Torrey Pines Bank Announces San Diego New Hires

Torrey Pines Bank, a leading commercial bank in California and an affiliate of Western Alliance Bancorporation, has announced the promotion of several key executives in its San Diego, Bay Area and Los Angeles offices.

"As we approach our ten-year anniversary at Torrey Pines Bank, we continue to look to local banking leaders and experts with a strong background in their communities, as the best stewards to advance our mission and provide guidance and advice to businesses and professionals.  We are happy to welcome our new executives in The Bay Area, San Diego and Los Angeles.  We remain committed to supporting the economic vitality of markets where we do business both through working with local business owners and in hiring the best of the best to support them," said Gary Cady, CEO, Torrey Pines Bank.

In San Diego, Andrew Schwarz was hired as vice president, loan officer for the bank's downtown Symphony Towers office, and Kathryn Nielsen was hired as senior vice president, senior loan officer for the bank's Carmel Valley office.

Kathryn Nielsen - senior vice president, senior loan officer

Most recently, Kathryn Nielsen was senior vice president and team leader, corporate banking for a San Diego commercial bank. She has 29 years experience in the development and management of commercial relationships, particularly in business development, credit risk analysis, and relationship management. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Purdue University and is a National Commercial Lending School Graduate, University of Oklahoma. She has been a Big Sister through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program from 2000 to present.  In 2003, she was “Big Sister of the Year” and was a top fundraiser for several years. She has also volunteered for Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church Del Mar, Community Outreach Projects and the United Way, Fundraising and Allocations Committees, as well as been a past board member for the American Cancer Society and was a YMCA “Woman of Professional Excellence” Award Winner (2003).

Andrew Schwarz - vice president, loan officer 

Andrew Schwarz draws on over eight years of experience in commercial real estate lending, credit/financial analysis, managing special assets, and disposing of real estate owned properties. He was formerly a vice president for commercial real estate lending at a locally based credit union and held a senior credit role at another San Diego financial institution. He also worked in commercial real estate for several years. He received his MBA, with an emphasis in real estate/finance, from The School of Business Administration at University of San Diego, where he was a member of The Graduate Business Student Association (GBSA). He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences, at Villanova University, where he was a four-year member of the Villanova Baseball Team.

Torrey Pines Bank currently has $2 billion in assets, 12 full service offices, and 233 full-time employees since starting almost ten years ago in 2003, with $20 million in initial capital and a single office with seven employees.