Opus Bank announced the formation of its Merchant Banking division, which will operate as Opus Financial Partners. Opus’ new Merchant Banking division will lead and participate in institutional syndications of commercial and corporate C&I credits.

It will also provide advisory, consultative and transaction services to Opus Bank’s client base, which is comprised of small and mid-sized commercial businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate investors, and professionals based in the Western region. In addition, Opus’ Merchant Banking division will provide Correspondent Banking products, services and solutions to small and mid-sized financial institutions.

The bank also announced that Geoff Anfuso and Jason Raefski have been appointed senior managing directors of Opus Bank’s new Merchant Banking division. Anfuso will lead the bank’s institutional syndications efforts, including sourcing, placing, and underwriting credit opportunities through both new issuance and the secondary market.

Anfuso, an 11-year banking veteran, joins Opus from Wells Fargo, where he most recently served as senior vice president, team lead of the Greater Los Angeles Commercial Banking Division. Earlier, Anfuso served as senior vice president within Wells Fargo’s Capital Finance division, where he focused on the structuring and managing of corporate and middle market C&I credit facilities. Anfuso began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Financial Advisory Service practice, where he focused on corporate turnaround, restructuring, and insolvency engagements.

Raefski will focus on M&A advisory, equity raising and debt issuance, strategic planning, capital structure and earnings improvement analysis, and other advisory services provided to the bank’s corporate, business, and real estate investor clients. Additionally, Raefski will head up the bank’s Capital Markets, Secondary Marketing and Correspondent Banking efforts within the Merchant Banking division.

Raefski, a 20-year banking veteran, joins the bank from Sunwest Bank where he served as chief financial officer. Previously, he served as senior vice president, director of Finance for Commercial Capital Bank from its formation through its sale to Washington Mutual. Raefski started his career with the investment banking firm Sandler O’Neill & Partners.