BBVA Compass appointed banking industry veteran Heather Sanchez Ontario City president in California, where she will lead the market’s commercial banking operations and manage the local advisory board.

Sanchez has been in the industry for more than 15 years, with a background in commercial banking and credit administration. Since joining BBVA Compass in 2014 as a relationship manager, she has been a leader in business development, working to rapidly grow the bank’s footprint in California.

“Heather has been one of the top performing relationship managers throughout the country and the bedrock of our important Inland Empire region since joining the bank,” said BBVA Compass California CEO Everett Orrick. “Year after year, Heather has won bank awards for her extraordinary and consistent performance, while delivering extraordinary service to all her clients.”

Sanchez previously worked for one of the five largest domestic banks in credit administration for nearly a decade. In that role, she developed and delivered credit solutions to companies from a wide range of industries, including food franchise, healthcare, manufacturing, contractors, hotels and consulting.

“The Ontario-based Inland Empire commercial banking office was where BBVA Compass planted our first flag in California nearly 10 years ago,” Orrick added. “It has been a critical part of our success in the state and the west. Ontario is our largest California office and has many great clients that have supported BBVA Compass from our earliest days in the state. Heather is the perfect bank executive to continue to lead the growth of those important relationships and the bank’s presence in the region.”