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Mechanics Taps New Auto Chief

Mechanics Bank in Walnut Creek, Calif., named Bill Katafias chief executive of its Irvine-based CRB Auto division.

Katafias most recently was executive vice president, national production manager for Wells Fargo Dealer Services, where he managed retail production, national and regional dealer partners and direct lending operations.

He succeeds CRB Auto Chief Executive Scott Raymer, who according to Mechanics Bank previously announced his resignation to pursue other opportunities. Raymer has more than 26 years of experience in automotive finance, according to a profile still on the web page of CRB Auto.

Raymer built the auto unit within California Republic Bancorp; it now has 375 full-time employees in some 15 states while servicing more than $3 billion in assets, according to Raymer’s LinkedIn profile.

Mechanics Bank last October completed its acquisition of then-Irvine-based California Republic Bancorp.

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Peter J. Brennan
Peter J. Brennan
With four decades of experience in journalism, Peter J. Brennan has built a career that spans diverse news topics and global coverage. From reporting on wars, narcotics trafficking, and natural disasters to analyzing business and financial markets, Peter’s work reflects a commitment to impactful storytelling. Peter’s association with the Orange County Business Journal began in 1997, where he worked until 2000 before moving to Bloomberg News. During his 15 years at Bloomberg, his reporting often influenced financial markets, with headlines and articles moving the market caps of major companies by hundreds of millions of dollars. In 2017, Peter returned to the Orange County Business Journal as Financial Editor, bringing his heavy business industry expertise. Over the years, he advanced to Executive Editor and, in 2024, was named Editor-in-Chief. Peter’s work has been featured in prestigious publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, and he has appeared on CNN, CBC, BBC, and Bloomberg TV. A Kiplinger Fellowship recipient at The Ohio State University, he leads the Business Journal with a dedication to uncovering stories that matter and shaping the local business community and beyond.
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