STEPHEN H. GORDON
FOUNDER/CEO/chairman
GENESIS BANK
WHY: Well-known area banker and entrepreneur. When the economy is faltering, Gordon sees opportunity.
IN THE NEWS: Acquiring Beverly Hills-based Excel Bank, doubling Genesis’ assets to $400M. Grew Genesis organically; its Orange County deposits climbed 40% to $133.7M in year ended June 30, 2024.
NOTABLE: After the dot-com bust in 2000, co-founded Commercial Capital Bancorp, which was sold for almost $1B in 2006. Following 2008 financial crisis, in 2010 led the $460M recapitalization of Bay Cities National Bank and renamed it Opus Bank. Left Opus in 2018, bank was sold for $743.9M in 2020.
QUOTABLE: He is planning more acquisitions this year: “I’m already working on the next one.”
