Sunwest Bank hired Dwight Flenniken III as its new chief marketing officer. The hiring will support Sunwest Bank’s planned expansion and growth throughout its four current states and beyond.

“Dwight’s experience building and leading teams of marketing professionals, and his expertise in the financial technology space were key assets we wanted in our new CMO,” said Carson Lappetito, president of Sunwest Bank. “We are excited to have him join our team, and believe he is the right individual to help us navigate the ever-changing marketing landscape in our industry.”

In this position, Flenniken will oversee the bank’s brand and continuous digital growth of deposit accounts, as well as Sunwest’s vast array of lending products. He and his team will be working closely with sales staff to build and nurture new and existing client relationships for the bank.

“We are very pleased to have a person with Dwight’s experience and skills become our Chief Marketing Officer. He is a great addition to the Sunwest team,” said Eric Hovde, Sunwest CEO.

Flenniken has built a nearly 20-year career in marketing and has functioned as a chief marketing officer for multiple organizations throughout Orange County, Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, CA.

“I am thrilled to join Sunwest Bank and assist them in this time of growth,” said Flenniken. “I am confident my expertise will prove to be an asset to the bank as we expand our brand and digital footprint. I believe Sunwest is well positioned to grow in a way that allows them to continue providing personal banking relationships, while offering digital solutions for new and current clients.”

Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Irvine, CA, Sunwest Bank is a privately held commercial bank with over $1.3 billion in assets and operations in California, Arizona, Idaho and Utah.