with a handful of multibillion-dollar savings and loans.
‘Won’t Be Last One Formed’
“I don’t know if we’ll see that number anytime soon, but I bet you that we won’t be the last one formed in San Diego County,” he said.
In addition to Bird, who will hold title of president and vice chairman, and Carlson, who will be chairman and CEO, Landmark National’s board is Ken Baumgartner, president of Corky McMillin Cos.; Tom Wermers, president, Wermers Construction; Christopher Weil, president of the investment firm Christopher Weil & Co.; Anne Taubman, president, Seaport Village; Marshal Scarr, partner, Peterson & Price; Larry Showley, partner with employment benefits firm of Showley Archambault & Alexander; and David Goodell, president, Del Mar Investment Group.
The Rons already hired their chief financial officer, Cathy Wright, who held the same title at Scripps Bank.
What’s In A Name
So, what about the name?
“It was one of the more difficult decisions for the board to make,” Bird said. “We started with about 25 names and narrowed the choice to three or four, and then we did an informal focus group to come up Landmark National. We thought it sounded strong.”
Assuming the regulators approve the bank’s application, the board should begin raising capital sometime by the end of this year and should be able to open for business by the second quarter, Bird said.
Then the hard part begins: attracting customers, many of whom are being served by out-of-state mega-banks. But Bird didn’t sound worried.
“The two Rons have a pretty good following as far as customers go.”
