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Sunwest Bank
Founded in 1969, Sunwest Bank is a privately held commercial bank with more than $4 billion in assets. With a growing presence throughout the United States,...
Sunwest Bank
Founded in 1969, Sunwest Bank is a privately held commercial bank with more than $4 billion in assets. With a growing presence throughout the United States, Sunwest is headquartered in Sandy, Utah, with offices across California, Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, and Florida. The bank partners with businesses and entrepreneurs nationwide to deliver strategic banking, treasury management, and corporate financial solutions. With a strong capital position and a commitment to innovation, Sunwest Bank continues to challenge traditional banking models through forward-thinking initiatives designed to support growth and long-term success. More information about Sunwest Bank and its full line of products and services is available at www.sunwestbank.com. MEMBER FDIC – EQUAL HOUSING LENDER – EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER © 2026 Sunwest Bank
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
1969
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Irvine
Corporate office
Irvine, CA, United States
Additional offices
Fairfield, CA · Cincinnati, OH · Everett, WA · Jersey City, NJ · St. Elizabeth, JA
Principals
Eric Hovde
Chairman & CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who controls Sunwest Bank?
Eric Hovde acquired a controlling stake in the bank in 2008 and serves as its Chairman and CEO. Hovde also co-founded Hovde Capital, a Washington, D.C.-based investment firm, and the Hovde Foundation. The bank is privately held and does not report to public-market shareholders.
Does Sunwest Bank operate like a traditional community bank?
Partially, but with a material private-wealth overlay. In addition to standard commercial and SBA lending, Sunwest runs a trust division that acts as corporate trustee, escrow agent for 1031 exchanges, and custodian for institutional accounts. The bank retains a large portion of originated loans on its balance sheet rather than selling them immediately into the secondary market.
In which lending segments does Sunwest concentrate?
The bank is an active originator of SBA 7(a) loans, conventional owner-occupied commercial real estate loans, construction-to-permanent facilities, and asset-based lines of credit. Underwriting focuses on light industrial, medical office, and multi-tenant retail properties, with particular volume in California, Ohio, and Washington.
What role does the Jamaica office play?
The St. Elizabeth, Jamaica branch primarily serves private-banking and fiduciary clients with cross-border interests. It provides a non-US booking center for trust accounts and deposit relationships tied to US expatriates and international family offices.
How does Sunwest Bank’s trust division differ from a standalone trust company?
Because the trust powers are embedded inside a chartered bank, Sunwest can custody depository funds alongside directed trust assets, streamlining cash management for irrevocable trusts and 1031 exchange clients. The structure also allows the wealth-management team to originate and place deed-of-trust investments sourced through the bank’s own loan pipeline.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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