Bank of The West, which is looking to ramp up its wealth management business over the next two years, has brought in Ann von Germeten as chief marketing officer.

Von Germeten has over 25 years of marketing experience, including 15 years at Charles Schwab & Co, where most recently she was a brand and advertising executive. In that role, she was responsible for brand strategy, brand identity, retail branch experience and advanced analytics.

At Bank of The West, von Germeten is also a member of the senior management committee and reports to president and chief operating officer, Maura Markus.

As previously reported by this publication, Bank of The West is pioneering a wealth management model and launching dedicated centers for its wealthy clientele where they can access a range of services in one place. The professionals staffing such centers come from the private client advisor, trust, private mortgage banking, business banking, and portfolio management sides of the business.

The firm recently confirmed to Family Wealth Report that it could another 80 to 100 people over the next 18-24 months. “This follows the 80 team members hired during the past two years, bringing the wealth management team to more than 400 today,” a spokesperson said.

Without being able to provide specific figures, the spokesperson confirmed that BOTW’s wealth management business has doubled, and is expected to double again for 2013. The BOTW Wealth Management Group has a presence in 19 state footprint and is “actively hiring in many of those markets,” they said. Of particular note are the firm’s wealth management centers in San Francisco, CA, Walnut Creek, CA, San Jose, CA, Palo Alto, CA, Beverly Hills, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Pasadena, CA, and Denver, CO.

“In finding talent, we’ve attracted team members from a variety of backgrounds and firms, including boutique RIAs, private banks and large financial institutions. These individuals have contributed to the overall strength and growth of the entire wealth management organization,” the spokesperson added.  

In March, Bank of The West continued its wealth management development plan by unveiling a new office in Beverly Hills to serve high net worth and affluent clients. It also promoted Edward Mora, who is responsible for leading the firm’s Orange County’s wealth management team, to senior vice president. 

Founded in 1874, Bank of the West offers personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services.