Umpqua Bank expanded into the state of Arizona by hiring Kevin Gillette to build and lead the bank’s newly formed Phoenix middle market banking office. Gillette has more than 25 years of experience helping banks establish and grow commercial and corporate offices across the region.
According to Richard Cabrera, executive vice president and head of middle marketing banking at Umpqua Bank, the new office and Gillette’s addition reflect Umpqua’s strategic priority to grow its middle market presence across the western U.S. and position the bank to have an immediate impact in the market.
“Our commitment to every market we enter and to our customers’ success starts with having high-caliber leaders in place with deep relationships and knowledge of the region’s industries,” Cabrera said. “Kevin has built some of the most successful middle market teams in the western U.S. in Phoenix, and we’re thrilled he’s on board to help establish our presence and reputation in the marketplace.”
Gillette spent the last decade launching and building Bank of the West’s commercial operations in Phoenix. Before that, during his 15-year tenure at Bank of America, Gillette held various leadership roles and built a corporate banking office in the western U.S. He also has experience supporting businesses in healthcare, technology and distribution services.
“We’re excited to join Arizona’s vibrant business community and see tremendous opportunity to leverage Umpqua’s unique combination of size, resources and expertise to support its success,” Tory Nixon, president of Umpqua Bank, said. “Our desire is to be a trusted business partner that helps drive even greater prosperity across the state and the entire Southwest region of the U.S.”
