Chase Bank will be opening soon in the Santa Paula Vons Shopping Center, where it constructed a new building and will hire a staff of 15 to take care of the financial needs of businesses and individuals.

Chase Bank: New branch to open soon at SP Shopping Center

August 05, 2011
Santa Paula News

Chase Bank will be opening soon in the Santa Paula Vons Shopping Center, where it constructed a new building and will hire a staff of 15 to take care of the financial needs of businesses and individuals alike. According to Gary Kishner of Chase, “Our soft opening is in about three weeks, and after that” period of adjustment to the new facility and operations “we’ll have our grand opening.”

Santa Paula was selected due to being a new market for Chase: “We looked for markets where there was a need for a Chase branch, where we were not represented or did not have enough of a presence,” and Santa Paula fit the bill.

Chase has more than 5,000 branches nationwide, and in California, Kishner said, “We’re at just over 840 right now and by year’s end we’ll be over 930,” bringing the state total to about 1,500 branches including more than 25 in Ventura County. 

In recent years Chase purchased the assets of Washington Mutual from the FDIC. A point of corporate pride is that “No Washington Mutual customers lost money, and the FDIC” subsequently did not have to pay out any claims to reimburse losses. In addition, Chase Bank retained all former Washington Mutual employees, so the transaction was almost akin to buying a turnkey business.

And speaking of business, Kishner said, “For us business banking is a very important focus area... we’ve become the number one Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in the country” that last year increased lending by more than 140 percent to businesses with less than $20 million in annual revenues. “We do plenty of lending to larger businesses, but most of our focus is on the smaller businesses, the cornerstone of our economy” that hires almost 50 percent of the nation’s workforce.

Kishner said, “If we can help spark the economy by lending money to small businesses, great - and that will be one of our focus areas” in the Santa Clara River Valley market. And of course business owners have personal accounts, as do the individuals Chase is hoping to attract as customers.

Although investing in the new branch building, Chase has focused on convenience banking for its customers with electronic and online services including even making a deposit via cell phone with such capability. “And we’ve got our new Chase branch making it more convenient for customers who want to do their banking” and enjoy personal customer service and meeting with staff one-on-one.

Chase also offers student loans, home purchase and refinancing, credit card and other services expected from a financial institution. “We continue to lend responsibly... home loans are a very big area for us,” and to ensure existing customers experiencing rocky finances are able to keep their homes Chase has opened a Loan Modification Center in Camarillo.

“We ask that all those who are interested in loans come in and talk to us,” including businesses that Kishner said can be matched with “our community partners” to obtain funding. “We work to help people find options and we work with community partners,” recipients of Chase grants that in turn provide loans.

“The first step” for any loan, Kishner noted, “is to come in and speak to the loan advisor.” The branch will be open six days a week: Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.





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