Nana and Poppy got a good deal on an absolutely mint looking 1998 Ford Expedition XLT. Our review team inspected the vehicle inside and out, and called it the “best vehicle ever.” The team is looking forward to collecting additional data during our extensive snow and off-road testing this winter in Big Bear.
So long Wells Fargo …
… And hello, California Republic Bank. This is a picture of my office at Wells Fargo Dealer Services as I was leaving for the last time on Tuesday. You can’t really appreciate it here, but it had a very nice view. Looking at the photo, I realize now that I left artwork hanging on the walls that was my own personal stuff – two big framed Tour de France posters and a shot of the OC Park balloon. I suppose that becomes my legacy to the next occupant. It was a fun ride, but now onto smaller and better things!
California Republic Bank
California Republic Bank is a brand new (est. 2007) bank headquartered in Irvine, California. CRPB was founded by members of the management team from the old Western Financial Bank. Further, they have a brand new auto business (est. 2011) that has a number of leads from the team at WFS Financial, and they appear committed to the same kind of relationship lending that made WFS successful. They’ve brought on board the right people, have begun to receive praise in the industry, and the auto portfolio has already successfully brought two securitizations to market. Keep an eye on this bank as they grow. I will be.