Ash Patel Named Visionary In 2025 L.A. Times Studios’ Banking & Finance Magazine
As Seen in L.A. Times Studio’s 2025 Banking & Finance Magazine
This week’s Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times includes L.A. Times B2B Publishing’s Banking & Finance Magazine that featured a round up of the top 50 banks headquartered in Southern California and the visionaries leading the many financial institutions.
Ash Patel, chairman of the board, CEO & president of Commercial Bank of California was recognized by L.A. Times Studio’s Banking & Finance Magazine as a Visionary. Commercial Bank of California also ranked 20th out of the 50 banks headquartered in Southern California.
Here’s more about Ash and why he was selected for this prestigious recognition.
Ash Patel has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry and serves as Chairman of the Board, CEO, and President of Commercial Bank of California (CBC). Ash has evolved from a banker with an entrepreneurial drive to a seasoned CEO, focused on inspiring his team and clients to achieve their dreams. Ash leads by example and invests in building relationships and cutting-edge technology to enhance the client experience.
Ash focuses on human capital investments and inspires staff and clients to join his mission of increasing Life Wealth for all bank stakeholders. The initiative has yielded the formation of a top-notch banking team, a streamlined client experience, and an overall successful turnaround of the bank, which became a privately held billion-dollar bank in 2020 when Ash and team achieved their “PJ2B” initiative (Purposeful Journey to a Billion Dollar Bank). This purpose is always why Ash and his team are highly focused on supporting underserved communities with banking products and opportunities for their businesses. It is Ash’s vision that not only led CBC to become a billion-dollar bank, but to a two-billion-dollar bank in his first 10 years, and earned the recognition of “Best Places to Work in Southern California” in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Under Ash’s leadership, CBC has shown significant growth from approximately $200 million in assets in 2013 to $3.5 billion as of December 31, 2024. This growth was accomplished through the acquisition of National Bank of California (2016), VeriCheck (2017), and ACHWorks (2022), by operating in line with CBC’s Life Wealth values to organically grow its client base, and by scaling its lending business to support the increased need for small business loans amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Ash’s strategic foresight was also instrumental in navigating the 2023 banking crisis, securing the bank’s financial stability, and reinforcing client confidence in CBC’s long-term vision.
Ash and the team at CBC aspire to build a bank that does not yet exist—a bank that focuses on offering customers a high-touch experience combined with transformative financial technology. Ash has been at the forefront of the critical industry conversations surrounding FinTech and has been an advocate for evolving traditional banking organizations by embracing new technology.
In a landmark move underscoring Ash’s visionary leadership, CBC’s acquisition of Community Bank of the Bay represents a strategic step towards broadening access to financial services across California. This merger isn’t just about growth—it’s about building an institution capable of driving meaningful change in local economies, empowering small and medium-sized businesses, and fostering long-term partnerships that create tangible value. Ash envisions a bank that transcends transactional relationships, instead becoming a pillar of trust, innovation, and resilience for the communities it serves. By blending CBC’s technological edge with Community Bank of the Bay’s community-focused approach, Ash is paving the way for a new era of inclusive and sustainable banking across California. With this acquisition, Ash and his team have embarked on their next bold initiative: the “Purposeful Journey to $5 Billion,” a testament to their commitment to continued growth, strategic vision, and creating long-term value for all stakeholders.
In line with Ash’s personal mission to empower people to achieve their dreams, he is the founder of the Siksha Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to rebuilding schools for underprivileged children in India and Africa, and providing students with the tools to succeed and achieve their dreams.
