Signature Bank appointed two veteran California-based banking executives to lead its new West Coast operations.

Joe Petitti will build and lead Signature Bank’s West Coast expansion as the newly appointed head of West Coast Operations while John (Jack) Knight was appointed to the post of managing director – Cash Management Operations. They will be temporarily based out of the bank’s recently opened accommodation office in San Francisco while building out the Bank’s full service private client banking office at 201 Mission Street in Downtown San Francisco.

In this new role, Petitti will spearhead the bank’s expansion and strategy in California, including its efforts to attract seasoned, private client banking teams while Knight will be responsible for cash management products and services as well as day-to-day operational support of our West Coast activities.

Petitti has more than 30 years of banking and financial services experience. Most recently he served as executive vice president at First Republic Bank, responsible for all deposit acquisition strategies, including the preferred banking offices, private banking, online banking, consumer lending and client services. Previously, he was executive vice president and head of Retail Segment management for Union Bank. Petitti has also held several other senior management positions with Innoventry, a fintech startup, Centurion Capital Management and California Federal Bank.

Knight, also joins from First Republic Bank where he was national director of Preferred Banking, and led all of the private banking teams located in key U.S. cities. During his tenure, he also served as vice president of Business Services, handling daily operations, and client support for a range of commercial banking and cash management services.

Knight also was senior vice president of Corporate Deposit Services at Union Bank, leading a team of deposit relationship managers in California and the Pacific Northwest. Prior, he was a senior vice president in corporate banking at Wells Fargo in Los Angeles.

“Joe and Jack have spent years building their extensive and impressive careers in the California banking arena. The chance to welcome them into our network comes at a very opportune time for us, as Signature Bank extends its services and brings its proven private client banking model to California. They are an ideal fit for our enterprise and growth plans,” stated Joseph J. DePaolo, president and chief executive officer at Signature Bank.

“We believe the West Coast marketplace is ripe for our distinctive single-point-of-contact team approach to relationship banking. Since appointing our first private client banking team in California last summer, we have quickly learned that our client-centric philosophy and high-touch service is much needed. And, with the West Coast mega-banks in disarray, we think this is the right time to further solidify our entry into California as we anticipate market change and consolidation and foresee opportunity,” DePaolo explained.

“This is an excellent opportunity, and we intend to build a solid, successful team of experienced and talented bankers, capable of competing in San Francisco and the California marketplace. We will strive to replicate the success Signature Bank has realized on the East Coast. We are excited to become part of the Signature Bank team, and lead the Bank’s California expansion,” Petitti said.