Regional bank poised to expand its presence with new head of Commercial Lending.

Rockville, MD (PRWEB) April 30, 2015

Capital Bank, N.A., one of the Top 50 growing companies in the area, has added industry heavy-hitter Anthony J. (“Tony”) Pica as Senior Vice President, Commercial Lending, to help grow Capital Bank’s presence as a financial services leader. Pica will oversee three teams that provide financing and cash management solutions for middle-market size companies throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area, and work with the bank’s senior leadership to expand services into the Chesapeake and Northern Virginia regions.

Mr. Pica brings nearly three decades of banking and management experience to his leadership role at Capital Bank, most recently as SVP and Mid-Atlantic Business Banking Group Executive at Capital One Bank. In that role, he headed activities that provided solutions for businesses with annual revenue ranging from $250,000 to $10 million. In his new position, Pica will provide strategic direction to optimize Capital Bank’s already solid market-share in regional business banking.

“Tony has a wealth of experience in business banking and we plan to capitalize on that as soon as he gets settled in here at headquarters in Rockville,” says Ed Barry, CEO of Capital Bank. “We’re in growth mode, and Tony will be able to introduce many new opportunities for Capital Bank that will continue to propel us forward.”

Capital Bank, N.A. has seen consistent, double-digit asset growth year-over-year for the past three years with 26% asset growth in 2014 alone, ending the year with more than $600 million in assets. This ranking placed Capital Bank as the first bank listed for the Washington, DC metropolitan region and comes on the heels of being recognized as one of the Top 50 growing companies in the area by SmartCeo magazine in December. Capital Bank’s smart growth strategy combined with the strength of their customer experience are propelling the company forward as a leading bank in the region and one to keep an eye on for the future. Pica’s addition only helps to drive that vision forward.

“Capital Bank’s smart growth strategy is rivaled only by our outstanding customer experience,” says Barry. “At our core, it’s the collaborative, solutions-oriented banker/client experience we provide that has made us as successful as we are. That’s something that won’t get lost as we grow.”

Capital Bank, N.A. has been ranked number 30 in the Top 100 community banks in the U.S. for 2014 by SNL Financial in their annual ranking of best performing community banks between $500 million and $5 billion in assets. Based on the criteria outlined by SNL Financial, 805 companies were eligible for the $500 million to $5 billion ranking.

This ranking placed Capital Bank as the first bank listed for the Washington, DC metropolitan region and comes on the heels of being recognized as one of the Top 50 growing companies in the area by SmartCeo magazine in December. Capital Bank’s smart growth strategy combined with the strength of their customer experience are propelling the company forward as a leading bank in the region and one to keep an eye on for the future.

Capital Bank has seen consistent, double-digit asset growth year-over-year for the past three years with 26% asset growth in 2014 alone, ending the year with more than $600 million in assets. Included in the SNL evaluation was the pace of the bank’s organic growth (versus banks that grew by mergers and acquisitions) while still generating value for the firm and its shareholders. SNL ranked banks with between $500 million and $5 billion in assets and evaluated them based on core performance metrics reached in 2014.

“This is terrific recognition for the team,” said Ed Barry, CEO of Capital Bank. “And it’s further validation that with our emphasis on client service we are headed in the right direction.”

Capital Bank focuses more on interactions than transactions. As the company has minimized its number of brick-and-mortar branches and maximized the use of technology, its relationship bankers often travel to business clients to work out solutions for banking needs onsite. With a specialty in serving small- to mid-size businesses, the bank also sponsors a series of speakers during the year to provide information and growth strategies on issues affecting the area economy. Capital Bank’s corporate culture emphasizes partnering with clients to help grow and sustain individual businesses as well as the larger community.

“What the SNL Financial ranking does is tell everyone else what we already knew, that we at Capital Bank are in high growth but also sustainable growth mode,” said Barry. “Our level of investor interest, client loyalty, and financial performance just keeps getting stronger.”

SNL Financial is the premier provider of breaking news, financial data and expert analysis on business sectors critical to the global economy: Banking, Insurance, Financial Services, Real Estate, Energy, Media & Communications and Metals & Mining.

Capital Bank, N.A., has been named a 2015 Future 50 company to watch in the Greater Washington area by SmartCEO magazine. According to SmartCEO standards for selection, Capital Bank and the other award winners “embody the spirit of leadership and success in their industries” making these companies a representative sample of the future of the region’s economy.

“It’s great to be recognized by SmartCEO for our success, which is directly related to sharing our clients’ vision of what their businesses can be—that’s what has built our reputation,” says Ed Barry, Capital Bank CEO.

The Future 50 award winners represent the area’s fast-growth, mid-size companies based on a three-year average of employee and revenue growth. Capital Bank has seen consistent, double-digit asset growth year-over-year for the past three years, with 26% asset growth in 2014 alone as they ended the year with more than $600 million in assets and no acquisitions.

Capital Bank’s secret sauce is in their culture of measured growth and in their approach to working with their clients. In an industry where business customers typically have specific transactions but limited interaction, Capital Bank has proven to be more than just a transactional bank; it has a collaborative culture of bankers that work with their clients to find a solution.

“Understanding the connecting points around a business is what enables us to adopt a personalized, long-term approach with all of our clients. It’s not just about the transaction,” says Scot Browning, Capital Bank President, “It’s about helping businesses succeed and grow.”

This evidence of successful customer solutions is found across all of the bank’s business areas. Capital Bank’s core commercial lending business was noted in the top ten by the U.S. Small Business Administration Washington Metropolitan District Office for quantity and volume of SBA loans administered—outranking larger community and national banking institutions.

And, it’s not just in commercial lending either. Capital Bank’s consumer lending divisions adopt a similar model. The credit card division, OpenSky, has been focused on providing credit rebuilding tools and financial education to its customers. Similarly, Capital Bank Mortgage, which originates almost half a billion dollars a year in loan volume, employs three of the top mortgage originators in the nation – who are able to continue to achieve that notoriety because of their expertise and their dedication to helping their customers get the right loan.

Based on the bank’s excellent reputation, Capital Bancorp, parent company of Capital Bank, completed $5 million of senior debt financing in less than two days in August 2014, sourced solely through local private investors. The level of investor interest and amount of funds available validates Capital Bank’s financial performance and growth strategy.

“We have big plans for growing Capital Bank even further,” says Barry. “And we’re committed to providing our clients with the information and insight they need to plan for their growth, too.”

Capital Bank brings great value to individual clients and broader initiatives to the community at large, such as the Thinking Ahead business series—events that bring knowledgeable experts to the area as a resource to help local businesses learn, plan and grow. Events have attracted hundreds of attendees and are an impressive financial and time commitment for a bank of their size, but Capital Bank believes that investing in area businesses makes sound economic sense for the future of the metropolitan Washington region.

Social media guru, Dave Nelsen, shared applicable insights at Capital Bank’s most recent Thinking Ahead Business Series. “Companies that blog generate, on average, 55 percent more web traffic to their sites than those that don’t, and here’s why: Google algorithms prioritize new content in search results and half of all Internet traffic starts with a search.” This was just one of the take-aways gained by the 130 local business executives gathered at Gannet/USATODAY headquarters in McLean, VA on December 4, to attend a complimentary seminar hosted by Capital Bank, N.A. The featured speaker was entrepreneur and social media pioneer, Dave Nelsen, who has turned his social media expertise into a highly successful career as a business consultant.

Nelsen is the third speaker brought to the Washington metropolitan area by Capital Bank for its Thinking Ahead Business Series. An ongoing series of events designed to help businesses plan, execute and grow, Thinking Ahead brings industry leaders and experts together with the business community to discuss timely and pressing issues in today’s challenging business environment. These complimentary events are open to the public and to date have brought together more than 500 attendees. From industry-specific symposiums such as non-profit financial management to seminars on broader topics such as social media marketing, the events demonstrate Capital Bank’s commitment to providing actionable content to the local business community.

CEO, Ed Barry, says, “We do it because we are committed to providing business leaders with the information and insight they need to plan for the future. We like taking an active role in our partnerships. We know how hard owners work to keep their businesses viable and we want to be there with them.”

Capital Bank’s active partnership attitude is the key to their unique identity. Relationships are at the core of their consultative approach to banking, with their bankers’ ability to craft and deliver tailor-made solutions to fit business needs. The knowledge and resources Capital Bank bring to the table one-on-one with their customers, as well as the expert information they offer to the business community at large with the Thinking Ahead series, are what helps set them apart from other banks.

For more information about the Thinking Ahead business information series and how to register for new events in 2015, join Capital Bank’s mailing list.

In the third quarter of this year, small and medium-sized businesses spent an average of 16% more of their budgets than ever before on social media advertising versus the more common forms of print and outdoor advertising. According to research firm BIA/Kelsey—and no wonder, given the power of social media to support the brand-building goals of businesses. More and more businesses are using social media as an avenue to tell their stories, engage their customers, promote their messages and tease their prospects—as evidenced by the startling data that nearly 75% of small and medium sized business (as defined by fewer than 100 employees) now use social media to advertise or promote their businesses—up 71.7% from last year.

What is truly the power of social media for business? It is no longer about having a presence on Facebook or LinkedIn where businesses hope to be found. It’s about integration: how a company integrates social media into their overall marketing strategy, using social media platforms deliberately to tell their story and get their brand message across. In these days of less and less mail, and these minutes of more and more smart phone and tablet usage, social media can provide another avenue to help reach a desired audience. This doesn’t mean that other forms of outreach go away; it is just that overall advertising budgets get re-allocated. For example, small and medium-sized business usage of print and outdoor advertising combined totaled just 59.3% this year, down from 63% last year.

It is clear that social media is being embraced by more and more small to medium-sized businesses. However, when it comes to Return On Investment (ROI), the BIA/Kelsey study noted that only 26.2% of small and medium businesses rated social media as “extraordinary” or “excellent.” Successfully tapping in to customers through social media as a mechanism to drive revenue is where the proverbial rubber meets the road.

To jump-start the social media marketing conversation among area business owners and corporate executives, Capital Bank, N.A., is sponsoring a complimentary event on Social Media Strategies for Business Success. The event will feature Dave Nelsen, an award-winning entrepreneur, internationally noted speaker, and industry-recognized CEO of several companies including social media podcast pioneer, TalkShoe. Nelsen will share his experience and insights on how to define a company’s social media brand, develop social media marketing strategies, and improve online communication with customers.

“Capital Bank is excited to bring such an industry expert and dynamic speaker as Mr. Nelsen to our area,” says Ed Barry, CEO. “We hope the event will provide valuable insight into how to stay ahead of the curve in this ever-changing world of social media.”

An interactive question and answer session will round out Nelsen’s presentation, followed by a cocktail reception where attendees can network with their peers. The event is open to business owners and executives in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

The Capital Bank-sponsored event, part of the bank’s Thinking Ahead Business Series, will be held at Gannett/USA TODAY corporate headquarters in McLean, VA on Thursday, December 4, 4:00-5:30 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, visit
https://thinkingahead.capitalbankmd.com/event-details/

Designed to help businesses plan, execute and grow in today’s challenging business environment, the Thinking Ahead Business Series is an on-going series of events bringing industry leaders and experts together to address pressing topics and issues. These complimentary events, which are open to the public, are an extension of Capital Bank’s commitment to supporting local businesses’ success.

For small businesses looking to expand, it can be difficult to know where to turn for available financing. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) CDC/504 Loan just might be the right program. The 504 program is about helping a small business purchase the assets they need to take their business to the next level. This allows companies to save money while financing such purchases as real estate or equipment with longer loan terms that are backed by Uncle Sam.

Applying for any government loan can be a daunting task. But, working with lenders knowledgeable on the ins and outs of the process can be helpful in reducing the paperwork and overall complication— getting your loan to you faster. “Here at Capital Bank, what we bring to the table is a strong partnership with our business clients and a niche expertise in SBA loans,” says Scot Browning, President. “Our performance in SBA lending earned us the ranking of the top two producers among the top community banks in the Washington DC Metropolitan area*”.

Entrepreneur magazine pointed out the value of a bank partner to help businesses with the bureaucracy involved and the complications inherent to any project with many different organizations trying to work together. “We help businesses navigate the complex application process for the 504 program as well as offer loans to fit the private lender requirement,” says Browning.

The SBA’s CDC/504 Program is designed to encourage growth of small businesses by financing the purchase of fixed assets such as real estate or equipment. A business must be able to put up 10-15 percent of the project costs; SBA provides a loan for 40 percent that is administered by a local CDC (Certified Development Company), a non-profit organization. A bank or other lender is needed to finance the remaining 50 percent.

Businesses can access up to $5.5 million depending on the approved project. According to the SBA District Director for the Washington Metropolitan Area, 504 loans have supported more than $1.1 billion in area investment over the past four years.

“It’s all about supporting our clients to grow and sustain their businesses,” says Browning. “We’re excited to work with this program and we encourage small businesses to look into what the SBA 504 loan program can do for them.”

Capital Bank, N.A. is excited to announce Lynn Hackney as the newest member of its Board of Directors. Hackney’s extensive real estate background and demonstrated leadership skills will bring valuable expertise to the Capital Bank board.

Hackney is a well-known entrepreneur and innovator in the Washington, DC multifamily real estate industry. Currently, she serves as President of Urban Pace, the leading condominium sales and marketing firm in Washington, DC (also serving urban Maryland and Virginia). Under Hackney’s leadership, Urban Pace has set a new standard for performance in its market sector through the use of state-of-the-art digital marketing techniques. Since Hackney founded Urban Pace in 2001, the company has orchestrated the disposition of more than $1.8 billion of real estate assets comprising more than 6,000 homes.

Hackney is also active in several charitable and business organizations including serving on the Executive Committee of the District of Columbia Building Industry Association, and as a founding member of the Washington ULI (Urban Land Institute) Women’s Leadership Initiative. Hackney holds a master’s degree in business administration from Johns Hopkins University, and a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from Virginia Commonwealth University.

“Lynn Hackney is a great addition to our team. She brings a unique combination of business savvy and ability to embrace the latest innovations in marketing technology,” says Capital Bank CEO Ed Barry. “Her knowledge of the local real estate market ensures that Capital Bank will keep its finger on the pulse of the DC area housing market and is the perfect complement to our existing board.”

Capital Bank of Maryland is continuing to forge ahead as a leading private business bank known for providing integrated banking and lending solutions to small and medium sized businesses. With more than $550 million in assets, and return on equity of 17%, more than two times their peer group, Capital Bank was recently named among the top 100 best performing community banks with assets less than $1 billion by the American Bankers Association for 2013.

“Lynn is the epitome of what Capital Bank stands for, and she will be a great fit with her entrepreneurial spirit and leadership ability,” says Barry. “We could not be more excited about her arrival.”

Capital Bancorp, parent company of Capital Bank N.A., announced that it recently completed $5 million of senior debt financing. This senior debt financing was sourced solely through local private investors without the need of any institutional investors. “We were very pleased with the outcome of this offering,” said Ed Barry, CEO of Capital Bank. “Not only by the depth of support within the local investor community, but also by the speed with which we raised the necessary funding.”

The debt needs of Capital Bancorp were oversubscribed within a mere two days, forcing the company to turn away potential investors demonstrating the notoriety of the Capital Bank leadership team, as a strong team that continues to make the right decisions in steering Capital Bank towards its future. “The level of interest and amount of funds available to us validates our growth strategy and financial performance” said Barry.

Capital Bank N.A, headquartered in Rockville, MD is a leading private business bank in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. With more than $560 million in assets and an annualized growth rate of 24%, the Capital Bank leadership team has proven its decision making acumen and its ability to take the right kinds of risks to grow. These results continue to put Capital Bank in a strong position of being able to source funding from a wide variety of options and at attractive rates.

Capital Bancorp is pleased to announce that Deborah Ratner Salzberg has joined its Board of Directors. With her success in real estate development and experience in helping high-growth companies to scale as they grow, she makes an ideal addition to the bank.

Ratner Salzberg is President of Forest City Washington and Director of Forest City Enterprises – a publicly-held, national real estate firm with properties in 26 states and the District of Columbia. As one of the leading real estate developers in the metropolitan DC area, Forest City Washington specializes in property development, management, ownership, and acquisition. In her role with Forest City Washington, Ratner Salzberg is providing leadership in the upcoming redevelopment and reconfiguration of the company’s Ballston Common Mall in Arlington, VA. She is also managing the development of the new 5.5 million SF, 25-building waterfront neighborhood in DC known as The Yards, which involves the development of office, residential and retail uses in an urban mixed-use environment.

Her involvement with numerous community, charitable, and business organizations includes the Commercial Real Estate Women, the District of Columbia Building Industry Council (DCBIA), the Mayor’s Comprehensive Task Force on Housing, and the White House Fellows Regional Selection Committee. Prior to joining Forest City, Ratner Salzberg was a trial attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from George Washington University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco.

“We’re very excited to have someone like Deborah, with proven success in helping high growth companies, join our team,” says Capital Bank CEO Ed Barry. “She, like us, is keenly attuned to the micro-economic climate and its drivers, which can lead to new ideas to meet the needs of the client base we service.”

This new development is the latest in a string of advancements for Capital Bank of Maryland, a private business bank known for providing integrated banking and lending solutions to small and medium sized businesses. With more than $500 million in assets, and return on equity of 17%, more than two times their peer group, Capital Bank was recently named among the top 100 best performing community banks with assets less than $1 billion by the American Bankers Association for 2013.

“Like Capital Bank, Deborah plays a very active role in the community by keeping her finger on the pulse of DC businesses and their needs, as well as those in the not-for-profit community,” says Barry. “We are all delighted to welcome Deborah Ratner Salzberg to our team.”

In the course of this year’s IOFM Conference that was held in Baltimore, MD on June 2 – June 4, Capital Bank N.A. together with RDM Corporation, a leading provider of remote deposit captures, presented a case study on the benefits and features of remote deposit solutions and how they can help financial institutions to stay competitive and profitable.

The session “How Capital Bank Stands Apart with Remote Deposit Capture”, presented by Nikhil Bijlani, Vice President of Product Management at Capital Bank N.A., and Lisa Miller, Director of Product Strategy for RDM, illustrated that bringing technology-enabled solutions to the customers is a key component to staying ahead of the competition in the banking industry.

Capital Bank N.A., a Maryland-based commercial bank, believes in providing their customers with leading-edge banking technology to help them save time and achieve more with their resources. During the presentation, Mr. Bijlani shared with attendees why Capital Bank had chosen RDM as their remote deposit product provider and how these products can make a competitive difference for its users. He also provided insights into advantages the bank has within the remote deposit capture environment.

The IOFM’s Payments Summit is an annual conference that brings together all-level managers and strategists involved with payment processing operations, treasury, cash management, accounts receivable, and accounts payable to examine the opportunities, challenges and business drivers for emerging payments automation technologies and processes. To learn more about the summit, visit http://www.iofm.com/payments-summit.