[quote=evolusd]Allan – glad to hear you had good experiences with the old Grossmont Bank. Many of the people stayed on with CBT after the conversion. I joined just after the conversion after graduating from USD. I have to say, we’ve been able to keep the community bank feel with approval for most deals right upstairs from our office in UTC. Higher commitments go just up the road to our Carmel Valley headquarters.

As for turnover, it’s been fairly low with us as far back as I can remember. We underwrote conservatively during the boom times thanks to solid credit admin guys, which has SAVED us during this downturn. You’ll see a lot more turnover at places where the writing is on the wall.[/quote]

Evol: Is Don Gruhl still around? I worked with him several years back and for several years during my time at Corroon/Willis. We were heavily involved in construction from the surety side and Don was aces to work with.

Most of our clients were Military/Federal contractors, like RQ, Sundt and Wiley, and having someone like Don who knew the market and the players and the business made things a lot easier.

I’m glad to hear so many of the original Grossmont crew stayed on after the CB&T purchase. I sit back and watch local bank after local bank disappear: Scripps Bank, Bank of Commerce, Southwest Community Bank, the list goes on and on and it’s disheartening to watch so many community institutions with strong local ties just vanish.